Infrared search-and-track sensors to be provided to Taiwan by Lockheed Martin
NewsFebruary 03, 2026
ORLANDO, Florida. Lockheed Martin won a $328.5 million Foreign Military Sales production contract from the U.S. government to supply IRST21 Legion-ES infrared search-and-track (IRST) sensor systems for the Taiwan Air Force, the company announced in a statement.
Lockheed Martin says IRST21 is a long-wave infrared sensor designed to passively detect and track airborne targets at extended ranges. The statement adds that the Legion-ES configuration is intended for integration on the Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter aircraft. The company states this award marks the first international delivery of its Legion-ES IRST21 configuration.
Lockheed Martin says the Legion-ES system is designed as an embedded, integrated IRST capability intended to improve detection and tracking of airborne threats and support situational awareness for aircrews. The company adds that the Legion-ES design builds on earlier IRST systems and cites more than 300,000 combined flight hours across those legacy systems, according to the statement.
