Executive Summary
Thermal Imaging Production Facility: manufacture uncooled LWIR microbolometer cores and assemble complete thermal systems. Products: thermal cores (5,000 annually), weapon sights (3,000 annually), vehicle driver viewers (2,000), drone cameras (3,000). Technology: uncooled microbolometer (ITAR-free European technology). Partner with European thermal manufacturer for technology transfer. Target: domestic thermal independence, night capability for Lithuanian forces.
In short: 5,000 thermal cores annually; 3,000 weapon thermal sights; 2,000 vehicle thermal systems
The Problem
Ukrainian night blindness: thermal imagers are decisive advantage—who sees first, shoots first. Pre-war Ukrainian thermal: perhaps 10% of vehicles and infantry had thermal capability. Russian night attacks exploited this gap repeatedly. Global thermal shortage: FLIR, Pulsar, L3Harris—all backordered 18+ months. US ITAR restrictions limit some thermal exports. European thermal production: concentrated in France (Thales), UK (BAE), Germany (Hensoldt)—limited capacity. Lithuanian forces: need 10,000+ thermal sights for vehicles, drones, infantry—100% imported. In crisis, queuing behind larger NATO nations for every thermal sight. Night without thermals = blindness.