About a decade ago, soldier modernisation began with a fundamental objective: to protect the individual soldier from grievous injury and death while improving the ability to operate effectively in combat. Early modernisation efforts therefore focused primarily on improving personal protection, weapons, communications, night vision and other essential equipment. Over time, however, this objective has expanded significantly. The soldier is now becoming an integral part of the wider battlefield architecture, with modernisation programmes increasingly seeking to connect the individual soldier with command networks, vehicles, sensors, unmanned systems and other elements of the force.
The next phase of soldier modernisation is consequently moving beyond protection and equipment replacement towards making the individual soldier a connected, informed and highly capable combat node. Advances in communications, electro-optics, artificial intelligence, edge computing, electronic warfare and wearable technologies are enabling soldiers to sense, communicate, share information and engage targets more effectively. At the same time, the growing unmanned ecosystem is creating new possibilities for soldiers to operate alongside autonomous and remotely controlled aerial and ground systems, extending their reach while reducing exposure to threats.
The “Soldier Modernisation - Market and Technology Forecast to 2034” study identifies a wide range of emerging market opportunities arising from this transformation. The study finds that future growth will not be limited to traditional soldier equipment, but will increasingly come from the integration of digital, electronic and unmanned capabilities into the soldier system. In particular, the expansion of soldier-enabled unmanned operations, Counter-UAS, electronic warfare, tactical networking, advanced sensing and connected battlefield technologies is expected to create significant opportunities for suppliers through 2034. The market is therefore moving from the concept of simply protecting the soldier towards creating a highly connected and increasingly lethal soldier capable of contributing directly to the integrated battlefield.
The next phase of soldier modernisation is consequently moving beyond protection and equipment replacement towards making the individual soldier a connected, informed and highly capable combat node. Advances in communications, electro-optics, artificial intelligence, edge computing, electronic warfare and wearable technologies are enabling soldiers to sense, communicate, share information and engage targets more effectively. At the same time, the growing unmanned ecosystem is creating new possibilities for soldiers to operate alongside autonomous and remotely controlled aerial and ground systems, extending their reach while reducing exposure to threats.
The “Soldier Modernisation - Market and Technology Forecast to 2034” study identifies a wide range of emerging market opportunities arising from this transformation. The study finds that future growth will not be limited to traditional soldier equipment, but will increasingly come from the integration of digital, electronic and unmanned capabilities into the soldier system. In particular, the expansion of soldier-enabled unmanned operations, Counter-UAS, electronic warfare, tactical networking, advanced sensing and connected battlefield technologies is expected to create significant opportunities for suppliers through 2034. The market is therefore moving from the concept of simply protecting the soldier towards creating a highly connected and increasingly lethal soldier capable of contributing directly to the integrated battlefield.
Covered in this study
- Soldier Modernisation technologies and development programmes
- Protection, weapons, communications, C4ISR, sensors, navigation, power and wearable technologies
- Intelligent Combat Node and networked soldier capabilities
- Regional market forecasts to 2034
- Technology-segment market forecasts to 2034
- Soldier modernisation programmes and procurement activities by country
- Inventory-replacement and upgrade opportunities
- Active soldier systems, equipment inventories and leading platforms
- Recent contracts, trials, demonstrations and programme activity
- Main customers, armed forces and procurement organisations
- Competitive landscape and leading company profiles
- Partnerships, industrial participation, localisation and market-entry strategies
- Supply-chain bottlenecks, technology dependencies and sovereignty risks
- Critical raw materials used in Soldier Modernisation systems
- Technology readiness and future capability trends
- Unmanned systems integration and soldier-robot teaming opportunities
- Electronic warfare, anti-jamming and communications-resilience capabilities
- Artificial intelligence, edge computing, sensor fusion and augmented-reality technologies
- Market drivers, trends, opportunities and challenges
Segmentation
The soldier modernisation market is segmented by Region, Size, and Application.- Segmentation by Regions
- North America
- Europe
- Asia-Pacific
- Middle East & Africa
- Latin America
- Segmentation by Systems
- Personal Equipment & Protection Systems: Individual soldier equipment focused on survivability, mobility and physical protection, including body armour, helmets, load-bearing systems, protective clothing and exoskeletons.
- Weapon Systems & Fire Control: Soldier-carried and weapon-integrated systems that enhance lethality, targeting and engagement accuracy, including small arms, sights, fire-control systems, laser rangefinders and target acquisition systems.
- Soldier Electronics, Communications & Power Systems: Electronic and digital systems that connect, equip and power the soldier, including radios, tactical computers, navigation systems, displays, sensors, batteries and power-management solutions.
- Unmanned & Counter-Unmanned Systems: Unmanned systems supporting soldiers in reconnaissance, surveillance, logistics and combat, together with technologies for detecting, tracking and defeating hostile drones and other unmanned platforms.
- Integrated: Multi-function soldier solutions that combine multiple equipment categories into a unified, interoperable system or architecture, enabling shared data, power, communications and situational awareness.
- Multiple: Solutions incorporating two or more distinct soldier-system capabilities or equipment categories, but without the level of integration required to qualify as a fully integrated system.
Who will benefit from this study?
- This study is specifically intended to benefit decision-makers, technology providers, defence contractors, and investors seeking to identify opportunities, manage risks, and understand the evolving requirements of the global soldier modernisation market.
Table of Contents
1 Executive Summary
2 Introduction
3 Technologies and Development Programmes
5 Market overview
6 Procurement Programmes Overview by Country
7 Market Dynamics
8 Market Segments & Forecast Notes
9 Soldier Modernisation market to 2034 by Region
10 Soldier Modernisation market to 2034 by System
11 Opportunity Analysis
12 Companies
14 About the Publisher
List of Figures
List of Tables
Companies Mentioned
- AeroVironment, Inc. (AV)
- Anduril Industries
- Aselsan A.S.
- Avon Technologies plc
- BAE Systems Plc
- Cubic Corporation
- Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)
- Elbit Systems Ltd.
- Elbit Systems of America
- Elbit Systems UK
- FN Herstal
- Gentex Corporation
- Hensoldt AG
- Indra Sistemas, S.A.
- KNDS France S.A.
- Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS
- Kopin Corporation
- L3Harris Technologies
- Leonardo DRS
- Leonardo S.p.A.
- Mehler Systems GmbH
- Microsoft Corporation
- Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
- Northrop Grumman Corporation
- Patria
- QinetiQ North America
- Raytheon
- Rheinmetall AG
- Saab AB
- Safran S.A.
- Sig Sauer
- Teledyne FLIR Defense
- Thales
- Theon International Plc
