• Land Warfare

  Sherpa passes production milestone

  20th May 2020

  Arquus has completed production of the 1,000 armoured vehicle in the Sherpa family at its Limoges factory. ‘The Sherpa’s commercial success, in all versions and configurations, …

• Naval Warfare

  TKMS to buy Brazilian shipyard

  20th May 2020

  ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) announced on 20 May that it has signed a contract to acquire the Oceana shipyard in Brazil from CBO Group subsidiary Aliança …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems selects MCT-30 for USMC vehicles

  14th May 2020

  BAE Systems has selected Kongsberg’s MCT-30 turret for use in its USMC Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme. The company will deliver up to 150 turrets …

• Naval Warfare

  USN orders Harpoon and SLAM-ER weapon systems

  14th May 2020

  The USN has awarded a $3.1 billion contract for Boeing’s Harpoon and Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) weapons systems, in support of FMS …

• Land Warfare

  MGCS partners get green light for system architecture study

  20th May 2020

  KNDS (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter Systems) and Rheinmetall have obtained official approval from the BAAINBw to proceed with a system architecture definition study for the …

• Land Warfare

  MGCS partners get green light for system architecture study

  20th May 2020

  KNDS (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter Systems) and Rheinmetall have obtained official approval from the BAAINBw to proceed with a system architecture definition study for the …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines receives most capable warship, minus Link 16

  27th May 2020

  The Philippine Navy (PN) piloted the multipurpose frigate BRP Jose Rizal (pennant number 150) into home waters and the port of Subic Bay for the …

• Land Warfare

  Nemo could find a home on US Army mortar carriers

  19th May 2020

  Patria is to conduct a joint feasibility study with the US Army into whether the Finnish company’s Nemo 120mm turreted mortar can be integrated into …

• Land Warfare

  Indonesia bridges gaps in vehicle inventory

  14th May 2020

  Indonesia has received a third batch of M3 bridge and ferry systems, with three units being unloaded last week from a cargo ship at the …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia welcomes third and final Air Warfare Destroyer

  21st May 2020

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) commissioned its third Air Warfare Destroyer, HMAS Sydney, in a ceremony in Jervis Bay off the Australian coast on 18 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore F-16 photo-recon capability breaks cover

  28th May 2020

  Recent imagery reviewed by Shephard confirms a long-range oblique photography (LOROP) sensor capability on Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-16s. The images depict twin-seat …

• Air Warfare

  Being agile, flexible and timely in a time of crisis (Studio)

  5th June 2020

  Military aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services must adapt to crises, even those as severe and unexpected as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. For Honeywell, …

• Training

  ATAC adds to CASP work

  25th May 2020

  Textron subsidiary Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) has been awarded a $34.5 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide contracted …

• Digital Battlespace

  AVT delivers X-MADIS CUAS to DoD customer

  13th May 2020

  Ascent Vision Technologies (AVT) on 13 May confirmed that it had delivered several units of its newest eXpeditionary Mobile Air Defence Integrated System (X-MADIS) to …

• Defence Notes

  COVID-19 propels reforms in Indian defence production

  19th May 2020

  Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced more measures to boost self-sufficiency in defence production, among them raising from 49% to 74% the foreign direct investment …

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 ...