When security agencies, special forces, defense experts, and industry representatives meet again in Nuremberg at the end of February, one thing will be clear: Enforce Tac has firmly established itself as one of Europe’s key platforms for government and defense technology.

From February 23 to 25, 2026, the Nuremberg Exhibition Center was transformed into a showcase for modern security architecture covering more than 60,000 square meters – under the theme of “Networked Security.”

During his visit, Bavaria’s Minister of the Interior, Joachim Herrmann, described the trade fair as powerful and trend-setting. Indeed, this year’s edition shows more clearly than ever that security policy and the security industry are undergoing a phase of strategic realignment. Ideas are turning into concrete solutions, and isolated technologies are becoming integrated systems.

Growth, internationalization, and political signaling effect

Last year, the trade fair attracted over 19,000 trade visitors and around 1,000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries – figures that, according to industry observers, were confirmed or exceeded in 2026. Trade media such as *ES&T*, *Behörden Spiegel* and international defense publications particularly highlighted the growing internationalization in their reporting.

While the trade fair originally focused heavily on special forces and tactical equipment, its profile has broadened significantly. Today, the spectrum ranges from ballistic protective equipment and digital mission control systems to AI-supported drone detection.

The daily press also covered Enforce Tac more intensively this year than in previous editions.

The background to this is the changed security policy situation in Europe. In view of geopolitical tensions, growing hybrid threats, and increasing sensitivity to the protection of critical infrastructure, the interconnection between internal and external security is becoming more prominent in the public consciousness. Local media in Nuremberg also emphasized the economic importance of the event for the region and Bavaria’s role as a location for security-related industry.

Networked security as a guiding principle

This year’s theme, “Networked Security,” is more than just a programmatic title. It describes a paradigm shift. Security authorities no longer operate in strictly separate areas of responsibility. The police, the armed forces, local authorities, disaster control, and operators of critical infrastructure are faced with threats that transcend traditional categories.

Herrmann made it clear in Nuremberg that internal and external security can no longer be thought of as completely separate.

Against this backdrop, civil-military cooperation, which has traditionally been strong in Bavaria, is gaining strategic importance. Expert commentary in security policy publications underscored this development and pointed out that hybrid threats—from cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns to drone sightings over military facilities—require integrated responses.

Drones, AI, and the protection of critical infrastructure

A key topic at Enforce Tac 2026 was the growing threat posed by unmanned systems. According to security circles, the number of drone sightings over military facilities, airports, and energy plants has increased significantly. There was correspondingly high interest in anti-drone technologies, sensor fusion, radar and optical detection systems, and AI-supported evaluation platforms.

Trade media reported extensively on new modular systems that combine multiple sensor types and can automatically classify threats. The trend is clearly moving toward integrated solutions that consolidate situational awareness in real time and transmit it to command centers. Companies in the tactical communications sector also presented encrypted network solutions designed specifically for government and military applications.

At the same time, the topic of resilience gained importance. Critical infrastructures—such as energy supplies, transportation hubs, and digital networks—are considered potential targets for hybrid attacks. Enforce Tac showed how physical security, cybersecurity, and operational command are increasingly merging.

Technological progress and regulatory framework

The 2026 trade fair also reflected a greater sensitivity to regulatory issues. Discussion forums and panels addressed the question of how technological innovation can be reconciled with the principles of the rule of law. Particularly when it comes to the use of AI, biometric procedures, or automated threat analysis, there is a tension between security gains and data protection requirements.

Several expert commentaries emphasized that the industry is increasingly focusing on transparent system architectures and European development standards. This is in response to political demands for technological sovereignty and reduced dependence on non-European suppliers.

Bavaria as a security policy location

Herrmann also used his visit to the trade fair to underscore Bavaria’s security policy aspirations. For years, the Free State has positioned itself as a pioneer in internal security. The combination of a long-term security strategy, increased police staffing, and close cooperation with the German Armed Forces is intended to reinforce this claim.

Political reporting made it clear that security is not only understood as a police task, but as a national project. The statement that security does not arise from going it alone, but through cooperation, innovation, and a willingness to take responsibility, was a recurring theme in the discussions at the trade fair.

Platform for strategic cooperation

Enforce Tac has long been more than just a product show. It serves as a strategic platform where the needs of authorities and industrial innovation cycles come together. In conversations with trade journalists, many exhibitors emphasized that direct feedback from users was a decisive added value. Requirements from everyday operations flow directly into the further development of products.

At the same time, the trade fair opens up international exchange. Representatives from Europe, North America, and the Middle East discussed common challenges, particularly in the areas of border protection, counterterrorism, and critical infrastructure protection. This international dimension reinforces Enforce Tac’s character as a hub of a globally networked security ecosystem.

Conclusion: Security architecture in transition

Enforce Tac 2026 has shown that security policy and the security industry are facing a phase of profound transformation. Hybrid threats, technological acceleration, and geopolitical uncertainties require new forms of cooperation. The leitmotif of networked security succinctly sums up this development.

What became apparent in Nuremberg is more than just technical progress. It is an attempt to design a security architecture that is resilient, cooperative, and technologically sovereign. Close cooperation between the police, the armed forces, local authorities, industry, and research could prove to be a decisive factor in this process. Enforce Tac acts as both a seismograph and a driving force in this process—a place where strategic guidelines become visible and concrete solutions take shape.