The show, to last until April 28, is attended by exhibitors from 22 countries, including Croatia. It is being held under the auspices of the Croatian government and was organised by TNT Production In. from the United States.
TNT Production In. director Justin Webb said that the show would be visited by delegations from about 30 countries from Southeast Europe, Western Europe, Asia, Eurasia, Northern Africa and the Middle East as well as the United States.
Addressing those present, Croatian President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic stressed the importance of ASDA taking place in Split for Croatian weapons manufacturers.
"Without any exaggeration, they are on a par with other producers on the global level," she said.
Due to their limited resources, Croatian companies do not have sufficient strength to access global markets, but ASDA provides an opportunity to overcome those obstacles, she said.
The Split show indicates what future relations between the state and the private sector should be like, as it too is the result of "a public-private partnership, namely cooperation between business entities and state institutions on a project that has identified common interests," Grabar-Kitarovic said.
She went on to say that almost all European countries, notably NATO member-countries, had started stabilising and increasing their defence budgets. "That is often met with criticism which is unfounded and is based on the misconception that defence outlays are irrecoverable expenses for the state," she said, stressing that appropriate defence investments can be a driver of economic development, notably in the field of research and development of high technologies.
Defence Minister Damir Krsticevic, who attended the event as Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic's envoy, said, among other things, that ASDA had established itself as a first-class business event, featuring the latest production technologies and military industry trends.
After the opening ceremony, a military exercise involving the Croatian Army and Navy and the US Army was held at Split's Poljud port.
The exercise was held to demonstrate the Croatian Army's ability to use the Remus 100 underwater vehicle, donated to Croatia by the United States.
Participating in the exercise were also members of the Croatian Air Force aerobatic team "Krila oluje" (Wings of Storm).