DSEI 2025: Bertin Exensor Secures Contract with Nordic Nations

Bertin Exensor, a Swedish subsidiary of the French technology group Bertin Technologies, has signed a framework agreement with the Swedish, Finnish, Danish, and Norwegian defence procurement agencies. The agreement, announced at DSEI 2025, covers the further delivery and support of the company’s Flexnet Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) system.

The 10-year contract aims to enhance the four nations’ capabilities in surveillance, protection, and intelligence gathering. According to a statement from the company, the deal includes new equipment, technical system support, training, and further development of the UGS technology to meet future requirements.

“For Bertin Exensor, this agreement confirms that our long-term efforts in the field of Unattended Ground Sensors have been well-directed, that our system solutions are highly valued, and that they play a crucial role for the soldiers in the field,” Pontus Agerteg, Head of Sales Nordic at Bertin Exensor said. 

Other states in the region are taking their border security and passive measures against invasion very seriously. The Baltic states and Poland have withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention banning the use of anti-personnel mines. Lithuania and Estonia have jointly agreed to procure counter-mobility systems like the Sentry anti-tank mines from Forcit Defence, which also form part of Lithuania’s layered border defence plan. 

Tech profile: Flexnet Unattended Ground Sensors

The Flexnet family of Unattended Ground Sensors consists of four different sensors that are used in a mesh network to detect, classify, and identify human activities and vehicle movement. The four sensors listed on the Bertin Exensor website are: 

• Mini Mk3: A 360-degree seismic and acoustic sensor that detects and classifies human activity and vehicle movement.
• PIR: A passive infrared module that detects movement and the direction of travel. It detects the infrared radiation of passing vehicles and humans.
• Scout Mk3: An intelligent remote imager that captures snapshot images and videos of targets and potential threats.
• Surveyor: A vehicle identification sensor that provides information on the type (e.g., heavy tracked, light wheeled), speed, and direction of a vehicle. It uses seismic, acoustic, and magnetic sensors to detect and classify vehicles. 

Together these tools can provide a good indication of whether or not an adversary has passed through an area, allowing the users to deploy more reconnaissance assets to investigate. 

Calibre comment

Russia has made extensive use of deep reconnaissance groups (DRG) in Ukraine, which are relatively small and light units designed to pass through Ukrainian lines and conduct sabotage and reconnaissance operations. They have caused extensive harm in some areas by targeting unprotected vehicles on roads in areas thought to be safe. And, DRGs appeared to be the leading edge of the recent offensives around Pokrovsk. Having passive sensors that can provide some reconnaissance and warning in less well-patrolled areas can help to detect and counter these types of incursions. Given the vast expanses that all four Nordic states must patrol and protect, and the relative paucity of systems like the MQ-9B, passive unattended sensors appear to be a good option. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on September 8, 2025. Credit for the lead image is Bertin Exensor, it shows the Scout Mk 3 remote imager.