• Training

  Visual upgrade for A330 MRTT boosts realism

  27th April 2021

  As deliveries of the Airbus A330 MRTT continue, the company has recently completed a visual system upgrade to its AAR simulator in conjunction with ST Engineering Antycip.

• Land Warfare

  Delayed Canadian LAV recce system back on track

  6th May 2021

  The LRSS has suffered delays because of the bankruptcy of a subcontractor to DRS that was supposed to provide the telescopic mast system for the LAV surveillance system.

• Digital Battlespace

  Imenco unveils military-approved PTZ camera

  13th April 2021

  New ODIN camera features 30x optical zoom, with 16x digital zoom and ultra-low light sensitivity in colour day mode.

• Digital Battlespace

  Czechs order array of imaging and communication systems

  8th March 2021

  MoD selects Pramacom to provide thermal imaging systems, laser rangefinders, night vision goggles and other equipment.

• Defence Notes

  DARPA eyes nuclear propulsion for cislunar space-based surveillance

  12th April 2021

  General Atomics is working on the first phase of the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) programme.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thai navy deploys Orbiter 3Bs over water

  15th March 2021

  The Orbiter 3B is the first UAV the Royal Thai Navy has deployed operationally to monitor the nation's EEZ.

• Air Warfare

  USAF orders integration and test work for StormBreaker

  6th April 2021

  Raytheon will deliver GBU-53/B All-Up Round test vehicles and other equipment by April 2023.

• Defence Notes

  Russia looks beyond New START with Kedr

  20th April 2021

  Design research work is underway in Russia on a new ICBM to replace the RS-24 Yars.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thales and MHI team up for autonomous mine detection

  30th March 2021

  French and Japanese companies to jointly develop a dual-frequency sonar demonstrator for mine countermeasures.

• Defence Notes

  Aerobotix automates coating for hypersonic missile parts

  31st March 2021

  Robotic process delivers optimal coating for complex missile components.

• Air Warfare

  USAF weighs up concerns and contenders for B-52H engine replacement

  12th April 2021

  Three bidders are vying for a lucrative contract to replace more than 600 engines powering the B-52H but the USAF faces a tricky decision.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2021: Arquus seeks broader interest in Hornet

  23rd February 2021

  A new business unit within Arquus is tasked with finding export customers for the Hornet RCWS, which is already installed on French armoured vehicles.

• Digital Battlespace

  SBIRS Geo-5 limbers up for launch

  26th March 2021

  The fifth and sixth satellites in the missile-warning constellation include a new modular combat bus.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron to perform Shadow Block III upgrade

  19th March 2021

  Upgrade contract for Shadow comes after US Army conducted Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation (FOT&E) of the Block III configuration in late 2020.

• Air Warfare

  ARRW to undergo long-awaited first booster test

  8th March 2021

  After repeated false starts, first test flight of AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon is scheduled for this month.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (Third Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (First Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (Second Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement (USAF- Cancelled)

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | FPV Drones [Moldova]

  In mid-2024, Lithuania's Minister of National Defense stated that Moldova had acquired and received the first deliveries of Lithuanian-made FPV drones and thermal night vision ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | FPV Drones [Moldova]

  In mid-2024, Lithuania's Minister of National Defense stated that Moldova had acquired and received the first deliveries of Lithuanian-made FPV drones and thermal night vision ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER -Canada

  Programme Background Canadian Special Forces was looking to procure ISR aircraft to support their missions both overseas and domestically.  There were few Canadian suppliers to sell ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER ISR - Kuwait

  Feb 2018: The US State Department has approved an estimated $259m potential foreign military sale of King Air 350ER intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Neton VLOE

  Programme Background The VLOE will replace several variants of the VLOE Lathar (a SOF vehicles based on the Nissan Patrol ML-6 COTS chassis) currently in ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Moldova]

  Programme Background Lithuanian Drones Lithuania's Minister of National Defense, Laurynas Kasciunas, announced that Lithuian-produced thermal night vision devices and FPV drones had begun being delivered to Moldova during ...

• Trainer

  Joint Terminal Attack Controller (Project Air 6016)(Australia)

  Programme Background Requirements Project Air 6016 aims to deliver a sovereign training system to ensure the sustainable generation of sufficient and appropriately skilled Joint Terminal Attack ...

• 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 ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  VBMT Rec Multirole Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle

  Technical Requirements The Brazilian Army released two documents outlining the technical and operational requirements for the VBMT Rec in early 2020. These elucidate a number ...

• Tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Artillery Mini-UAV (India)

  Programme Background Mass of Requests In October 2022, the Indian Army released a flurry of RfIs for various UAVs, showing its desperation to get UAVs ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  USG-261T

  The USG-261T is a night-view, light-weight mini camera gimbal designed for small fixed-wing and multirotor platforms. It has a thermal imaging camera to capture videos in ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  Vipir-2S+

  Vipir-2S+ is a lightweight, military-standard, handheld thermal sight designed for medium-range surveillance and target observation. Vipir-2S+ utilises uncooled thermal imaging technology. 

• Land: handheld NV devices

  Alice HH

  The Alice HH is an uncooled handheld thermal imaging camera based on a high-resolution focal plane, using uncooled IR technology with no need for cryo-cooling ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Piranha ZTI

  The Piranha ZTI is an uncooled thermal imaging camera. The lens features anti-reflective coatings throughout and a diamond-line carbon coating on the external surface.

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Juniper

  The Juniper is a miniature, uncooled, wide-FOV thermal imaging camera which can be integrated into miniature UAVs, small robotic vehicles, small maritime EO payloads and ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  U3061i

  The U3061i is an uncooled thermal imaging camera used for individual soldier observation. Its detection range is 2.5km for personnel and up to 14km for ships. ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  CamSight

  CamSight is a family of lightweight, compact core cameras to be integrated into complex optronic systems equipping UAV, UGV, and UGS systems. The CamSight optronic modules ...

• EO/IR systems

  SPARROW SR-HD

  The SPARROW SR-HD is a thermal imaging camera for versatile applications such as intelligence gathering, surveillance, and long-range control systems.  This uncooled infrared system operates ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  STAWS

  The Surveillance Target Acquisition and Weapon Aiming Sight (STAWS) provides 24-hour all-weather surveillance and target acquisition. It is an integrated, passive, multispectral sighting system utilising ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Atom

  Atom is a high-resolution IR camera core, available based on uncooled microbolometer IR detectors of either 1,024x768 or 640x480px. The cores can be integrated into ...

• EO/IR systems

  MicroPOP

  IAI has upgraded the Micro Plug-In Optronic Payload (Micropop). It is an observation payload designed for integration on small UAVs and UGVs. The MicroPOP is ...

• EO/IR systems

  Micro-STAMP

  The MICRO-STAMP is an ultra-small EO/IR payload. It features an uncooled IR thermal imaging camera, a high-resolution TV CMOS camera and a dual FOV uncooled IR detector. It ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  ZiR-60

  The ZiR-60 thermal imaging attachment is designed to be used with day optical sights mounted on sniper weapons, to convert them into functional thermal sights ...

• EO/IR systems

  Denizgözü Martı

  The Denizgözü Martı is an Electro-Optical Reconnaissance and Surveillance System designed for marine applications. Its main components include an uncooled LWIR thermal imaging sensor, a ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  EyeR Core VA

  The EyeR Core VA is a longwave infrared (LWIR) platform which is equipped with Opgal's imagine-processing capabilities. The thermal imaging core supports advanced algorithms, allowing ...