The “Athens International 2009” will take place at the new, state-of-the-art “Metropolitan” exhibition and conference center of the “Athens International Airport – El. Venizelos”. The airport authorities have also offered to the Organizers the taxiway “Z” (close to the western runway) allowing the landing and take off of airplanes and helicopters, a static aircraft display and the presentation of equipment for the land forces, homeland security services and civil aviation.

“Athens International” is the only exhibition in Greece and in the broader area of SE Mediterranean covering four key sectors of the economy (defence, security, energy and civil aviation) and offering to participating companies and sponsors immediate access to potential investment plans and infrastructure contracts in the area. Following the success of the first event, in May 2008, the “Athens International 2009” will attract many companies from Greece and all over the world. Although it is mainly a defence exhibition (since the Greek procurement budget would exceed 22 billion Euros till 2015), the government, the business community and the local media evaluate the “Athens International” as a high-profile business event rela-ted to all of the above-mentioned sectors and to the broader “geostrategic balance of power” in SE Europe.

Many companies participating in last year’s event had the opportunity to present both civil and defence systems, to promote their “dual use” systems (e.g. radars, electronics and sensors) and to hold productive meetings with business leaders and opinion makers.