The ground-based laser designator market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.79 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6%. The anticipated growth during the forecast period is driven by the increasing integration with unmanned ground vehicles, heightened demand for long-range targeting capabilities, expanding use in special operations missions, a rising preference for portable and lightweight devices, and a growing emphasis on interoperability within defense systems. Key trends expected throughout the forecast period include improvements in target acquisition accuracy, innovations in compact and ruggedized designs, investments in next-generation laser optics, advancements in low-power consumption technologies, and developments in real-time data transmission.
The increasing demand for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is expected to boost the growth of the ground-based laser designator market. UAVs are aircraft that operate without a human pilot onboard, either remotely controlled or flying autonomously. Their rising popularity stems from expanded use in surveillance and precision strike operations, as defense forces aim to reduce risks to personnel during combat. Ground-based laser designators enhance UAV capabilities by accurately marking targets, enabling precise weapon guidance and sensor operation, which improves strike accuracy and supports reconnaissance and mission coordination in challenging combat scenarios. For example, in March 2024, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China reported that the number of licensed UAVs reached 1.27 million in 2023, marking a 32.2% increase from 2022. Thus, the growing demand for UAVs is driving the expansion of the ground-based laser designator market.
Increasing geopolitical tensions are expected to drive the growth of the ground-based laser designator market. These tensions involve political and military disputes between countries that create instability and uncertainty. As nations compete for scarce natural resources, strategic rivalries intensify, raising the possibility of territorial conflicts. Ground-based laser designators enhance military precision by accurately guiding airstrikes and artillery, reducing collateral damage while boosting defense effectiveness and acting as a strategic deterrent in areas with escalating geopolitical friction. For example, in February 2024, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that conflict-related deaths rose from 153,100 in 2022 to 170,700 in 2023, indicating increased conflict severity in several regions worldwide. Consequently, the growth of the ground-based laser designator market is being driven by rising geopolitical tensions.
In November 2022, Safran Electronics & Defense, a French avionics firm, and MBDA France, a French missile and defense systems manufacturer, jointly acquired a 63% majority stake in CILAS for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition is intended to support CILAS’s expansion and advance laser technology development, reinforcing France’s sovereignty and strategic independence. Additionally, it aims to strengthen CILAS’s presence in the European market and boost its export opportunities. CILAS is a France-based company specializing in ground-based laser designators.
Major players in the ground-based laser designator market are Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, BAE Systems plc, Thales Group, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Leonardo S.p.A., Textron Inc., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Rheinmetall AG, Elbit Systems Ltd., Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., Saab AB, BEL, Aselsan A.S., Hensoldt AG, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., nLight Inc., and RPMC Lasers Inc.
North America was the largest region in the ground based laser designator market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in ground based laser designator report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the ground-based laser designator market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
The sharp hike in U.S. tariffs and the associated trade disputes in spring 2025 are notably impacting the aerospace and defense sector by raising costs for titanium, carbon fiber composites, and avionics materials largely sourced from global suppliers. Defense contractors, locked into fixed-price government contracts, absorb these added costs, while commercial aerospace firms face airline pushback on higher aircraft prices. Delays in component shipments due to customs bottlenecks further disrupt tight production schedules for jets and satellites. The industry is responding by stockpiling critical materials, seeking waivers for defense-related imports, and collaborating with allied nations to diversify supply chain.
A ground-based laser designator is a device that projects a concentrated laser beam to accurately identify a target, allowing guided weapons, missiles, or aircraft to strike precisely. It supports military missions by enhancing accuracy, reducing collateral damage, and increasing operational effectiveness. These systems are extensively employed by armed forces for battlefield observation, target detection, and smooth coordination among units.
The primary categories of ground-based laser designators include portable units, vehicle-mounted units, and fixed installations. Portable laser designators are compact, handheld tools that offer frontline personnel quick, adaptable, and mobile target-marking capabilities for directing precision attacks. They employ various technologies, such as infrared lasers, visible light lasers, and multi-spectral lasers, with range options spanning short, medium, and long distances. These designators are useful in several contexts, including ground troops and air support, and are utilized by a variety of users across the defense, aerospace, and commercial sectors.
