Conference 2026

Hall B
TRADE FAIR STUDIO

The first and only Pole in the Navy SEALs

We are pleased to announce that during the premiere edition of GUN & SHOOTING EXPO 2026, taking place on March 3–5, 2026 at Ptak Warsaw Expo, our special guest will be Thomas “Drago” Dzieran – a former operator of the elite US Navy SEALs, a veteran of numerous combat missions, a patriot, author, and founder of organizations supporting veterans and defenders of freedom.

Thomas “Drago” Dzieran was born in Poland under communist rule. After spending time in a communist prison in the 1980s as a political prisoner for his activities against communist oppression, he emigrated to the United States in 1984. He became a U.S. citizen in 1991, and in the same year enlisted in the United States Navy. After successfully completing US Navy SEAL selection, he served with SEAL Team 2, SEAL Team 4, and as a BUD/S instructor at the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Center in Coronado, California.Dzieran conducted over one hundred Direct Action combat missions (“Capture or Kill”) as an NSW Lead Breacher during deployments to Iraq in 2003, 2004, and 2005. For his bravery and valor in combat, Drago was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for Valor, the Navy Commendation Medal with “V” device for Valor, the Army Commendation Medal, as well as numerous other decorations and honors. After honorably retiring from the Navy after twenty years of service, Drago began a successful career as a software engineer. He founded the Navy SEALs Fund (www.navysealsfund.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting all generations of active-duty, retired, and former UDT/SEAL members and their families, including Gold Star Families. Drago is also the founder of ConnectZing (www.connectzing.com), a free speech platform that gives every American a voice without fear of censorship or ideological “fact-checking.”

CONFERENCE PROGRAM 

Triad: Tactics, Marksmanship, and the Team — From the Battlefield to the Shooting Range 

 Speakers: Tomasz "Drago" Dzieran & Paweł “Naval” Mateńczuk

Duration: 90-minute panel + 15-minute audience Q&A 

1. Training in Special Forces — How Are Skills Really Built?
- The logic of elite training: from fundamentals to advanced missions
- How pressure and responsibility are progressively increased
- The role of skill verification during real-world operations 

2. Combat Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan — Tactics, Reality, and Lessons for Shooters
- First-hand experiences from special operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Examples of teamwork in dynamic and high-risk environments
- Which combat mission tactics can be meaningfully adapted to civilian training 

3. Hell Week, Traps, and the Unexpected — Training That Forges Decision-Makers
- How extreme training shapes mental resilience
- The impact of selection processes and extreme scenarios on decision-making
- What makes sense in civilian training and what should be avoided 

4. Marksmanship as Part of Tactics — A Tool, Not a Goal
- Integrating shooting with mission objectives and team movement
- The difference between “pretty shooting” and effective response
- The tactical context of a shot

5. Leadership in a Combat Team — Decisions Under Pressure
- The leader’s role in conditions of uncertainty
- How to delegate and trust team competencies
- Leadership decisions and their consequences 

6. Transferring Special Forces Experience to Civilian Training
- What lessons from special operations are relevant for civilian shooters
- What should not be copied without proper context
- How to build responsible training programs and a strong team culture 

7. Audience Q&A
Interaction with the audience — practical questions, short case studies, and actionable insights.

Hall B
TRADE FAIR STUDIO

Dr Jacek Bartosiak

Dr. Jacek Bartosiak is a Polish expert in geopolitics, strategy, and security. He is the founder and owner of the Strategy & Future think tank. He served as Director of the War Games and Simulations Program at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation and a Senior Fellow at The Potomac Foundation in Washington, D.C. He is the author of bestselling books on great-power rivalry and Poland's role in the new geopolitical realities, including "Pacific and Eurasia. On War," published in 2016, which discusses the upcoming great-power rivalry in Eurasia and a potential war in the Western Pacific; "The Republic Between Land and Sea. On War and Peace," published in 2018, which discusses the geostrategic situation of Poland and Europe in the era of great-power rivalry in Eurasia, including a detailed account of the theater of war and modern military art; and "The Past is Prologue," which discusses geopolitical changes in the contemporary world.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM 

Poland Between Stimulus and Response
Can we act preemptively in a world of growing tensions?
National interest, the war in Ukraine, and technological evolution as a test of Polish strategic agency 

1. Poland as a reactive state
Why we respond to others' movements more often than we initiate them 

2. The war in Ukraine as a test of Polish subjectivity
What we have seen and what we still refuse to see 

3. Technological evolution and the changing nature of the battlefield
Why technology shortens the time between stimulus and response 

