Allowing for digital interoperability

Through the years, MONCh has followed FLIR Systems’ many technology advancements and product fieldings. Indeed, FLIR Systems has a solid reputation in the defence and adjacent high-risk sectors, as a supplier of gimble-based and hand-held thermal imaging equipment, and even chem-bio solutions. That baseline is being used, not cast aside, as the company expands its business aperture. David Ray, the new President of the company’s Government and Business Defense Business Unit, told MONCh in his company’s conference room: “We’re moving more into the solutions space, leveraging the solid history of thermal imaging and moving into other sensing capabilities, like LIDAR and others – to complete the entire spectrum of sensing capabilities that our customers need.”

This portfolio expansion has other huge consequences among which include, “also moving into the whole spectrum of total solutions – which allow for digital interoperability.”

The term “digital operability” is one which Monch is increasingly hearing in the meeting rooms and on the exhibition floor of conferences, ranging from SOFIC to service-focused events.

The Arlington, Virginia-based executive continued: “This will allow us to take some of the knowledge we have at the tactical edge of our products to leverage AI and some of the work we’re doing in that and other spaces, often in partnerships, to gain solutions in security –outside of US DoD – as well in the traditional sectors we service.”  

This major push will move FLIR Systems into the realm of franchise deals or franchise opportunities, which tend to be larger in volume ((U$) hundreds of millions or even a billion), both domestically and overseas. Mr. Ray added, “that whereas before, we delivered one product, we’re going to deliver our products as part of a total solution.”

Asked what MONCh should be attentive to from FLIR Systems in the next 12 months, the newly minted executive initially noted the recent launching of the FLIR RECON V Ultralite, the company’s next generation hand-held, thermal imaging camera with ATAK [Android Team Awareness Kit] connectivity, and added other products to our “watch list” including the FLIR RANGER R8-SS and R8SS-3D which is a high-resolution radar, “which can identify small UASs up to two km [1.2m] away, and accurately detects personnel and vehicles with ranges of up to 15 kilometres.” Mr. Ray concluded.

Marty Kauchak