• Defence Notes

  US watching brief turns the screw on Russia’s Libyan foray

  28th May 2020

  A recent series of declassified intelligence images published by US Africa Command (AFRICOM) showing Russian fighter jets positioned in Libya looks to have unravelled consistent attempts …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australian Army to acquire EW attack capability

  7th May 2020

  Procurement of a new Australian Army electronic attack capability is set to begin this year. Indeed, acquisition of a force-level EW system that includes an …

• Air Warfare

  Australia selects SUAS+ while TUAV contenders prepare bids

  7th May 2020

  The Australian Army has two important UAV projects under way at present. The Small UAS ‘Plus’ (SUAS+) project has recently selected a winning platform, while …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Bundeswehr Heron 1 to continue Mali operations

  15th May 2020

  The Budget Committee of the German parliament on 13 May approved funding for the extension of the Heron 1 UAS deployment in Mali. Approximately €30 …

• Digital Battlespace

  USCG approves Northrop Grumman’s SeaFIND INS

  12th May 2020

  The USCG has approved Northrop Grumman’s SeaFIND inertial navigation system (INS) for use as a shipboard gyrocompass solution. The official approval comes after vigorous testing …

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman and Raytheon working on NGI

  7th May 2020

  Northrop Grumman on 4 May confirmed that it has partnered with Raytheon Technologies to develop the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) as part of a US …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Loyal Wingman takes up position

  5th May 2020

  Boeing has handed over the first prototype of a Loyal Wingman large multirole UAV to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with the first flight expected …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cambridge Pixel enhances SPx Tracking Server

  13th May 2020

  Cambridge Pixel has added dual redundancy to its SPx Tracking Server to support high-reliability radar tracking, the UK-based company stated on 13 May. The upgrade …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman accelerates development of ABMS translation system

  4th May 2020

  Northrop Grumman is working on quickly developing and fielding an open system enabling translation and communication across platforms known as the gatewayONE prototype. This prototype …

• Naval Warfare

  SeeTrack v4 licences renewed by Belgian Navy

  12th May 2020

  The Belgian Navy has renewed its SeeByte’s SeeTrack v4 licence for use on its fleet of UUVs and at the Belgian-Dutch Naval Mine Warfare school, …

• Military Logistics

  Tata to upgrade more Indian airbases

  20th May 2020

  The Indian MoD has signed a $184 million follow-on contract for Phase 2 of the Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI) programme for 37 airfields …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF selects SpeedDealer demonstration participants

  12th May 2020

  The USAF has chosen Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Australia-based CEA Technologies to demonstrate their radar systems for expeditionary performance. Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman …

• Defence Helicopter

  First UK AH-64E Apache to arrive six months late

  14th May 2020

  The first of 50 UK-remanufactured AH-64E V6 Apache Guardian attack helicopters will arrive six months later than expected, Shephard has learned.   'A change in the development' …

• Training

  RBSL offers UGV training to British Army

  12th May 2020

  Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) has secured a training and maintenance contract with Rheinmetall Canada to support the British Army’s recent acquisition of four Mission …

• Naval Warfare

  Harpoon to bolster Taiwanese coastal defence

  21st May 2020

  The Republic of China Navy (ROCN) is planning to order RGM-84 Harpoon Block II surface-to-surface missiles for coastal defence batteries in FY2021. The purchase, costing …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• Military UAS - micro

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) (Uncontracted) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an annual update ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) (Contracted) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 4 [Switzerland]

  Background Announcment Teledyne FLIR Defense announced on 2 February 2026 that it had received a $17.5 million contract from armasuisse, the Swiss Federal Office of ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3 (First Order) [Norway]

  Programme Background First Batch The Norwegian Home Guard has procured the Black Hornet 3 to provide each of its districts with a nano UAS that ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Sensor Integration on Robotic Platforms (CSIRP) [US Army]

  Background  Requirements The purpose of the CSIRP is to repackage and integrate modular CBRN sensors onto uncrewed systems to provide increased situational awareness on the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 4 [Germany]

  Programme Background BAAINBw In February 2025, Shephard reported that Teledyne FLIR had been awarded a $15 million contract from Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3 (Second Order) [Norway]

  Programme Background First Order The Norwegian Home Guard has procured the Black Hornet 3 to provide each of its districts with a nano UAS that ...

