Research Overview

The naval electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) market will continue to grow and evolve as countries continue to implement naval modernization and force expansion programs as tensions around the world rise and neglected fleets reach their expected end-of-life dates. The need for modern and more capable multi-role fleets comes as European and North American navies are becoming involved in the Arctic arms race, and as trade fleets require greater protection from piracy and Iranian actions. The threat of Chinese expansionism as a result of more frequent airspace violations and a rapidly increasing fleet has compelled the United States to develop a larger fleet that can operate in littoral environments and created a resurgence of submarine programs across the Asia-Pacific region.

The main trends seen in the EO/IR market include a merging of different sensor types into a single package; digitization and sensor fusion; hyperspectral and multispectral sensing; and a continual need for reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP) properties of systems. Traditionally separate EO/IR systems will merge into single packages to increase efficiency.

This report will cover the major market drivers, restraints, and growth opportunities across North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Central and South Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East. Each region is analyzed in detail to highlight the major opportunities for companies to target, and the likely competition that already exists. The global market also is examined to indicate the regions that will likely spend the most across the forecast period.