Defence minister Bogdan Klich to attend the opening of MSPO

The official opening of the International Defence Industry Exhibition to be held on 6th September 2010 will be attended by high ranking military people representing Poland and other countries. On this day, Targi Kielce will also be visited by the Polish Minister of Defence, Bogdan Klich, who has provided honorary patronage of this exhibition.

To follow the tradition, on the first day of this fair, visitors will have an opportunity to see a unique dynamic presentation. This year it will be prepared by soldiers of the 17th Wielkopolska Mechanized Brigade. This presentation will be made with Major Grzegorz Kaliciak – commander of the legendary defence of the City Hall in Karbala, Iraq, in 2004, who five years later was chosen in a popular vote organized by “Polska Zbrojna” magazine as the “Soldier of the Year” – being in charge of the event. Soldiers of the “seventeen”, having equipment which is being used in the mission in Afghanistan, will show the operation of an ambushed platoon. This presentation will also include the operation of the helicopters Mi-24 providing fire support to the assaulted platoon (Close Air Support - CAS), evacuation of a wounded soldier from the battlefield (MEDEVAC) by means of a Mi-17 helicopter, as well as a reconnaissance of the ambush area for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). The demonstration will be carried out in conditions similar to those in the real battlefield, with special simulators being utilized.

The Kielce defence industry is not only central Europe’s most important fair event of this kind, but the third largest one held on the Old Continent. MSPO annually features the latest developments in the defence industry, in addition to offering solutions applied in such fields as logistics, security, and rescue. Each year Targi Kielce brings together about 300 exhibitors from 20-odd countries. This year this exhibition will be held for the seventeenth time. Among those who annually visit Kielce are tens of official delegations representing governments, including visitors from far-off countries, as well as the most prominent decision-makers from Poland.

The exhibition attracts enormous attention, with over 13,000 people visiting it every year. MSPO offers not only equipment put on stationary displays. Available for the producers’ and distributors’ use is Poland’s only area specially designed for dynamic presentations during trade fairs. It is also used by Polish soldiers demonstrating their skills. Fair visitors also have opportunities to participate in a whole range of trade meetings and scientific conferences.