AuxDefense 2026 brings together international experts to drive new solutions in advanced materials for Defense

AuxDefense 2026 – 5th World Conference on Advanced Materials for Defense will take place from July 1 to 3, 2026, at the VidaMar Resort Hotel, in Funchal, Madeira, bringing together researchers, universities, technology centers, companies, and entities connected to the Defense sector.

Dedicated to scientific and technological advances in advanced materials for defense applications across land, sea, air, and space domains, the conference is organized by the University of Minho, Fibrenamics, and Sciencentris, with the support of the Portuguese Ministry of National Defense. Over three days, AuxDefense 2026 will promote knowledge sharing, the presentation of innovative solutions, and the creation of new collaborations in the field of Defense and Protection.

The 2026 edition will feature specialists from European and international organizations connected to defense, aeronautics, advanced materials, and innovation ecosystems. Among the invited speakers are Martin Huber, from the European Defence Agency; Andreas Heine, from the Fraunhofer Institute; Thomas Koerwien, from Airbus; Fabian Delorme, from the French-German Research Institute of Saint-Louis; and Vladan Koncar, from ENSAIT – University of Lille. The program reflects the conference’s commitment to presenting the state of the art in the latest developments in advanced materials for defense.

The scientific participation of Fibrenamics will be particularly relevant in this edition, with multiple contributions presented by its researchers in the sessions dedicated to Protective Systems and Dynamic Response and Biodefence, Smart Wearables and Sensors. These works reinforce the role of fibrous materials, composites, smart textiles, and functional structures in the development of high-performance solutions for critical scenarios.

According to Raúl Fangueiro, Chair of AuxDefense 2026, Pro-Rector of the University of Minho and President of Fibrenamics, “in an international context marked by growing geopolitical, technological, and security challenges, AuxDefense represents a privileged meeting space between science, industry, and end users. For Fibrenamics and the University of Minho, this conference reinforces the commitment to promoting knowledge-based innovation, accelerating technology transfer, and contributing to the development of advanced solutions that strengthen Europe’s protection capabilities and technological sovereignty.”

Within the scientific program, Fibrenamics will be represented by Daniel Barros, with a presentation on the hybridization of composite laminates for improved impact performance, and by Gonçalo Oliveira, with a study focused on the residual strength of auxetic composite laminates after impact. In the field of smart systems and sensors, Maria Gonçalves will present solutions using auxetic yarns for low-impact protection in seamless knitted structures, Mónica P. S. Ferreira will address the piezoresistive behavior of knitted structures coated with GNP and CNT, and Tânia Tavares will present a study on fire-resistant yarns for technical defense clothing.

By bringing together scientific knowledge, technological capability, industrial vision, and operational needs, AuxDefense 2026 reinforces the role of national innovation in the Defense and Protection sector. Since its inaugural edition, held in Lisbon in 2018, the conference has been consolidating its global reach, having already gathered more than 800 participants from 55 countries and featured over 400 posters and oral presentations — figures that reflect the growing relevance of this forum in the international landscape of advanced materials.

Fibrenamics’ participation in AuxDefense 2026 reflects an increasingly strategic vision for the future of Defense: the next generation of solutions will not depend solely on weapons systems, but also on advanced materials capable of protecting, camouflaging, monitoring, repairing, generating energy, reducing weight, and increasing survivability in extreme environments.

More than a scientific conference, AuxDefense stands as an international space for convergence between research, industry, and end users, helping to accelerate knowledge transfer and the development of advanced solutions for the current and future challenges of Defense and Protection.

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