[2][needs update] In 1999, the UK's Labour Government privatised the joint British Army and Royal Navy Exhibitions which had taken place since 1976.
Exhibition company, Spearhead, launched DSEI (then known as Defence and Systems Equipment International) and the first event took place at Chertsey, Surrey.
[3][better source needed] In 2007 two exhibitors were expelled by the then organisers, Reed Exhibitions, after distributing brochures advertising leg irons.
[11] Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) regularly campaigns against DSEI citing that many of the official military and security delegations that attend the exhibition represent human rights abusing regimes such as Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain and all countries on the UK Government's own list of "countries of concern".
It gave an exhibition of land, aerospace, naval, joint and security capabilities, with an extensive keynote and seminar programme as well as the debut of DSEI Connect, a virtual platform created to give access to DSEI content and business development opportunities for those unable to attend in person.