• Uncrewed Vehicles

  German Navy starts Skeldar V-200 tests

  19th August 2020

  The German Navy is conducting static and dynamic shipboard tests of the Skeldar V-200 VTOL UAV on the corvette Braunschweig. Social media posts from senior …

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon report warns of PLA’s meteoric rise

  2nd September 2020

  On 1 September the Pentagon issued its 20th and most comprehensive report on developments within the Chinese military, for the benefit of the US Congress …

• Land Warfare

  US to buy Soviet-era weapons and ammunition

  12th August 2020

  The US DoD intends to award industry a five-year contract, from 2022 to 2026, to manufacture Special Ammunition and Weapon Systems (SAWS) and non-NATO standard …

• Naval Warfare

  Riachuelo performs independent navigation

  13th August 2020

  The PROSUB diesel-electric attack submarine  programme for the Brazilian Navy took a step forward on 12 August, when the first-in-class boat Riachuelo performed its first independent …

• Digital Battlespace

  Commtact unveils new data link comms kit

  19th August 2020

  Commtact has launched a portable, lightweight (20kg) tactical communications kit for rapid and easy deployment in the field. The kit is based on the Commtact …

• Digital Battlespace

  Simulated MCM survey includes multi-architecture autonomy

  20th August 2020

  UK-based SeeByte and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US have joined forces in trials to test a multi-architecture autonomy framework. The Neptune …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to provide Guardian assemblies and transmitters to USN

  18th August 2020

  The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation has issued a maximum $19.69 million delivery order, on behalf of the USN, to Northrop Grumman Mission Systems for Guardian laser …

• Naval Warfare

  UK sets out naval Directed Energy Weapon roadmap

  14th August 2020

  As the UK continues to evaluate the military potential of Directed Energy Weapons (DEW), specific naval applications will soon be explored through Project Tracey, a …

• Naval Warfare

  NAVSEA announces Mk-48 Mod 7 support contract

  17th August 2020

  FMS customers Australia and Taiwan are included in the latest Mk-48 Mod 7 heavyweight torpedo support contract for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). However, most …

• Training

  Hawk 127 airframe completes life extension tests in Australia

  12th August 2020

  A team from BAE Systems in the UK and the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) has completed a major structural testing programme on …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems joins alliance to enhance GPS innovation

  7th August 2020

  The US-based GPS Innovation Alliance (GPSIA) welcomed its sixth official member on 6 August when BAE Systems joined. Radiation-hardened electronics from BAE Systems  currently provide …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM raises contract ceiling for GMV 1.1 production

  20th August 2020

  General Dynamics Ordinance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) has received a $48.9 million contract ceiling modification from US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), for production of the …

• Air Warfare

  OFTs for RAF Poseidons land in Lossiemouth

  20th August 2020

  The RAF has received its first pair of high-fidelity flight training simulators from Boeing for the P-8A Poseidon (pictured - designated Poseidon MRA Mk1 in UK …

• Air Warfare

  NAVAIR orders F-35 flight test instrumentation

  10th August 2020

  Lockheed Martin will develop and install flight test instrumentation systems for one F-35B Lot 14 aircraft and one F-35C Lot 14 aircraft for government testing, the …

• Defence Notes

  NATO evaluates SMASH as possible anti-drone terrorism solution

  18th August 2020

  The SMASH Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System (C-sUAS) fire control solution from Smart Shooter is under consideration by NATO in its Defense Against Terrorism Program of Work …

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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

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 ...