DPRTE Expo 2027 | TradeShowIntel

Event overview

Overview

DPRTE Expo 2027 is the UK's leading defence procurement and supply chain event, bringing MOD commercial teams, prime contractors, Tier 1 suppliers and specialist SMEs together at Farnborough International on 23-24 March 2027. Over two days, the exhibition, Keynote Arena and seven Knowledge Transfer Zones translate the Defence Investment Plan and the Strategic Defence Review into practical routes to market.

Buyers can use the Meet the Buyer hubs for scheduled one-to-one appointments, while suppliers can test capability, build partnerships and follow procurement priorities across air, land, sea and digital domains. It is a working event for teams with a live defence opportunity, not a general public show.

TL;DR

123-24 March 2027 at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre.
2Two days connecting MOD commercial teams, prime contractors and the defence supply chain.
3Seven Knowledge Transfer Zones plus a Keynote Arena and Meet the Buyer hubs.
4Organiser forecasts 4,000+ delegates each day and 350+ exhibitors.
5Private-sector tickets are £295 + VAT for two days; MOD and public sector go free after verification.

Why visit

Come to test the market against a live requirement. DPRTE puts MOD commercial teams, single-service procurement staff, prime contractor supply chain leads and delivery partners in the same halls for two days. Scheduled Meet the Buyer appointments and seven Knowledge Transfer Zones make it possible to validate a route to market, compare partners and leave with named contacts rather than a bag of brochures.

Why exhibit

A stand buys direct exposure to buyers who are actively mapping supply chains against the Defence Investment Plan. The audience is concentrated and relevant: MOD and public sector decision-makers, primes, Tier 1 contractors and specialist SMEs. Exhibitors can pre-book meetings, use the Meet the Buyer hubs and follow up with badge-scanning data while the event is still running.

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Visitor profile

Typical attendee groups you can expect to meet.

MOD and public sector procurement or commercial lead with a live requirement

Prime contractor or Tier 1 supply chain manager looking for new suppliers

SME defence manufacturer or specialist service provider seeking a route to market

Innovation, engineering or export lead tracking defence technology priorities

Exhibitor profile

Main supplier and exhibitor segments present at the show.

Prime contractor or Tier 1 systems integrator managing supplier engagement

UK SME manufacturer with a product or service ready for defence qualification

Professional services firm advising on bids, compliance or export controls

Technology provider selling autonomy, cyber, digital or secure communications

Product categories

Key solution areas showcased across the event.

Defence procurement and contracting services

Supply chain, logistics and through-life support

Advanced manufacturing and engineering

Digital, cyber and secure communications

Autonomy, robotics and sensors

Defence estates and critical infrastructure

Location & Facilities

Venue

Open in Google Maps

Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre

Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, ShowCentre, ETPS Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6FD, United Kingdom

Facilities

Food options

Venue catering outlets

On-site dining

Parking: The venue sits just off the A325, reached from M3 junction 4 and the A31. Check which gate DPRTE is using before travelling and enter that gate, not the main airshow entrance, in satnav.

Gate: Use the gate named in your joining instructions. The venue advises drivers to search for the exhibition centre plus the specific gate rather than the site name alone.

Attend

Entry & tickets

Trade-only

Private sector two-day ticket
Plus VAT; includes exhibition floor, Keynote Arena, Knowledge Transfer Zones and catering package.
£295.00
Private sector day ticket
Plus VAT; day one or day two.
£225.00
MOD and verified public sector
Complimentary registration for MOD personnel and verified public sector employees with a valid public sector email address.

Ticket info

Badge collection

Register online in advance. MOD and public sector registrations are verified before a ticket is issued; bring photo ID matching the registration to collect your badge.

Ticket notes

Registration is open. Private-sector early-bird pricing ended on 31 August 2026; the published standard rates are £295 + VAT for two days and £225 + VAT for one day.

