Man-portable Military Electronics Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Product Type (Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR), Command and Control), By End User (Army, Navy, Airforce, Homeland Security), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 5.88 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	6.15%
Fastest Growing Segment	Airforce
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 8.41 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Man-portable Military Electronics Market will grow from USD 5.88 Billion in 2025 to USD 8.41 Billion by 2031 at a 6.15% CAGR. The Global Man-portable Military Electronics Market encompasses lightweight, wearable, and handheld systems designed to enhance the command, control, communication, and situational awareness capabilities of individual soldiers and small tactical units. The expansion of this sector is primarily driven by widespread infantry modernization programs that prioritize network-centric warfare and the necessity for interoperable communication assets in asymmetric combat environments. Furthermore, rising geopolitical instability has accelerated the procurement of personal protection and precision targeting systems to ensure tactical advantage for dismounted troops.

However, a significant challenge impeding broader market adoption is the persistent issue of Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints, specifically the heavy logistical burden imposed by batteries required to sustain power-hungry devices. Despite these technical hurdles, investment in defense technologies remains robust. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in 2024, global military expenditure reached $2,718 billion, reflecting a substantial commitment of financial resources toward upgrading military equipment and readiness.

Key Market Drivers

The Implementation of Comprehensive Soldier Modernization Programs is fundamentally restructuring the market as defense agencies transition from legacy hardware to integrated, digital combat systems. This driver emphasizes the procurement of advanced communication nodes, wearable sensors, and computing devices that enhance lethality while addressing critical Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) challenges. Modernization efforts now prioritize interoperability and data fluidity, requiring lightweight electronics that allow dismounted troops to function as network nodes in multi-domain operations. Exemplifying this trend, according to The Defense Post, December 2024, Elbit Systems secured a $130 million contract to supply thousands of advanced software-defined radios and satellite communication systems to the Israel Defense Forces, highlighting the continued investment in digitized tactical command capabilities.

Concurrently, Escalating Geopolitical Instability and Asymmetric Threats are accelerating procurement cycles and expanding defense budgets globally. As nations face hybrid warfare tactics and high-intensity conflicts, there is an urgent operational requirement for reliable man-portable electronics that ensure secure communications and immediate situational awareness in contested environments. This heightened threat landscape has directly translated into increased spending; according to NATO, February 2025, European Allies and Canada invested a record $485 billion in defense in 2024, reflecting a substantial real-term increase driven by regional security concerns. This surge in demand is evident in industrial performance; according to Thales Group, in October 2024, the company’s Defence & Security segment recorded a 40% organic growth in order intake for the first nine months of the year, underscoring the robust global appetite for military electronic systems.

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Key Market Challenges

The Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints, particularly the substantial logistical burden of batteries, represent a formidable challenge impeding the growth of the Global Man-portable Military Electronics Market. As soldiers are equipped with an increasing array of electronic devices—from night vision goggles and radios to situational awareness tablets and targeting sensors—the cumulative weight of the required power sources has become physically unsustainable. This "battery burden" severely restricts the mobility, endurance, and combat effectiveness of dismounted troops, forcing procurement agencies to hesitate in deploying additional power-hungry systems without accompanying reductions in weight. The necessity to carry multiple spare batteries for extended missions compels soldiers to trade off lethal capabilities or rations for power, thereby limiting the market potential for new electronic innovations that would further add to this load.

The impact of this challenge is quantifiable and critical. According to the Association of the United States Army, in 2025, operational assessments indicated that the average combat load for a dismounted soldier can exceed 100 pounds during extended missions, with batteries and power management systems constituting a significant and growing proportion of this weight. This excessive load directly hampers the adoption of advanced electronics, as commanders prioritize weight reduction to prevent soldier fatigue and injury over the addition of new, albeit capable, electronic systems. Consequently, until the energy density of power sources improves significantly to lower this logistical footprint, the market expansion for man-portable electronics remains constrained by the physical limits of the human operators.

Key Market Trends

The operationalization of Augmented Reality (AR) in Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) is fundamentally transforming the market by overlaying real-time tactical data directly into a soldier's field of view. This trend represents a shift from experimental prototyping to the procurement of combat-ready systems that integrate navigation, thermal imaging, and target acquisition into a single wearable interface, thereby reducing reaction times in complex environments. Defense agencies are aggressively funding these mixed-reality solutions to provide close-combat forces with intuitive data visualization capabilities that were previously restricted to vehicle crews or command posts. Reflecting this transition toward fieldable operational tech, according to DefenseScoop, March 2024, the U.S. Army requested $255 million in fiscal 2025 funding to procure 3,162 units of the IVAS 1.2 variant, a ruggedized headset designed to deliver high-resolution situational awareness to dismounted troops.