4. The state, the military, and industry – the problem of synchronization
Where we lose the rhythm of decisions and capabilities

5. The bluff in geopolitics
How to read it, why states bluff, and how to avoid succumbing to pressure 

6. The resilience of the state and society
Why social reaction can be more important than political decision-making 

7. Can Poland generate incentives again?
Scenarios for the next 5–10 years

Hall B
TRADE FAIR STUDIO

GROM Legend at GUN & SHOOTING EXPO – Meet Paweł ‘Naval’ Mateńczuk

We are pleased to announce that during GUN & SHOOTING EXPO 2026, taking place on March 3–5, 2026 at Ptak Warsaw Expo, our special guest will be Paweł Mateńczuk, known as “Naval” – a former soldier of the elite GROM Military Unit, author, security expert, and one of the most recognizable special forces veterans in Poland.

Combat Experience and Overseas Missions

Paweł Mateńczuk served for 14 years as an operator in a GROM combat team, taking part in some of the most demanding special operations missions. A significant portion of his service was carried out abroad – in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the waters of the Persian Gulf, where he participated in real combat operations. Before successfully completing the rigorous selection for GROM, he served in the 1st Special Commando Regiment and also took part in a UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. Decorations and HonorsFor his service and combat actions, he received Poland’s highest military decorations, including: 

•  Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Military Cross – awarded for outstanding merit in combat operations, 
•  Commander’s Cross of the Order of the Military Cross – awarded for exceptional courage and heroism involving risk to life, 
•  Gold GROM Insignia – the highest distinction within this special forces unit. 

Live Meeting and Lecture

During GUN & SHOOTING EXPO 2026, visitors will have the opportunity to meet Naval in person and attend his inspiring lecture:“From Survival to Security – the Role of Firearms in Preparing for Emergency Situations.” This is a unique opportunity to hear from an expert who combines real combat experience, survival knowledge, and a practical approach to personal security.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM 

Triad: Tactics, Marksmanship, and the Team — From the Battlefield to the Shooting Range 

Speakers: Paweł “Naval” Mateńczuk & Tomasz “Drago” Dzieran 

Duration: 90-minute panel + 15-minute audience Q&A 

1. Training in Special Forces — How Are Skills Really Built?
- The logic of elite training: from fundamentals to advanced missions
- How pressure and responsibility are progressively increased
- The role of skill verification during real-world operations 

2. Combat Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan — Tactics, Reality, and Lessons for Shooters
- First-hand experiences from special operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Examples of teamwork in dynamic and high-risk environments
- Which combat mission tactics can be meaningfully adapted to civilian training 

3. Hell Week, Traps, and the Unexpected — Training That Forges Decision-Makers
- How extreme training shapes mental resilience
- The impact of selection processes and extreme scenarios on decision-making
- What makes sense in civilian training and what should be avoided 

4. Marksmanship as Part of Tactics — A Tool, Not a Goal
- Integrating shooting with mission objectives and team movement
- The difference between “pretty shooting” and effective response
- The tactical context of a shot 

5. Leadership in a Combat Team — Decisions Under Pressure
- The leader’s role in conditions of uncertainty
- How to delegate and trust team competencies
- Leadership decisions and their consequences 

6. Transferring Special Forces Experience to Civilian Training
- What lessons from special operations are relevant for civilian shooters
- What should not be copied without proper context
- How to build responsible training programs and a strong team culture 

7. Audience Q&A
Interaction with the audience — practical questions, short case studies, and actionable insights.

ARENA LASER TAG
HALL B

ARENA LASER TAG GUN SHOTTING 2026 PL

The Battlezone-Arena shooting range is an innovative and safe way to experience or hone your shooting skills without the risk of firearms. 

A laser and airsoft shooting range are the perfect solution. We offer advanced technology that enables realistic shooting training without the need for real ammunition. 

Our airsoft shooting range combines interactive simulators with precise aiming systems, allowing for a perfect simulation of real-world shooting conditions. 

 A LASER TAG system for practicing tactics in enclosed spaces, guaranteeing zero damage. 

At the fair, it will be a safe attraction for anyone trying to get started with military equipment, regardless of age.

Hall B
TRADE FAIR STUDIO

Jacek Hoga

Jacek Hoga is a military historian and President of the Ad Arma Foundation, which promotes the idea of ​​respecting the right to defend one's life against illegal attack, the right to possess weapons, and national defense. He is a competitive shooter, historical fencing trainer, and hunter.

