Tech expo puts US military leaders in Europe face-to-face with latest in war gadgetry

STUTTGART, Germany — Artificial intelligence, drones and advanced networking tools topped the list of innovations drawing the attention of U.S. European Command officials gathered here to evaluate emerging technology that could shape future operations.

The technology exposition at EUCOM’s Patch Barracks headquarters Wednesday brought together defense companies showcasing products ranging from AI-powered software to command-and-control solutions.

“We’re trying to see if things align to the problems and gaps we have,” said Lt. Col. Ross Conrad, a technology official at EUCOM.

The command uses a list of key operational challenges and capability gaps to guide what it looks for from industry, he said. 

Artificial intelligence was among the dominant themes on the exhibition floor, where dozens of defense companies were on hand.

The event, co-hosted by U.S. Africa Command, comes amid intense focus across the military about how to gain a technical edge on future battlefields.

“There is obviously a lot of interest in data and artificial intelligence and how we can use those tools in military applications,” Conrad said. “A lot of drone technologies as well. Modern warfare has shown us that drones are going to be a big part of it.”

Drones and other high-tech systems were the focus of an innovation forum on July 22, 2026, at U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes)

AT EUCOM, leaders have been focused on modernizing a headquarters that stagnated during the post-Cold War era, when the unit found itself lower on the list of Pentagon priorities.

Russia’s invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 changed old assumptions about a secure Europe and also reenergized EUCOM.

Commanders have been focused on integrating artificial intelligence and leveraging real-time data so decisions can be made more quickly.

“Understanding how we bring new technologies into the command is something we need to continue to do, and this expo is a good way of doing that,” Conrad said. 

Still, while Russia’s war in Ukraine has accelerated interest in drones and AI, Conrad said the latest battlefield developments don’t do away with the need for more traditional forms of hard power.

“You get drawn to headlines, but the headlines aren’t the whole story either,” he said. “There are a lot of foundational things that large militaries need to be able to do. So we need to keep those things in mind as we’re modernizing and looking for the next technology.”