As part of its ongoing operational experimentation (OPEX) activities, the European Defence Agency (EDA) will conduct a second EU OPEX campaign in 2026, to be held in Switzerland. It will complement the campaign already scheduled in Portugal at the beginning of the autumn.
The Swiss edition will happen from 16 to 20 November at the Bure military area, a major Swiss Army facility in the Jura region. This campaign will broaden the Agency's experimentation efforts by providing an additional operational environment.
“Innovation creates defence value only when it is tested, trusted, and ultimately used by the military. Operational experimentation allows us to turn promising technology into proven military capability,” said Nathalie Guichard, EDA’s Director for Research, Technology & Innovation.
“Being able to host the EU OPEX 2026 in Switzerland is very important for us. It shows the strong interest and commitment of the Swiss armed forces to be an integral part of the whole EDA and EU innovation ecosystem,” complemented Major General Rolf André Siegenthaler, Commander of the Swiss Armed Forces Logistics Organisation.
Representatives of the European Defence Agency, the Swiss Armed Forces and participating industry at the EU OPEX kick-off event in April 2026.
Testing unmanned systems for logistics
EU OPEX in Switzerland will focus on the use of unmanned aerial and ground systems (UAVs and UGVs) for logistics operations in an urban environment. By embedding experimentation into a large-scale military exercise, participants will be able to assess technologies in conditions that closely reflect real operational settings, including interactions with deployed troops, complex terrain, and dynamic scenarios.
Key objectives include:
- Testing the capabilities of UAVs and UGVs for logistics, including:
- Delivery of goods to deployed units
- Evacuation of injured personnel
- Site reconnaissance and situational awareness
- Providing a platform for industry to demonstrate technologies in operationally relevant conditions
- Facilitating the exchange of information and best practices among participating countries
- Engaging experts, including military end-users, to support knowledge sharing and operational feedback
The campaign builds on Switzerland’s long-standing partnership with EDA under the updated Administrative Arrangement signed in 2025, as well as its contribution to the first EU OPEX campaign held in Italy in 2025. This cooperation fosters knowledge transfer and strengthens links with the European defence innovation ecosystem. As part of this exchange, since April 2026, the European Defence Agency hosts a Swiss expert who contributes to the Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI) team.
By expanding EU OPEX activities to partners and partner countries such as Switzerland, EDA strengthens collaborative experimentation, promotes knowledge exchange, and accelerates the integration of emerging technologies into operational use across Europe.
The EU Defence Innovation Operational Experimentation Campaigns (EU OPEX) are part of EDA’s Hub for European Defence Innovation. They help ensure that innovation is translated into operational capability more rapidly and effectively. The first EU OPEX took place in Italy the summer of 2025. Details are available in the dedicated brochure.