• Naval Warfare

  USVs abound at NAVDEX 2023 as firms look to fill plethora of naval requirements

  23rd February 2023

  With navies across the globe feeling the pinch on budgets, forces are increasingly looking to uncrewed solutions to fill maritime requirements and increase their presence on the high seas.

• Land Warfare

  JGSDF lines up next-generation wheeled armoured vehicles

  19th March 2023

  Foreign OEMs are starting to get a look-in for military vehicle programmes in Japan.

• Air Warfare

  Iraq emerges as customer for Turkish Aselpod airborne targeting system

  21st March 2023

  An Iraqi Air Force Aero L-159 light attack jet has been photographed fitted with an Aselsan Aselpod targeting system, suggesting that Iraq is the export customer announced in by the company in autumn 2022.

• Land Warfare

  Kawasaki develops C-UAS laser system for Japanese military

  16th March 2023

  Japan is developing an indigenous C-UAS system that uses a high-power laser.

• Air Warfare

  Poland to arm AW149 helicopters with Hellfire missiles

  21st March 2023

  The 800 Hellfire missiles requested by Poland via a US Foreign Military Sale will equip the country's AW149 helicopter fleet, with a follow-on request likely to arm Apache helicopters and potentially other platforms.

• Training

  BAE Systems seals Indian flight simulator partnership

  21st February 2023

  BAE Systems and India's FSTC have partnered to develop a mission simulator for the Indian Air Force's Hawk 132 jet trainer fleet.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2023: France weighs air defence needs as global SAMP/T NG production kicks off

  22nd February 2023

  Having signed a global production contract, Eurosam is ready to deliver air defence systems to Paris and Rome in 2025.

• Land Warfare

  Counter-drone solutions from East and West proliferate at IDEX 2023

  27th February 2023

  There was no shortage of UAVs on display at IDEX 2023 in Abu Dhabi, and many companies brought their counter-drone systems too.

• Defence Notes

  Israeli defence firms strengthen Gulf ties at IDEX 2023

  24th February 2023

  Following the Abraham Accords, Israeli and Gulf defence firms have forged ever closer bonds.

• Naval Warfare

  The US Navy's 2024 budget request in five charts

  22nd March 2023

  In early March, the Biden administration submitted a proposal to Congress that would see the US DoD funded to the tune of $842 billion, around a quarter of which will go to the US Navy.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDEX 2023: Quantum Systems drone proves popular in Ukraine

  23rd February 2023

  At IDEX 2023, Quantum Systems displayed its two-in-one reconnaissance drone that has proven popular with Ukrainian forces due to its ease of use and ability to operate in GPS-denied environments.

• Naval Warfare

  Exclusive: Royal Navy Second Sea Lord on ships, the defence command paper, and the future Indo-Pacific presence

  5th May 2023

  The UK Royal Navy’s Second Sea Lord VAdm Martin Connell said it shouldn’t be a surprise that adjustments must be made ahead of a hotly anticipated new Defence Command Paper and praised the progress made by HMS Tamar and Spey in reinforcing the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.

• Defence Notes

  Avon looks to further Middle East presence at IDEX

  25th February 2023

  Avon’s plans for the region include localising production and engaging in the transfer of technologies.

• Land Warfare

  Why NATO is seeking an advanced modular air defence solution

  3rd March 2023

  Under the Modular Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) project, ten NATO members want to rapidly develop or acquire an air defence system that can respond to threats along the very short, short and medium-range spectrum.

• Air Warfare

  Bell makes move on FLRAA test lab construction despite ongoing Defiant protest

  27th March 2023

  Bell Textron began laying the foundations for a new testing facility for its V-280 Valor helicopter despite protest over its US Army Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) contract win.

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 ...