• Naval Warfare

  Defender ROV deliveries begin to USN under latest contract

  2nd October 2020

  VideoRay has begun shipments of its Defender ROV to the USN from its facility in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, under a recent $49 million contract. ‘The systems are …

• Defence Notes

  IAI selects five start-ups for accelerated technology development

  2nd October 2020

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) R&D; and innovation managers have picked five start-up companies for accelerated development at its Innovation Center. QuantLR, Aigent-tech, DST, Scopoli, and …

• Naval Warfare

  USN orders SM-2 and SM-6 spares

  30th September 2020

  The USN is procuring Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) and Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) depot-level and intermediate-level ordered spares from Raytheon Missiles and Defense. Work on the $45.26 million …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Marine Corps places order for Ultra Orion radio systems

  23rd September 2020

  The US Marine Corps Systems Command has placed a $31 million order for Ultra Orion X500 radio systems under the Line of Sight Radio System …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea retires Huey and ponders Black Hawk replacement

  13th October 2020

  Is the KUH-1 Surion a suitable replacement for South Korea's Black Hawks?

• Training

  Smoke and mirrors obscure true purpose of Kowsar

  9th October 2020

  What is the role of the supposedly fourth-generation fighter aircraft manufactured by Iran?

• Defence Notes

  USAF calls down power of ZEUS to destroy explosives

  2nd October 2020

  Parsons is claiming to be the first company to receive a production contract from the US DoD for a ground-based directed-energy system, with a $50.6 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Greece issues tender for UAVs

  30th September 2020

  The Hellenic Army has released an electronic open tender for urgent procurement of five reconnaissance UAVs for ‘special operations’. Interested parties have until 29 October …

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to redesign F-35 components

  29th September 2020

  Lockheed Martin is to provide $63.89 million worth of non-recurring engineering in support of redesigned components for the F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter aircraft, the …

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders M1061 cartridges

  29th September 2020

  Day and Zimmerman is to manufacture M1061 high-explosive cartridges for 60mm mortars, under a $92.7 million contract modification from the US Army. Work will be …

• Digital Battlespace

  L3Harris offers full-spectrum SIGINT pod for airborne platforms

  29th September 2020

  L3Harris Technologies on 29 September launched a new airborne SIGINT pod called RASISR (standing for Rapid, Adaptable, Smart, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance). The pod provides …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon to help improve Mk31 RAM

  22nd September 2020

  Raytheon is providing design agent and engineering support services to help improve the Mk31 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Guided Missile Weapon System, under a $60.5 million contract modification …

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo secures lucrative AW169M order from Austria

  25th September 2020

  Leonardo has beaten off stiff competition from Airbus and Bell to win a €300 million ($349 million) contract for 18 AW169M multirole helicopters from Austria. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Air National Guard to upgrade MQ-9s

  24th September 2020

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has been awarded a $13.5 million contract to upgrade MQ-9 Block 1 and Block 5 remotely piloted aircraft for the …

• Training

  ​NSWC picks Alion for training and special projects

  22nd September 2020

  Alion Science and Technology announced on 21 September that it has been awarded an $87 million, five-year task order to provide ‘special projects and operational training’ …

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

  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 - 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

  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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) [US Army]

  Background Launch The Program Executive Office Soldier, a US Army organisation responsible for rapid prototyping, procurement, and equipment fielding, launched the effort in May 2023 and ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...