Some 300 young gathered in the Croatian Defence Academy “Dr. Franjo Tuđman” in Zagreb on 15 March 2018 to attend the lecture on the Materials used in military industry, which was organised by the members of the Cadet Corps and the Association of students of materials engineering of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Zagreb (“SOME“). The two associations prove the saying that “youth are the future“. During the past year the Association of Students of Materials Engineering (SOME) organised a series of lectures and a fair and won several prizes at various conferences. The Cadet Corps has been in existence for a brief time, during which it has organised a series of events in addition to the lecture on the materials. The SOME and the Cadet Corps first met at the SOME lecture Materials in car industry, delivered a year ago. Shortly afterwards the SOME members came up with an idea to organise a lecture focussed on the materials in military industry, and wished to contact the military industry businesses to deepen their knowledge and establish co-operation.”We deem the military industry to be one of the most promising economy branches in this decade, and it was logical to launch the project in association with the Cadet Corps“, said the Head of the SOME Matija Pisk; the Cadet Corps accepted the proposal gladly, recognising its benefit for the students. Cadet Sergeant Eugen Pranjić, the Chairman of the Cadet Corps, explained that the Lecture brought multiple benefits for both the SOME members and cadets: “It offers networking among the cadets and the students and the military manufacturers, to work on the diploma theses and research projects. It also serves to bring the Croatian military and its Croatia-made equipment to the public“. The lecturers were the experts from the renowned firms – Šestan-Busch, DOK-ING, HS Produkt and the Maintenance Depot of the Support Command . They presented the materials and technologies used to manufacture their products (helmets, demining machines, armoured vehicles, rifles and guns). They also displayed the application of their products and proudly presented the external sales results.. Professor Zvonimir Guzović, the Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture , underlined the importance of military industry’ sharing the expertise with the young: “The economy has recognised the potential of these young people, who are well-leaned and innovative, the qualities that we absolutely have to employ on for the benefit of Croatia“. The attendees toured the workposts in the Cabinet of Armoured Units and the Artillery Cabinet of the Croatian Defence Academy, and saw the military equipment, arms and armoured vehicles and the products by the presenting firms. The later social event in the Cadet Club “The four pillars“, which was refurbished by the Cadet Corps members, pointed to the great potential of the young people, a pool of new ideas and projects by the cadets and their colleagues of the SOME. The lecture was successful, the students and the cadets agreed. The representatives of the two associations,, their colleagues and their respective authorities welcomed the idea of more lectures in the future, such as the proposed lecture on military history and homeland security. The cooperation will continue. “The success of htis project has encouraged us to go on with the same dynamics“. The cadets and the SOME members were able to see various military vehicles after the lecture, but what caught their attention the most was a OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter which took off from the airport near Zadar that morning and landed at the sporting ground of the Croatian Defence Academy. Its capabilities impressed the spectators, but mostly the flying speed (up to 240 km/h) and the strong wind blowing at the moment of the landing. The students took the opportunity to tour the helicopter and take some photos. The Cadet Corps was established in 2015 to gather the cadets of the Croatian Defence Academy. The members are in the student status and as soon as they graduate and start attending the Officer School they no longer begin to it. The Corps is thus regularly manned by young people, and absorbs new ideas and new views. The member publish a bulletin (“Cadet“) , contianing the articles on the student or military assingments and projects, among which the traditional Open Door Day of the Croatian Defence Academy. It also co-operates with various student and cadet associations in Croatia and abroad and features a number of top Croatian athletes, who won prestigious awards at home and international competitions.  Entering the co-operation with the military industry through the implementation of practices and the engagement of the students in the projects opens up a new area of the synergy of f knowledge, ideas, expertise and experience.The Cadet Club project mentor is Colonel Tihomir Tandarić.