• Air Warfare

  SBIRS Geo-5 Space Vehicle begins TVAC testing

  28th April 2020

  Lockheed Martin has confirmed that the Space Based Infrared System satellite (SBIRS) Geo-5 began Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing on 16 April at its facility in …

• Defence Notes

  Production resumes at Boeing’s Philadelphia sites

  21st April 2020

  Boeing restarted ‘essential’ production at its Ridley Township facilities near Philadelphia on 20 April after being closed since 3 April. The CH-47D Chinook, V-22 Osprey (pictured) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia accepts Orion MALE UAV

  27th April 2020

  The Russian MoD has completed the acceptance process for the Orion MALE UAV, according to Nikolay Dolzhenkov, chief designer at St Petersburg-based manufacturer Kronstadt Group. …

• Land Warfare

  Aselsan adds new NATO customer for SARP

  14th April 2020

  Turkish firm Aselsan has signed a contract with an unnamed NATO member state to provide its Stabilized Advanced Remote Weapon Platform (SARP) RWS and gunshot …

• Naval Warfare

  Shaldag Mk II sea trials to begin for African customer

  2nd April 2020

  Israel Shipyards recently launched an additional Shaldag Mk II fast patrol craft for an unnamed West African government customer, and preparations are under way for sea …

• Land Warfare

  South Korea eyes US sales for Bigung

  7th April 2020

  The Bigung ("Flying Arrow") guided rocket system has been successfully evaluated by the US DoD under the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) process,  the South Korean …

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army improves air defence of the Amazon area

  27th March 2020

  The Brazilian Army is increasing efforts to protect the Amazon area with the procurement of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) for the 12th Jungle Anti-Aircraft Artillery …

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall contracted for 9,640 VarioRay LLM by Swiss Army

  10th March 2020

  Rheinmetall has been contracted to deliver 9,640 VarioRay LLM (laser light modules) to the Swiss Army between May 2020 and Q4 2022. The contract also …

• Land Warfare

  Hensoldt to supply German Army with 368 IR attachments

  9th March 2020

  Hensoldt has been contracted by the German Army to deliver 368 IR attachment IRV 900 A2 systems with an option for 34 attachments. The company did …

• Land Warfare

  Sweden gears up for sniper rifle competition

  1st April 2020

  Swedish defence procurement agency FMV expects to start its Sniper Weapon System (SWS) programme later this year. An FMV official told Shephard that preparations are …

• Defence Notes

  Japan deploys advanced weaponry on southwest isle

  9th April 2020

  To boost its defences against China in its southwestern archipelago, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) announced on 26 March that it had deployed troops …

• Land Warfare

  US tests common hypersonic glide vehicle

  20th March 2020

  The US Army and US Navy on 19 March successfully joint tested a hypersonic glide body during a trial carried out at the Pacific Missile …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Norway receives first Black Hornet vehicle recce system

  30th March 2020

  The first Black Hornet nano-UAV vehicle reconnaissance system (BH VRS) has been delivered to Norway. A spokesperson for manufacturer FLIR told Shephard that the VRS unit …

• Land Warfare

  China exports first HJ-12 ATGMs

  30th March 2020

  Norinco announced on its official WeChat account on 25 March that it had begun its first export deliveries of the man-portable HJ-12E ATGM to an …

• Digital Battlespace

  Flir launches Ranger HDC MR system

  11th March 2020

  Flir Systems has launched the Ranger HDC MR surveillance system, which provides high-definition midrange surveillance against illegal activities in a range of weather conditions. The …

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 ...