Enforce Tac 2026: Chancellor Merz becomes Patron in Nuremberg

<p>A clear signal from Berlin for the security and defense industry: Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz is taking on the patronage of Enforce Tac 2026 in Nuremberg. The trade show, which describes itself as a "future laboratory for European security," gains politically tangible weight in the process – at a time when the international security situation is fundamentally changing.</p>

<h2>Political backing for the leading trade show</h2> <p>As Nuremberg Messe announced, Enforce Tac will take place from February 23-25, 2026 at the Nuremberg fairgrounds – for the first time under the patronage of an incumbent federal chancellor. Peter Ottmann, managing director of NürnbergMesse, describes the decision as a strategic upgrade: "The support of the Federal Chancellor is both an honor and an incentive for us. It confirms our course of developing the trade show as a leading platform for all security-relevant areas and stakeholders. The dialogue between politics, authorities, emergency services and industry gains new strategic depth with this patronage."</p>

<h3>"Defense as a whole-of-society task"</h3> <p>Federal Chancellor Merz himself justifies his commitment with the changed threat situation in Europe: "We want to be able to defend ourselves so that we don't have to defend ourselves," says Merz. "Defense is a whole-of-society task and the foundation for the resilience and future viability of our country. Enforce Tac stands for this holistic security approach. I am therefore pleased to take on the patronage." In his greeting to the trade show, he also referred to the key theme "Networked Security," which is of particular relevance given the fourth anniversary of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine on February 24. Germany and Europe are facing "for the first time in decades" a direct threat – including through hybrid operations and cyberattacks against infrastructure and companies.</p>

<h2>From security equipment to innovation platform</h2> <p>In recent years, Enforce Tac has evolved from a classic trade fair for police and security equipment to a broader platform for the entire security and defense industry. Around 1,200 exhibitors are expected, distributed across eight halls of the Nuremberg fairgrounds. In addition to established giants like Rheinmetall and Diehl, increasingly young companies like Quantum Systems are also presenting themselves – an indication of how strongly the industry is shifting toward innovation and the startup ecosystem. Around 20,000 specialist visitors are expected at the upcoming event.</p>

<h3>Cybersecurity and new technologies in focus</h3> <p>In terms of content, the trade show places topics at the center that go far beyond classic defense technology. In light of hybrid attacks from Russia on Western societies, cybersecurity in particular is gaining importance – an area that affects society far more directly than police or military technology. On a special exhibition area, Enforce Tac wants to make new defense technologies tangible and simulate training scenarios. Presented innovation areas include AI-supported combat support, disinformation analysis, and quantum-safe communication. For startups and research institutions in these areas, the trade show thus also provides a platform to find sponsors, investors, and future partners.</p>

<h2>Germany as "NATO's hub"</h2> <p>The trade show is flanked by the so-called Germany Operations Plan, which the Bundeswehr presented in advance. This brings together central military components of national and alliance defense with the necessary civilian support services and underlines Germany's role as a logistical hub within NATO. Against this background, Enforce Tac gains additional strategic relevance: it increasingly becomes a place where political directives and industrial reality meet.</p>

<h2>Conclusion and outlook</h2> <p>With the patronage of the Federal Chancellor, Enforce Tac 2026 sets a clear signal for the growing political importance of the security and defense industry in Germany. The trade show thus positions itself not only as a trading platform, but as a central meeting point for dialogue between politics, armed forces, authorities and industry. Given ongoing geopolitical tensions and the increasing importance of cybersecurity, Enforce Tac is likely to gain weight in the coming years – as a showcase for European security technology and as a place where societal resilience and industrial innovation meet.</p>