Portugal will host the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) flagship operational experimentation campaign OPEX in 2026. The campaign will focus on several technological domains including autonomous systems, logistics support and loitering munitions. OPEX 2026 will accelerate the uptake of defence innovations in field operations.
OPEX 2026 will be held in October at the Santa Margarida Military Training Area, soon to become a national regulatory sandbox — a controlled environment where emerging technologies can be tested in realistic conditions.
This edition will link the international scope of the OPEX campaign with Portuguese Army’s national experimentation initiative, ARTEX26. By easing peacetime rules and providing a setting for system validation, this will accelerate the development of emerging technologies.
Portugal’s defence innovation-friendly regulatory framework, along with its approach to experimental testing and the safe integration of emerging technologies, stands out as a best practice - one that could inspire similar initiatives across Europe.
Bringing the OPEX 2026 campaign into ARTEX26 offers a chance to create a joined-up, realistic, and operational testing environment. The Campo Militar de Santa Margarida will provide excellent conditions for experimentation, supported by rigorous safety measures and smooth coordination.
Cross-domain testing and experimentation
Within this supportive environment, OPEX 2026 will enable participants to conduct cross-domain testing across multiple areas:
- Autonomous aerial and ground systems
- Logistics support (resupply, casualty evacuation)
- Reconnaissance and surveillance
- Testing of loitering munitions
- Multi-platform cross-domain field testing in realistic operational environments
Additionally, EDA will provide support in emerging and disruptive technologies, including in areas such as adversarial counter-drone testing.
OPEX is designed to accelerate defence innovation by putting next-generation technologies that are already at an advanced stage of development into challenging, real-world operational conditions. This approach helps bring promising new capabilities into active use faster to shape the future of EU defence.
Participants of the OPEX 2025 campaign in Italy.
The inaugural edition of EDA’s operational experimentation campaign took place in summer 2025 in Italy. Details and results are available in this executive briefing (pdf). In 2026, the campaign shifts from a proof-of-concept phase towards establishing a broader, multinational experimentation network. Its goal will be to accelerate the transition of promising technologies from demonstration to rapid adoption across Europe’s armed forces.
OPEX is an important part of EDA’s Hub for Defence Innovation (HEDI). In 2026, the Hub will focus on strengthening national initiatives while aligning them with EU-level tools and processes.
Industry, innovators and other relevant organisations will be able to signal their interest in participating in OPEX in early 2026.