The aerospace and defense supply chain runs on relationships, intelligence, and presence. Trade shows and technical symposia are where contracts get seeded, partnerships form, and engineers discover the components that end up in the next generation of radar, satellite, and defense systems.
If you’re sourcing waveguide assemblies, RF components, or precision-machined aerospace hardware — or if you’re a program manager, systems engineer, or procurement professional navigating a complex supply chain — these are the events worth putting on your calendar.
We’ve organized them chronologically from June 2026 through mid-2027, covering the full spectrum from RF/microwave technical conferences to major international defense expositions.
All of the events below are tracked on the Space Machine & Engineering event calendar. Click any event name to view full details.
Summer 2026
Space Tech Expo USA 2026
📅 June 2–4, 2026 📍 Anaheim, CA
North America’s leading B2B trade show dedicated to space technology manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain. With 350+ exhibitors spanning satellite components, launch systems, and ground infrastructure, it’s the most concentrated gathering of space hardware buyers and suppliers on the continent. If your work touches satellite communications, RF hardware, or spacecraft subsystems, this is the room to be in.
IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2026)
📅 June 7–12, 2026 📍 Boston, MA
The world’s premier RF and microwave technical conference and industry exhibition — 8,000+ attendees, 500+ exhibitors, and five days of technical sessions covering everything from component-level physics to system-level integration. IMS draws the engineers who design, specify, and procure waveguide and RF hardware for aerospace, defense, and communications applications. There is no more targeted gathering of RF professionals anywhere in the world.
ILA Berlin Air Show 2026
📅 June 10–14, 2026 📍 Berlin, Germany
One of Europe’s premier international aerospace and defense exhibitions, ILA Berlin draws heads of government, defense ministers, and senior aerospace executives from across the globe. Held in alternating years with the Paris Air Show, the 2026 edition is a prime opportunity for suppliers pursuing European aerospace and defense subcontracts. Airborne radar, communications systems, and electronic warfare platforms are consistently prominent themes.
Eurosatory 2026
📅 June 15–19, 2026 📍 Paris, France
The world’s largest land and air defence exhibition, Eurosatory brings together 2,000+ exhibitors from 61 countries and more than 350 official government delegations under one roof. Satellite communications, radar systems, and multi-domain warfare capabilities dominate the technology agenda. For defense suppliers with international ambitions, there is no more important European show on the calendar.
Farnborough International Airshow 2026
📅 July 20–24, 2026 📍 Farnborough, United Kingdom
One of the most consequential aerospace events in the world, Farnborough is where Tier-1 defense and commercial aviation subcontracts are forged at scale. The 2026 edition is particularly significant as it falls in the year the Paris Air Show does not — making it the primary global aerospace industry gathering of the year. Program managers, prime contractors, and government procurement officials attend in force.
IEEE Antennas and Propagation Symposium (APS/URSI 2026)
📅 July 12–17, 2026 📍 Detroit, MI
The flagship technical conference for antenna engineers, radio scientists, and RF system specifiers working at the frontier of aerospace and defense technology. Unlike broader defense expositions, APS/URSI attracts the engineering community that designs advanced antenna systems — including the horn antenna assemblies and waveguide structures that feed them. If precision RF performance is central to your work, this is the symposium where those conversations happen.
Fall 2026
European Microwave Week (EuMW 2026)
📅 October 4–9, 2026 📍 London, United Kingdom
The European counterpart to IMS, EuMW is the continent’s largest RF and microwave component exhibition — featuring a dedicated Defence, Space, and Automotive Forum alongside a rigorous technical program. It draws the RF engineers, component buyers, and defense system integrators who specify high-frequency hardware across the European aerospace and defense supply chain. For suppliers with European programs, EuMW is the most targeted entry point available.
AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition 2026
📅 October 12–14, 2026 📍 Washington, DC
The largest land power exposition in North America, AUSA draws 44,000+ attendees and 750+ exhibitors from 92 countries — including senior Army leadership, defense program offices, and the full range of defense technology suppliers. Radar systems, electronic warfare, and advanced communications hardware are perennial focal points. For suppliers serving U.S. Army programs, AUSA is the most important domestic show of the fall season.
Space Tech Expo Europe 2026
📅 November 17–19, 2026 📍 Bremen, Germany
Bremen is the heartbeat of European space manufacturing — home to Airbus Defence & Space, OHB, and a deep ecosystem of satellite and launch-vehicle suppliers. Space Tech Expo Europe connects that community directly with component manufacturers, subsystem developers, and technical service providers. For suppliers pursuing European satellite programs, it is the most direct path to the engineers and procurement teams who specify hardware.
AOC International Symposium & Convention 2026
📅 December 8–10, 2026 📍 National Harbor, MD
The premier annual gathering for electromagnetic warfare, spectrum dominance, and electronic attack professionals across the U.S. military and allied forces. AOC brings together 100+ exhibiting companies and hundreds of active-duty EW operators, program managers, and defense engineers. Waveguide technology is foundational to the systems discussed here — making this a critical forum for RF hardware suppliers serving the EW community.
2027 — Looking Ahead
The following events are confirmed for 2027. Specific dates will be updated on our events page as they are announced.
SATELLITE Conference & Exhibition (SATShow) 2027
📅 March 2027 📍 Washington, DC
The flagship annual event for the global satellite and SATCOM industry, SATShow brings together satellite operators, defense space agencies, and the full hardware supply chain from component manufacturers through system integrators. With growing emphasis on government and military space programs, the show increasingly attracts the procurement decision-makers who specify space-qualified RF and waveguide hardware.
Sea-Air-Space 2027
📅 April 2027 📍 National Harbor, MD
The Navy League’s Global Maritime Exposition is the premier U.S. event for naval defense technology, drawing senior Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard leadership alongside 430+ exhibitors and delegations from 57 countries. Naval radar, shipborne communications, and electronic warfare are central to the show’s technology agenda — making it a key event for suppliers serving maritime defense programs.
Space Symposium 2027 (41st Edition)
📅 April 2027 📍 Colorado Springs, CO
The number one international gathering for the space industry, Space Symposium connects civil, commercial, and defense space professionals for four days of high-level dialogue on strategy, technology, and supply chain. NASA, Space Force, major satellite operators, and the full aerospace manufacturing ecosystem are represented. For space hardware suppliers, few events offer comparable access to the program and procurement leadership shaping the next decade of space systems.
AOC Europe 2027
📅 May 2027 📍 TBD, Europe
Europe’s leading conference for electromagnetic warfare and spectrum operations, AOC Europe brings together military, industry, and academic leaders focused on EW capability development across NATO and allied nations. With spectrum dominance a growing strategic priority, demand for advanced RF components in European EW programs continues to rise — and this conference is where that demand takes shape.
Space Tech Expo USA 2027
📅 June 2027 📍 Anaheim, CA
The 2027 edition of North America’s premier space manufacturing trade show builds on growing annual momentum, with expanded exhibitor participation and deepening focus on defense space, commercial satellite, and launch vehicle supply chains. For suppliers who attended in 2026, it provides a natural annual touchpoint with the same engineering and procurement teams — with a full year of program development behind both parties.
Whether you’re attending as a buyer, a supplier, or a technical participant, each of these shows represents a concentrated opportunity to advance programs, establish supplier relationships, and stay current on where the industry is heading.