Who runs the show

Organisers

BiP Solutions Ltd

Organiser and registration support

Email Website

What's on

Programme

Topic tracks

AI and Autonomous SystemsSupply Chain Resilience and SME GrowthExport and International Markets

Government supporters

Ministry of Defence(MOD)

Official support · United Kingdom

How the last edition performed

Previous edition

Last edition

2026

Completed

Visitors: 3,000

Exhibitors: 300

This edition

2027

Visitors: 4,000

Exhibitors: 350

Next edition

Not announced yet

New this edition

1
Critical National Infrastructure Zone
A new Knowledge Transfer Zone covering the convergence of defence and CNI investment across energy, communications, space and transport.
Source
2
Meeting hubs
Dedicated bookable meeting space on the show floor for scheduled supplier and buyer conversations.
Source
3
Live Demo Arena
A feature area for live product and technology demonstrations on the exhibition floor.
Source

Impact

A bigger and stronger platform

DPRTE matters because it compresses the UK defence buying chain into two days. MOD commercial teams, single-service procurement staff, primes and delivery partners are all on the floor, and the Meet the Buyer hubs turn introductions into scheduled appointments. For a supplier, that is a faster route to a named buyer than months of cold outreach. For a buyer, it is a single scan of the SME and specialist capability market at the moment the Defence Investment Plan is being translated into programmes.

Audience quality

High-value decision-makers

The audience is qualified by registration rather than by ticket price alone: MOD and public sector attendees are verified, and private-sector visitors pay a meaningful fee. That filters for organisations with a real defence interest. The mix spans prime contractors, Tier 1 suppliers, SMEs and advisers, with a strong UK weighting and a growing international contingent. It is a senior, commercially focused crowd, but visitors should expect competition for buyer time and should pre-book meetings rather than rely on walk-up conversations.

Exhibitor outcomes

Real business growth

ROI depends on pre-show work. A 9 sqm shell stand will not generate qualified pipeline on its own; exhibitors that book Meet the Buyer slots, invite targets and staff the stand with technical sellers convert best. Budget for three nights, two staff and follow-up, and set a 24-48 hour contact SLA. The event is strongest for SMEs seeking first defence contracts and for primes recruiting suppliers, weaker for consumer-facing or purely academic propositions with no route to a programme.

Intelligence

Market context

Key market insights, trends, news and related events to help you understand the bigger picture.

United Kingdom

Why it matters

Defence procurement is being reshaped by the Defence Investment Plan, the Strategic Defence Review and a policy push to widen SME access. DPRTE is where those priorities meet the supplier base, making it a useful early indicator of which capability areas and contracting routes are moving from policy into demand.

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Budget growth meets delivery pressure

UK defence spending is rising toward 3.5% of GDP, but the money has to translate into programmes and contracts. Buyers are under pressure to show delivery, which favours suppliers that can evidence readiness, capacity and a credible route to qualification.

SME access becomes a procurement metric

The government has committed to increasing the share of defence spending that reaches SMEs. Primes and Tier 1 contractors are therefore expected to show how their supply chains open routes for smaller firms, not simply how many subcontracts they let.

Resilience and dual-use technology

Supply chain resilience, critical national infrastructure and dual-use technology have moved up the agenda. That creates openings for firms in cyber, secure communications, autonomy, energy and advanced manufacturing, but also raises the bar on security, compliance and sovereign capability.

The UK defence engagement circuit

Book hotels and meeting slots 6-10 weeks ahead; DSEI and the Airshow sell out earlier.

DPRTE sits in a year-round circuit of UK defence events. Teams planning a full engagement calendar can pair the March expo with the Farnborough Airshow in summer 2026, the Scottish summit in May 2027, the National summit in October 2027 and DSEI in London in September 2027.

20–24 Jul 2026

Farnborough International Airshow 2026

Farnborough, United Kingdom

Aerospace and defence showcase at the same venue; dates are the published airshow week.

website

26 May 2027

Scottish Defence Procurement & Supply Chain Summit 2027

Glasgow, United Kingdom

One-day DPRTE circuit summit focused on MOD activity in Scotland and regional suppliers.

website

14–17 Sep 2027

DSEI 2027

London, United Kingdom

Large international defence and security exhibition at ExCeL; dates follow the biennial September pattern.

website

Circuit names and cities from the DPRTE homepage; adjacent dates from circuit knowledge and flagged as estimates.

Plan your trip

Travel & logistics

Local currency · GBP

Arrival airports

Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.

LHR

London Heathrow Airport

Largest choice of long-haul connections; take the M4/M25 or the M3 depending on traffic.

about 30 miles

to venue

35-55 minutes

by car

LGW

London Gatwick Airport

Useful for European low-cost carriers; the M23/M25 route is traffic-sensitive.

about 45 miles

to venue

50-70 minutes

by car

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

budget

Farnborough town centre

USD 95–135 / night

Simple rooms within a short taxi or bus ride of the venue; book early because the defence calendar fills local stock.

mid

Farnborough Business Park and town centre

USD 140–190 / night

Practical business hotels with parking and breakfast; the best balance of cost and proximity.

premium

Farnborough and Bagshot

USD 220–320 / night

Larger rooms and quieter settings for senior meetings; Aviator is closest to the airfield.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Rail

Estimated cost£20-35 return

Best forFarnborough Main to London Waterloo

Fast services to Waterloo; then a taxi or local bus to the venue. Farnborough North serves the Reading line.

