• Training

  NATO, Latvia team up to test 5G for military comms solutions

  4th September 2023

  A Latvian-NATO operational technology exploration scheduled for October will involve trials with virtual and augmented realities, uncrewed vehicles, sensors and applications within a tactical 5G bubble.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Kongsberg Maritime unveils new Mission Bay Handling System

  14th September 2023

  Kongsberg Maritime unveiled its new Mission Bay Handling System at DSEI 2023 and has signed a contract to supply Kamewa waterjets for 17 Jurmo-class landing craft for the Finnish Navy.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: does the Royal Navy's surface combatant recapitalisation go far enough after a decade of neglect?

  6th September 2023

  The UK Royal Navy (RN) operates one of the world’s premier fleets with the ability to deploy high-end warships globally and retains key competencies in carrier aviation, amphibious and undersea warfare that few can boast. It also provides the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines. Despite this potential, it needs to recover from a decade of neglect to sustain these capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Paramount announces new orders and weapon options for Mwari recon/strike aircraft

  14th September 2023

  Paramount Aerospace Industries has announced additional customer deliveries of its Mwari reconnaissance, surveillance, and strike aircraft, in addition to integration of a weapon management system and command and control base

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy's Type 31 frigate programme moves to multi-ship build phase

  18th September 2023

  Babcock International Group has achieved a significant milestone in the Royal Navy's Type 31 frigate programme by laying the keel for HMS Active, the second ship in the Inspiration class.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia continues to deliver Guardian patrol boats, and it buys sea mines

  13th October 2023

  A total of 17 Guardian-class patrol boats have now been commissioned, while Australia boosts defensive deterrence by renewing a sea mine capability.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ukraine shows combat-tested armament at DSEI 2023

  15th September 2023

  The Ukrainian pavilion at DSEI 2023, organised by state-owned Spetstechnoexport, exhibited several indigenous combat-tested systems, including UAVs, USVs and an evacuation vehicle.

• Naval Warfare

  New Zealand explores modular ship designs for future naval fleet

  11th September 2023

  The New Zealand Ministry of Defence has started an industry engagement effort that aims to gather information about the future make-up of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), with a modular fleet based on just one or two basic ship designs being considered.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: How the P-8 Poseidon has conquered the maritime patrol aircraft market

  6th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight analyses the success story of the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft that has captured international interest, detailing its variants, operators and unit cost.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman demonstrates deep-sensing platform at EDGE 23

  29th August 2023

  Northrop Grumman successfully showcased its Deep-Sensing and Targeting (DSaT) platform at the US Army's Experimental Demonstration Gateway Event 2023 (EDGE 23) event.

• Defence Notes

  How Brazil will invest over $10 billion in new defence programmes

  6th September 2023

  A special fund of $10 billion will cover Brazil's acquisition of combat vehicles, aircraft and helicopters, building new warships and submarines and modernisation of legacy systems.

• Land Warfare

  General Dynamics and Rheinmetall team up to offer new bridge-laying solution

  1st September 2023

  General Dynamics European Land Systems – Bridge Systems and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles have debuted the former's Anaconda tactical bridge system installed on the latter's 8x8 HX2 truck platform.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Pearson Engineering primed to manufacture Rafael Samson remote weapon stations for UK programmes

  14th September 2023

  Rafael has announced that Pearson Engineering will play a 'significant role' in delivering the Samson 30mm remote weapon station.

• Air Warfare

  Germany's potential SCAF exit for GCAP unpacked

  3rd November 2023

  The leaked information about Germany leaving the Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS/SCAF) project and joining the rival Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) hints at the growing complexities and tensions within the Franco-German partnership.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan accelerates procurement of Tomahawk missiles

  10th October 2023

  Faced by a rough neighbourhood, Japan is accelerating plans to obtain Tomahawk cruise missiles.

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 ...