diff --git a/cmake/OpenCVDetectInferenceEngine.cmake b/cmake/OpenCVDetectInferenceEngine.cmake
index e5e64fc6db..e36eb0852b 100644
--- a/cmake/OpenCVDetectInferenceEngine.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OpenCVDetectInferenceEngine.cmake
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ endif()
 
 if(INF_ENGINE_TARGET)
   if(NOT INF_ENGINE_RELEASE)
-    message(WARNING "InferenceEngine version have not been set, 2018R2 will be used by default. Set INF_ENGINE_RELEASE variable if you experience build errors.")
+    message(WARNING "InferenceEngine version have not been set, 2018R3 will be used by default. Set INF_ENGINE_RELEASE variable if you experience build errors.")
   endif()
-  set(INF_ENGINE_RELEASE "2018020000" CACHE STRING "Force IE version, should be in form YYYYAABBCC (e.g. 2018R2.0.2 -> 2018020002)")
+  set(INF_ENGINE_RELEASE "2018030000" CACHE STRING "Force IE version, should be in form YYYYAABBCC (e.g. 2018R2.0.2 -> 2018020002)")
   set_target_properties(${INF_ENGINE_TARGET} PROPERTIES
     INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "HAVE_INF_ENGINE=1;INF_ENGINE_RELEASE=${INF_ENGINE_RELEASE}"
   )