• Digital Battlespace

  CAE bags new simulation & training contracts

  2nd July 2014

  CAE has released details on four new contracts to provide a range of training and simulation equipment and services to customers in New Zealand, Germany …

• Land Warfare

  Is this the beginning of European land consolidation?

  2nd July 2014

  French military vehicles manufacturer Nexter and the German armaments producer KMW have signed an agreement to create a joint holding company. The two industrial giants …

• Defence Helicopter

  Germany introduces the Quick Draw

  2nd July 2014

  Germany’s CH-53GS medium transport helicopters operating in Afghanistan have recently been equipped with General Dynamics Quick Draw 2 GPS interrogators, it has emerged.  According to …

• Naval Warfare

  Saab announces TKMS acquisition terms

  1st July 2014

  Saab and ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions have entered into an agreement that will see Saab acquire ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for a purchase price of £29.6 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helicopter losses mount in Ukraine conflict

  1st July 2014

  The bloody internal conflict in Ukraine has seen the downfall of a military force that has failed to modernise its hardware in the previous decade …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin wins US Navy C4ISR contract

  30th June 2014

  Lockheed Martin will conduct work to improve the US Navy’s C4ISR collection and dissemination capabilities under a five-year IDIQ contract announced on 30 June. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  French Air Force proves UAV ‘Reachback’ concept

  27th June 2014

  A French Air Force Harfang unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been successfully controlled during flight in Sahel-Sahara region by crew at the Military Flight Test …

• Land Warfare

  Cubic awarded Italian Army training contract

  27th June 2014

  Cubic Defense Systems will supply specialist Home Station Counter IED training and an Instrumented Collective Combat Training Centre to the Italian Army under a new …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky wins USAF Combat Rescue Helicopter contract

  27th June 2014

  Sikorsky has been awarded the US Air Force’s $1.28 billion Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) contract. The award will see the company undertake the initial engineering …

• Land Warfare

  DVD2014: WCSP moves ahead as ABSV waits

  27th June 2014

  The UK’s Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) is expected to complete its critical design review (CDR) in Q2 2015, whist the Armoured Battlefield Support Vehicle …

• Land Warfare

  DVD2014: UK Challenger 2 LEP upcoming

  26th June 2014

  The British Army’s Challenger 2 MBT Life Extension (CR2 LEP) upgrade is expected to kick off early next year. The Initial Gate (IG1) for the …

• Land Warfare

  DVD2014: GDUK displays Scout prototype

  26th June 2014

  The first pre-production prototype of the Scout Specialist Vehicle (SV) protected mobility reconnaissance support (PMRS) vehicle was on display at the DVD exhibition in Millbrook, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Korea to test Unmanned Little Bird

  25th June 2014

  The Republic of Korea Armed Forces will initiate a six-month flight test programme with Boeing’s Unmanned Little Bird (ULB) by the end of 2014, it …

• Defence Helicopter

  Echo Apaches performing beyond expectations

  25th June 2014

  US Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters deployed to Afghanistan have been described as more lethal than their ‘D’ model predecessor, according to senior figures in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin receives SBIRS satellite contract

  25th June 2014

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract worth $1.86 billion to complete the production of the fifth and sixth Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites for …

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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) [US Army]

  Background Launch The Program Executive Office Soldier, a US Army organisation responsible for rapid prototyping, procurement, and equipment fielding, launched the effort in May 2023 and ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• 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

  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 ...