• Military UAS - micro

  DEF129 (Nano UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-B [Türkiye]

  Programme Background TAI announced in November 2019 that it had delivered a total of 22 Anka-B UAVs to the Turkish Navy. Two large contracts contributing ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Programme Background Russo-Ukraine War Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, UAVs have proved vital to the country's defence. Consequently, as in this programme, the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3 (Ukrainian Aid) [Norway]

  Background Previous Purchases Norway has purchased two batches for its use, the first in October 2020 and the second in June 2022. International Fund For ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  FLIR 111

  The FLIR 111 is a field-proven, high-performance, compact, and lightweight Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) system designed for utility and attack helicopters.  It is jointly produced ...

• EO/IR systems

  KUH FLIR

  The KUH FLIR is an IR system from Hanwha Systems for the Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH). Hanwha says it provides stable infrared images at night and/or under limited ...

• Military UAS - micro

  PD-100 Black Hornet

  The PD-100 Black Hornet personal reconnaissance system (PRS) is designed for dismounted close-combat soldiers, providing them with an immediate reconnaissance capability with minimal increase in ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  SWIR Components – FPAs and Sensor Assemblies

  FLIR Systems produces COTS staring focal plane arrays (FPAs) and sensor assemblies based on the company’s InGaAs detectors and integrated circuit technology. FLIR FPAs and ...

• EO/IR systems

  StormCaster-DX

  Unveiled at Modern Day Marine 2022, the Teledyne FLIR StormCaster-DX is a multi-role, low-SWaP laser target designator (LTD) payload designed to affect the STANAG-compliant terminal ...

• EO/IR systems

  Star SAFIRE III

  The Star SAFIRE III was a military-qualified COTS multipurpose and gyro-stabilised airborne platform carrying seven payloads. Manufactured by Teledyne FLIR, the now out-of-production system featured internal navigation, ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini

  Rogue 1

  Unveiled in May 2024, the Rogue 1 is a rotary-wing quadcopter UAV from Teledyne FLIR. The drone can be equipped with an explosively formed penetrator (EFP), ...

• Military UAS - mini

  R80D SkyRaider

  The military-grade R80D SkyRaider VTOL small UAS is an open-architecture, multi-mission aircraft. Manufactured by Teledyne FLIR System exclusively for US DoD and Federal Agencies, the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3

  The Black Hornet 3 is the next generation of the PD-100 Black Hornet, the world’s smallest nano-UAS. This new model of the Black Hornet provides ...

• Light UGVs

  Centaur

  The Centaur is a military UGV developed specifically for the US Army's Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc II), a requirement for a ...

• EW test systems

  RISS

  The Real-Time IR/EO Scene Simulator (RISS) provides a set of integrated products for development, test and evaluation of IR and EO sensor systems. Software and ...

• EO/IR systems

  Hadron 640 (series)

  The Hadron 640 is a series of dual thermal and visible camera modules from Teleydyne FLIR. The dual-sensor payload is designed to be integrated into UAVs ...

• EO/IR systems

  GS410 Stabilised Multi-Sensor Targeting System

  The GS410 Stabilised Multi-Sensor Targeting System was a single-unit surveillance gimbal with four-axis stabilisation that could be adaptable to various airborne platforms.  It featured a forward-looking infrared ...

• EO/IR systems

  Star SAFIRE 380-HD

  The Star SAFIRE 380-HD is a EO/IR system from Teledyne FLIR. It combines HD IR, colour, and SWIR spectral information in a single video channel downlink. Various customers ...

• EO/IR systems

  Sea Star Safire III

  The Sea Star SAFIRE III is an out-of-production EO/IR system manufactured by Teledyne FLIR. A maritime variant of the Star SAFIRE III, the system had an MWIR ...