• Naval Warfare

  Israeli Navy bulks up with refined corvette design

  3rd August 2020

  The design for the Israeli Navy’s future Sa’ar S-72 corvettes should be completed in the first half of 2021, with indications that the platform being …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  South Korean firms partner on UAV motors

  20th July 2020

  LG Electronics announced on 20 July that it will apply its experience in producing motors for domestic appliances to co-develop military UAV motors with fellow …

• Military Logistics

  Mack Defense continues MSVS support

  14th July 2020

  Mack Defense will continue to support the Canadian Medium Support Vehicle System (MSVS) programme, under a five-year contract extension awarded by Public Services and Procurement …

• Digital Battlespace

  Extra sensors enhance Elta radar capabilities

  14th July 2020

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) subsidiary Elta Systems has developed new sensors for a variant of its ELM-2084 Multi-Mission Radar (MMR). The baseline ELM 2084 MMR …

• Land Warfare

  Czech IFV procurement survives the axe

  21st July 2020

  Funding for core Czech Army modernisation programmes will remain uncut despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. A Czech MoD spokesman confirmed to Shephard that Prime Minister …

• Training

  Czech Army adds TESS capabilities

  13th July 2020

  Soldiers of the 71st Mechanized Battalion based at Hranice have tested the latest tranche of laser-based Tactical Engagement Simulation Systems (TESS) delivered by Saab Training …

• Land Warfare

  Pakistan finally fields upgraded Al-Khalid tank

  4th August 2020

  On 28 July the Armoured Corps of the Pakistan Army held a rollout ceremony for the upgraded Al-Khalid-I MBT at a Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) …

• Air Warfare

  Litening strikes again for Rafael

  21st May 2020

  Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced on 21 May a new order for its fifth-generation Litening multispectral airborne targeting pods and RecceLite airborne EO …

• Training

  US awards first CAF CAS contracts

  29th July 2020

  Textron Systems subsidiary Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) has been selected to provide two USAF bases with adversary air (ADAIR) live training under the Combat …

• Digital Battlespace

  ​USN orders integrated air and missile defence radars from Raytheon

  20th July 2020

  US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon Missiles & Defense a $125.88 million contract modification to provide six Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) low-rate initial …

• Land Warfare

  Ambulance version of Piranha V enters service with Danish Army

  15th July 2020

  Denmark has received the ambulance version of the Piranha V 8x8 AFV amid a broader effort to improve the mobility of its ground forces and augment the 1st …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAAF orders Rohde & Schwarz comms systems

  8th July 2020

  Rohde & Schwarz is to provide its CERTIUM software-defined radios, CERTIUM VCS-4G voice communications system, and CERTIUM management systems to 12 air traffic control facilities operated by …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK points to 'swarming drone' trials on aircraft carriers

  15th July 2020

  The RAF is known to be interested in exploring remote carrier solutions for its next-generation Tempest programme, and now it intends to test 'swarming drone' …

• Digital Battlespace

  Study urges UK defence sector to exploit quantum computing

  13th July 2020

  Possibilities offered by AI and quantum computers need to be more fully embraced by the UK armed forces, according to a study released on 13 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Elbit trials mini-UAS on Seagull

  9th July 2020

  Elbit Systems has integrated a mini-UAS on its Seagull USV. Trials in recent weeks were aimed at demonstrating an extra mission set for Seagull beyond …

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 ...