Teledyne FLIR Defense, a division of Teledyne Technologies, has been awarded a contract to produce Black Hornet® 3 Personal Reconnaissance Systems for deployment in Ukraine. The order is part of a procurement initiative by Norway's Ministry of Defense to provide additional unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to Ukraine. The contract includes the delivery of 1,000 Black Hornet drones, along with spare parts, maintenance, and training for Ukrainian operators and instructors. This follows Norway's previous donation of nearly 300 Black Hornet systems to Ukraine forces through the International Fund for Ukraine.
Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram expressed satisfaction with the previous deliveries of reconnaissance drones and highlighted the significance of the collaboration. "Ukraine is very satisfied with previous Norwegian deliveries of this type of reconnaissance drone," stated Minister Gram.
The Black Hornet 3, designed and manufactured by Teledyne FLIR in Norway, is an award-winning unmanned aerial system. Weighing only 33 grams (less than 0.1 pounds) and measuring 168 millimeters (less than seven inches), the pocket-sized drone is well-suited for operations in challenging and GPS-denied environments. With a flight time of up to 25 minutes, the Black Hornet provides real-time visible and thermal video transmission, making it highly effective in reconnaissance missions.
Dr. JihFen Lei, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Teledyne FLIR Defense, expressed pride in supporting Norway's efforts to aid Ukrainian forces.
"The Black Hornet has proven to be game-changing technology that can help soldiers perform missions more safely and effectively," said Dr. Lei.
The Black Hornet drones have already been deployed by Ukrainian forces through previous donations from the Norwegian and British governments. They have demonstrated successful performance in various operations, even in harsh environments. Teledyne FLIR Defense has delivered over 14,000 Black Hornet PRS systems to military and security forces in more than 40 countries worldwide.
The success of the Black Hornet has also attracted the attention of the U.S. Army, which has placed orders totaling over $140 million in the past five years. These orders have been instrumental in supporting the Army's Soldier Borne Sensor program, further validating the capabilities and reliability of the Black Hornet UAS.
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