Blighter follows record £25m orders with new technology push

The designer and manufacturer of ground-based smart electronic-scanning micro-Doppler radars, is showcasing new developments to its border surveillance and coastal security radars, and its AI-assisted BlighterNexus software at this year’s DSEI Defence and Security show. DSEI takes place at the ExCel Centre in London, September 9-12, 2025.

The company secured a record £25 million order book in the last financial year and continues to consolidate its leadership in border surveillance and coastal security by focusing on product innovation to support its defence customers and systems integrator partners.

James Long, CEO at Blighter, says: “It’s been a terrific year for the company having achieved a record order book and recently celebrating ten years since the spin out from our parent company, Plextek. We will continue to put our defence customers and integrators first by making it ever more straightforward and cost-effective for them to buy, deploy and integrate our radars.”

In 2025, Blighter has further strengthened the business case for its low power advanced e-scan radars with a trio of enhancements - new levels of adaptiveness to the environment in its coastal security radars, extending the range of its border surveillance radars, and using artificial intelligence (AI) to transform radar to command and control (C2) system integration.

First, the launch of the BlighterNexus AI-assisted connectivity and processing hub has drastically reduced the training and operational burden on systems integrators seeking to incorporate Blighter’s smart/cognitive ITAR-free 2D, 3D and 4D radars into their C2 systems.

Estimated cost savings of up to 20 percent can be achieved by customers and integrators using the AI-assisted software to automate setup, configuration and adjustment of multiple radars to deliver optimum performance even in changing weather conditions.

Second, Blighter’s new B422 long-range border surveillance radar has been enhanced to now detect a person at 15km with just 4 Watts of power. This extended range from 8km to 15km, without the need for additional power, means earlier interception of intruders and significant cost savings for border control operators with fewer radars needed due to the three-fold increase of the radar’s coverage.

Third, Blighter’s engineers have also been working on a government/industry coastal surveillance project. This has resulted in significant improvements to the adaptiveness of the Blighter C400 coastal security radar. Through fine tuning of the electronic scanning beam and the micro-Doppler tracking function, the radar can now automatically and dynamically adapt to the prevailing environmental conditions. This will not only make the coastal radar more effective, but it will also reduce the training and operational burden on customers.

The Blighter C400 radar will be featured on development partner Kirintec’s stand at the upcoming show. Kirintec is owned by BAE Systems and specialises in Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities, Counter-IED and Counter-UAS technology.

“We are looking forward to DSEI and welcoming a host of overseas delegations to our stand, showcasing new technology, discussing collaborative partnerships and demonstrating how we are responding to the future needs of our defence partners,” says Long.