The deployment of Man-Portable Interfaces for Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) is significantly expanding the market as infantry units require handheld controls for robotic assets and loitering munitions. This trend empowers individual soldiers to direct autonomous systems for reconnaissance and precision strikes from the tactical edge, effectively decentralizing air support and extending the sensor reach of small squads. The integration of these lethal unmanned systems into standard infantry equipment packs is driving substantial contract activity, as militaries seek to equip dismounted formations with organic, stand-off strike capabilities. Highlighting the scale of this adoption, according to Defense News, August 2024, the U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a contract worth up to $990 million to supply Switchblade loitering munitions, underscoring the massive investment in portable tools that enable direct soldier-to-drone collaboration.

Segmental Insights

The Airforce segment represents the fastest-growing category in the Global Man-portable Military Electronics Market, primarily fueled by strategic modernization initiatives intended to bolster operational agility. Defense agencies are heavily investing in compact, lightweight systems that provide secure communication and superior situational awareness for tactical air control parties and ground support units. This expansion is further propelled by the critical requirement for robust Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities, which enable rapid data exchange and decision-making. These factors collectively drive the increased adoption of portable electronics to ensure dominance in network-centric warfare.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a leading position in the global man-portable military electronics market, driven primarily by substantial defense expenditures within the United States. The United States Department of Defense actively prioritizes soldier modernization programs that require integrated communication and situational awareness systems. This dominance is supported by a strong domestic industrial base capable of developing lightweight electronic solutions for field deployment. Consequently, the sustained focus on enhancing the operational efficiency and connectivity of ground troops ensures that North America continues to hold the largest market share in this industry.

Recent Developments

• In December 2024, Elbit Systems was awarded a contract worth approximately $130 million to supply thousands of advanced communication systems to the Israel Defense Forces. The project involved the delivery of the company’s proprietary software-defined radios, which are essential components of the modern man-portable military electronics market. These systems were designed to support digital maneuver efforts by providing secure, multi-domain voice and data connectivity for combat units. The agreement also included provisions for expanding regional maintenance centers to ensure the sustained operational readiness of these portable electronic devices during ongoing military operations.
• In November 2024, Thales demonstrated its newly released HFXL radio and the Storm 2 personal electronic warfare system during the Army Warfighting Experiment in the United Kingdom. The event showcased the integration of these man-portable technologies, with the Storm 2 system allowing individual soldiers to detect hostile networks and execute electronic attacks in urban environments. The new high-frequency radio was presented as a data-first solution capable of maintaining secure, long-range links without relying on fixed infrastructure. these developments represented a breakthrough in miniaturizing complex electronic warfare and communication capabilities for wearable military applications.
• In August 2024, TrellisWare Technologies launched the TW Shadow 750, a new handheld radio designed to address mission-critical communication challenges for defense users. The device was introduced with a highly integrated architecture that placed mobile ad hoc networking capabilities directly into the hands of dismounted soldiers. By supporting multiple advanced waveforms, including those for electronic counter-countermeasures, the radio aimed to provide resilient voice and data connectivity in contested spectrums. This product launch highlighted the industry's push towards versatile, software-defined man-portable electronics that offer scalability and security for tactical formations.
• In May 2024, Indra Air Traffic Inc. secured a significant indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the U.S. Air Force to replace its fleet of man-portable tactical air navigation systems. The agreement, valued at approximately $198 million, tasked the company with providing design, engineering, and technical maintenance for the next generation of portable navigation aids. These systems were engineered to be transported by a small team of soldiers, ensuring capable air traffic management in harsh environments where satellite signals might be denied. This procurement underscored the military's focus on maintaining robust, man-portable electronic infrastructure for expeditionary operations.

Key Market Players

• L3Harris Technologies Inc.
• RTX Corporation
• General Dynamics Corporation
• Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Thales SA
• Codan Limited
• Elbit Systems Ltd
• Saab AB
• Leonardo S.p.A.
• ASELSAN Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi

By Product Type	By End User	By Region
Communications Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Command and Control	Army Navy Airforce Homeland Security	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Man-portable Military Electronics Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Man-portable Military Electronics Market, By Product Type:

• Communications
• Intelligence
• Surveillance
• Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR)
• Command and Control

• Man-portable Military Electronics Market, By End User:

• Army
• Navy
• Airforce
• Homeland Security

• Man-portable Military Electronics Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE