• Digital Battlespace

  Global Xpress on track for 2013 launch

  12th November 2013

  The first spacecraft in Inmarsat’s Global Xpress satellite constellation remains on course to be launched by the end of the year, according to Andy Start, …

• Land Warfare

  General Dynamics completes GCV Preliminary Design Review

  11th November 2013

  General Dynamics Land Systems’ bid for the US Army Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) programme has reached an important milestone with the completion of a successful …

• Military Logistics

  US Army integration labs target resource and energy efficiency

  8th November 2013

  The US Army’s Base Camp Integration Laboratory (BCIL) has already contributed to fuel and water savings in forward bases. Speaking at the second BCIL Base …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FAA unveils inaugural UAS roadmap

  8th November 2013

  The FAA has released its first UAS roadmap aimed at facilitating and guiding the integration of civil platforms into the national airspace system (NAS). The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Poland advances weapons upgrade for combat helicopters

  8th November 2013

  Poland’s Ministry of Defence is considering the purchase of Ukrainian-built anti-tank and missile defence systems for its fleet of Mil Mi-24 combat helicopters, it has …

• Digital Battlespace

  Dutch armed forces receive multi-sensor systems

  8th November 2013

  FLIR Systems has started deliveries of its Recon B2-FO multi-sensor system to the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO). Beating Sagem’s JIM LR multifunction cooled infrared …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to continue Joint STARS sustainment

  8th November 2013

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $178 million contract to continue to sustain the US Air Force E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint …

• Digital Battlespace

  New RF decoy for Gripen jets

  7th November 2013

  Selex ES’ BriteCloud Expendable Active Decoy (EAD) has been selected by Saab for use on-board the Gripen fighter jet. Launched on 6 November, the latest …

• Naval Warfare

  New OPVs for UK Royal Navy amid restructuring

  7th November 2013

  Three new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) will be ordered by the UK MoD to plug the gap in construction work at BAE Systems’ shipbuilding facilities …

• Naval Warfare

  Northrop Grumman wins US Navy AN/SPQ-9B radar award

  7th November 2013

  Northrop Grumman will supply AN/SPQ-9B radar systems for the US Navy’s amphibious and Arleigh Burke class ships under a contract award worth $20.4 million. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Philippine Air Force selects AW109 Power helicopters

  7th November 2013

  AgustaWestland will supply eight AW109 Power light twin-engine helicopters to the Philippine Air Force under a contract announced on 6 November. The aircraft will be …

• Land Warfare

  Hearing protection fielding to US Army

  6th November 2013

  Danish voice communications company, Invisio, will be equipping units with the US Army with soldier hearing protection systems. A spokesman told Shephard on 5 November …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Arcturus T-20 UAV flies with COMINT/DF payload

  6th November 2013

  The Arcturus T-20 Tier II unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been integrated with a communication intelligence and direction finding (COMINT/DF) payload capable of detecting, intercepting, direction finding …

• Defence Notes

  Rockwell Collins opens simulation & training centre

  6th November 2013

  Rockwell Collins opened a new UK simulation and training facility in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, on 5 November. The centre will provide a focal point …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Triton UAV wings demonstrate strength capabilities

  6th November 2013

  The structural strength of the wings for the US Navy’s MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been shown to exceed the navy’s requirements in …

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

  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

  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, 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 ...

• 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 - 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, 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 ...

• 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 ...