Taxi or ride-hail

Estimated cost£8-15 local; £55-75 from Heathrow

Best forFarnborough station or Heathrow to the venue

Use the official taxi rank at Heathrow; agree the fare or use the meter before leaving.

Plan your trip

Visa & entry documents

Check the latest visa requirements and entry guidelines before travelling.

Visa required

ATA Carnet: accepted

Type	Who needs it	Fee	Processing
Standard Visitor visa	Visa-national business visitors attending meetings, conferences or trade shows	—	Usually around three weeks; allow longer in peak periods

Irish citizens do not need permission to enter the UK. Many EU and other visa-national visitors can attend business events without a visa for short visits, but should confirm their own status on GOV.UK.

The UK accepts ATA Carnets for qualifying temporary imports. Confirm the goods code and procedure with your freight forwarder before shipping demo equipment.

Official visa page

Weather

March is early spring in Hampshire: expect 3-11°C, a cold wind off the airfield and frequent rain. Days can be bright but the exhibition halls and walkways stay cool.

Plan for the climate

Check temperatures and pack accordingly

Venue connectivity

Mobile coverage is good on the main networks. Venue Wi-Fi is available for basic use; exhibitors should order a dedicated connection for live demos.

Ride-hailing

Taxis

Public transit

Car rentals

Cultural notes

Useful information to help you have a smooth and respectful visit.

Pub and restaurant etiquette

In a pub, order and pay at the bar; table service is not automatic. Check whether a service charge is already on the bill before adding a tip.

Punctuality and queues

Meetings start on time and queues are respected. Arrive at the venue 30-45 minutes before your first appointment to clear registration and security.

Practical guides

Visitor & Exhibitor Essentials

Everything needed to arrive prepared, navigate the event, and make the visit productive.

Flights

Destination: London Heathrow (LHR)

Book 6-8 weeks ahead for show week. Heathrow has the best long-haul choice; Gatwick can be cheaper from Europe but adds road time.

Book flights

Visa

Most visa-national business visitors need a Standard Visitor visa before travel; Irish citizens and many short-stay visitors do not. Check your own nationality on GOV.UK.

Estimated cost: Budget £120-150; confirm the current fee on GOV.UK.

Processing: About three weeks, longer in peak periods

Carry an invitation letter, hotel booking and proof of employment. Do not plan to work or take paid employment on a visitor visa.

Official

Transport

Get to the venue and around the city with these options.

Airport → venue: Heathrow to Farnborough is about 35-55 minutes by taxi or a rail connection via Woking or Basingstoke.

Hotel → venue: Local taxis take 10-15 minutes from Farnborough town centre; allow 25 minutes at peak.

Ride-hail: Uber and local firms operate in the area, but supply is thin after the show closes; pre-book a return.

Public transit: Farnborough Main has direct trains to London Waterloo; local buses serve the town centre but are infrequent in the evening.

Parking: On-site parking fills early; follow the DPRTE gate instructions and keep change or a card ready.

Weather

Plan and pack for the event climate.

Month: March

Temperature: 3-11°C

Seasonality: Changeable, with frequent showers and a cold wind; snow is rare but possible.

Packing: Bring a waterproof layer, warm layers for the halls and comfortable shoes for the exhibition floor.

Plan your trip

Planning

Best day to visit: Day one, 23 March 2027

Day one carries the opening keynotes and the fullest buyer presence. If your priority is follow-up meetings, stay for day two and book appointments on both days.

T-14

Book travel and a refundable hotel room — Compare Heathrow and Gatwick; stay in Farnborough town centre if you want to walk to dinner.

T-10

Register and request Meet the Buyer appointments — MOD and public sector registrations need verification, so do not leave this late.

T-7

Build a shortlist of stands and zones — Pick six to ten exhibitors and two Knowledge Transfer Zone sessions.

T-3

Confirm meetings and print the floor plan — Share your mobile number with each contact and agree a meeting point.

T-1

Travel and check in — Collect your badge if possible, charge devices and check the gate for the morning.

Sample visitor itinerary

Route-optimised day