PANEL PROGRAM

TITLE: Defense, Firearms, and Society — Practical Challenges and Perspectives

1) The Right to Bear Arms as a Foundation of Public Security
- arguments in favor of the right to defend one’s life through firearm ownership 
- comparison of firearms regulations in Poland with democratic standards (e.g., U.S. experience) 

2) The State of the Polish Armed Forces — Diagnosis and Implications for Defense 
- overview of structural, training, and organizational challenges within the Polish military
- discussion of the role of alliances and possible solutions to strengthen Territorial/National Defense

3) Access to Firearms and Risks — Theory and Practice
- arguments for and against widespread access to firearms in the context of self-defense and public safety
- debate on minimum responsibility requirements for firearm access and reflections on concerns about misuse

4) Firearms and Society — Education, Attitudes, and a Culture of Security
- the role of shooting and defense education in society
- how to overcome fears and stereotypes related to firearms
- what competencies citizens should possess to enhance societal resilience 

5) Civil Defense and General Crisis Preparedness
- how to strengthen state resilience beyond professional armed forces
- why civil defense and citizens’ shooting skills matter in crisis situations
- proposals for practical solutions and support structures 

6) Modern Security Challenges — Geopolitics, Hybrid Threats, and Asymmetry
- challenges posed by contemporary geopolitics — hybrid warfare and asymmetry as tactics
- practical implications for firearm owners and instructors 

7) Q&A Session — Questions from Participants
Duration: 15 minutes
An open panel for audience questions, offering interaction with the expert and responses to practical and controversial issues.

Hall B
TRADE FAIR STUDIO

Zbigniew Parafianowicz

Zbigniew Parafianowicz is a Polish journalist and reporter, author of moving texts on political, military, and international issues. Since 2003, he has been reporting on events unfolding in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and the post-Soviet area. He graduated in political science from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and served as a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Patronage of the conference

Conference room 1
Hall D

Drone Industry Summit by Polish UAV Chamber

The Polish Chamber of Unmanned Systems (PISB) is an organization supporting the development of the unmanned technology market in Poland, with particular emphasis on supporting SMEs and innovative projects in the field of UAVs.  In its efforts to build an open, safe, and competitive drone market, the Chamber actively cooperates with public administration, research centers, and international partners. 

PISB is involved in legislative activities, the creation of market standards, and the promotion of good practices. The Chamber's key objective is to integrate the industry community and educate the public about modern autonomous technologies.

Hall B
TRADE FAIR STUDIO

Industry Conference

 CONFERENCE PROGRAM 

Hall D
TRADE FAIR STUDIO

Industry, Science, Business

The Łukasiewicz Research Network is one of the largest research and development networks in Europe, bringing together nearly 30 scientific and technological institutes throughout Poland. Its mission is to support the development of an innovative economy by providing comprehensive technological solutions for industry, administration, and the public sector. 

Łukasiewicz institutes actively participate in national and international projects, conducting applied research in areas such as aviation, defense, robotics, automation, future mobility, digitization, artificial intelligence, materials engineering, and zero-emission technologies. 

The network includes, among others, Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation, specializing in research on aviation and space technologies, and Łukasiewicz – PIAP, a recognized leader in mobile robotics and autonomous systems for the security and defense sector. Łukasiewicz's activities integrate science with the economy, focusing on the implementation of innovation, the development of national competencies, and the support of strategic industrial sectors.

Conference room 1
Hall C

Critical infrastructure - Cybersecurity, Crisis Scenarios, Organizational Resilience.

Exhibition Studio
Hall D

Education for the changing labor market.

The Association for Professional Development (ZDZ) is one of the oldest and largest educational organizations in Poland, supporting the development of professional skills and adapting employee qualifications to the needs of the modern economy for over 100 years. 

As part of its activities, ZDZ conducts training, courses, and vocational education centers, emphasizing practical skills and modern technologies. A particularly important center in the context of unmanned technologies is ZDZ Radom, which for several years has been developing proprietary training programs in the field of operation and use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). This branch not only trains UAV operators in accordance with European standards, but is also actively involved in the development of digital and technological competences in the industrial, agricultural, and uniformed services sectors. 

ZDZ's participation in Drone World Expo 2026 is an important signal for the educational and industrial communities, showing how continuing education institutions can help shape the future of the unmanned sector in Poland.

Conference room 1
Hall D

Innovation ecosystem: How to build trust and safely implement unmanned technologies in civil and defense spaces