• Defence Notes

  Beijing's South China Sea bombers fly in face of protests

  22nd May 2018

  China's brazen landing of nuclear-capable bombers on anisland in the disputed South China Sea is a bold power play to bolster its territorial claims while …

• Land Warfare

  SOFEX 2018: Pakistan pushes products in the Middle East

  9th May 2018

  The Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO) of Pakistan is attempting to make inroads to the export market with the first appearance of a Pakistan pavilion …

• Land Warfare

  IDEB 2018: Slovakia 8x8 IFV contract imminent

  17th May 2018

  The Slovakian Ministry of Defence is expected to award Patria with a contract for the production and delivery of a new variant of the company's 8x8 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FirstLook UGV for USMC

  10th May 2018

  Endeavor Robotics has received a $10 million contract from the US Marine Corps to provide FirstLook UGVs, the company announced on 7 May. The 5lbs …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed announces first US customer for VCSi

  3rd May 2018

  Aurora Flight Sciences has become the first US customer to purchase Lockheed Martin’s new Vehicle Control Station (VCS) software product, Lockheed announced on 1 May. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Predator-series RPAs hit flight hour milestone

  4th May 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA-ASI's) Predator-series family of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), has reached five million flight hours, the company announced on 9 April.The family …

• Defence Helicopter

  UTAS components for CH-53K

  11th May 2018

  UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS) will provide components for the US Marine Corps’ CH-53K King Stallion helicopter, the company announced on 9 May. The company will …

• Military Logistics

  Savi receives military aRFID order

  10th May 2018

  Savi has received an order from a military contractor to deliver active radio-frequency identification (aRFID) tags for a defence customer, the company announced on 7 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  BAE, Prismatic to develop solar UAS

  4th May 2018

  BAE Systems has signed an agreement with Prismatic to develop a new solar electric UAS, which will have the potential to fly for up to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2018: Show talking points (video)

  3rd May 2018

  Shephard editors Richard Thomas and Helen Haxell talk through the news at AUVSI's Xponential this week in Denver. The team share their thoughts on the narrative …

• Digital Battlespace

  Canadian airfields equipped with new radars

  9th May 2018

  Hensoldt has equipped a total of six military airfields in Canada with Airport Surveillance Radars (ASR), with the completion of site acceptance testing for the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russian units to receive Sopka-2 radar

  8th May 2018

  The Russian Air Force’s Northern Fleet units will receive six sets of Sopka-2 radars this month, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 3 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar acquires Hirth Motors

  3rd May 2018

  UMS Skeldar has acquired the assets of Germany's Hirthmotoren (Hirth Motors), engine manufacturer for air, water and land applications, the company announced on 1 May. …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: Wildcat time shaved in simulator delivery

  16th May 2018

  One of the major challenges facing manufacturers of training systems is the delivery of synthetic training equipment to coincide with operators receiving their operational airframes. …

• Digital Battlespace

  LGS receives base C4I relocation contract

  3rd May 2018

  LGS Innovations has received a five-year contract from the US Army to support the Yongsan Relocation Plan Increment 3 (YRP-3) under the GSA Alliant contract, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  M1135 Stryker NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle

  Programme Background According to the DSCA's notification to Congress, the acquisition of 50 M1135 Strykers was intended to allow the Iraqi government to identify harmful ...

• 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 ...

• 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) (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 - 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: Mission Need Urgent Requirement (MNUR) [Italy]

  Background Mission Need Urgent Requirement (MNUR) The Italian MoD’s Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 revealed that the Italian Air Force was procuring FLIR systems ...

• 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 - 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

  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

  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 - 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

  Wasp AE: Mission Need Urgent Requirement (MNUR) [Italy]

  Background Mission Need Urgent Requirement (MNUR) The Italian MoD’s Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 revealed that the Italian Air Force was procuring FLIR systems ...

• 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

• 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 ...

• Light UGVs

  PackBot

  PackBot, previously designated 510 PackBot, is a tracked, tactical, mobile UGV with forward-articulated flippers that can perform multiple missions. PackBot is being delivered to customers ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-25

  The SICX-25 is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military, commercial and civil missions, including tactical ISTAR, bomb damage assessment, civil air surveillance, ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Reveal D&I

  Reveal D&I; is a real-time gas detection and identification chemical imaging software for hyperspectral data. This software allows the real-time detection of a large portfolio ...

• 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 ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  Less Than Lethal Weapon Simulators

  Meggitt produces wireless simulators for the X26 Taser and chemical spray less-lethal weapons. These accessories are supported with specialised courseware.

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Hyper-Cam

  The Hyper-Cam is a passive IR hyperspectral imaging system that combines high spatial and spectral resolution. It provides real-time radiometrically calibrated data for gas and ...

• 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

  HD-IR

  HD-IR high-resolution cameras have high sensitivity for surveillance and airborne mapping applications. The camera features a four-position filter wheel, 1.3MP spatial resolution and an IP67-certified ...

• 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 ...

• 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

  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 - 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 ...