The ground-based laser designator market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides ground-based laser designator market statistics, including the ground-based laser designator industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the ground-based laser designator market share, detailed ground-based laser designator market segments, market trends, opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the ground-based laser designator industry. This ground-based laser designator market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.
The ground-based laser designator market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as battlefield coordination, equipment maintenance and calibration, operator training programs, and system integration services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The ground-based laser designator market also includes sales of laser rangefinders, thermal imaging modules, power supply units, ruggedized control consoles, and optical sighting systems. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Ground-based Laser Designator Global Market Report 2025 provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.This report focuses on ground-based laser designator market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
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Description
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for ground-based laser designator? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The ground-based laser designator market global report answers all these questions and many more.The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market’s historic and forecast market growth by geography.
- The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market.
- The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, and forecasting its development.
- The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include: the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.
- Market segmentations break down the market into sub markets.
- The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth.
- The competitive landscape chapter gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.
- The trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it emerges from the crisis and suggests how companies can grow as the market recovers.
Report Scope
Markets Covered:
1) By Type: Portable Laser Designators; Vehicle-Mounted Laser Designators; Fixed Installation Laser Designators2) By Technology: Infrared Laser Designators; Visible Light Laser Designators; Multi-Spectral Laser Designators
3) By Range Capability: Short Range; Medium Range; Long Range
4) By Application: Ground Forces; Air Support
5) By End-User: Defense Sector; Aerospace Sector; Commercial Sector
Subsegments:
1) By Portable Laser Designators: Handheld Laser Designators; Man-Portable Laser Designators; Backpack Laser Designators2) By Vehicle-Mounted Laser Designators: Armored Vehicle Laser Designators; Unarmored Vehicle Laser Designators; Utility Vehicle Laser Designator
3) By Fixed Installation Laser Designators: Stationary Ground Laser Designators; Tower-Mounted Laser Designators; Shelter-Based Laser Designators
Companies Mentioned: Raytheon Technologies Corporation; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Northrop Grumman Corporation; BAE Systems plc; Thales Group; L3Harris Technologies Inc.; Leonardo S.p.A.; Textron Inc.; General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.; Rheinmetall AG; Elbit Systems Ltd.; Teledyne Technologies Incorporated; Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.; Saab AB; BEL; Aselsan A.S.; Hensoldt AG; Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.; nLight Inc.; RPMC Lasers Inc.
Countries: Australia; Brazil; China; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Japan; Russia; South Korea; UK; USA; Canada; Italy; Spain.
Regions: Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Africa
Time Series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.
Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets, GDP proportions, expenditure per capita.
Data Segmentation: Country and regional historic and forecast data, market share of competitors, market segments.
Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.
Delivery Format: PDF, Word and Excel Data Dashboard.
Companies Mentioned
The companies featured in this Ground-based Laser Designator market report include:- Raytheon Technologies Corporation
- Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Northrop Grumman Corporation
- BAE Systems plc
- Thales Group
- L3Harris Technologies Inc.
- Leonardo S.p.A.
- Textron Inc.
- General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
- Rheinmetall AG
- Elbit Systems Ltd.
- Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
- Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.
- Saab AB
- BEL
- Aselsan A.S.
- Hensoldt AG
- Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
- nLight Inc.
- RPMC Lasers Inc.
Table Information
Report Attribute | Details |
---|---|
No. of Pages | 250 |
Published | October 2025 |
Forecast Period | 2025 - 2029 |
Estimated Market Value ( USD | $ 1.24 Billion |
Forecasted Market Value ( USD | $ 1.79 Billion |
Compound Annual Growth Rate | 9.6% |
Regions Covered | Global |
No. of Companies Mentioned | 21 |