Just before SHOT Show, FLIR announced some rather big news. They are focusing on LE & Military sales. Rather than jump to conclusions I talked to some of the reps at SHOT Show about this change in company policy. While they are ceasing some commercial sales of their products they are still going to offer thermal products to the civilian market.

Here is their press release:

FLIR is discontinuing certain Outdoor product lines as it further heightens its focus on the professional user. Select handheld product lines will continue to be offered commercially, but remaining products will be further focused toward law enforcement, public safety, and other professional users. FLIR will offer discontinued products through existing channels until inventory is fully depleted, and FLIR will continue to honor qualified warranties for all registered products. For warranty information, visit www.flir.com/support.FLIR Outdoor thermal handheld products FLIR will continue to sell include:

• Scout family
• Scion series
• LS series
• Breach

FLIR Outdoor products to be discontinued pending inventory depletion:

• All thermal bi-oculars and thermal monoculars except for the products detailed above
• All night vision and thermal riflescopes and clip-on systems
• All night vision multi-purpose systems and goggles
• Laser systems
• All outdoor and tactical accessories

As you can see from their press release and I can confirm this after talking to them at SHOT, they are still offering their line of handheld devices for the civilian market. To be honest the Breach is their best product. I said so in my comparison review with their Scion OTM.

However, their newly updated SCION OTM is upgraded from the one I reviewed. The objective lens is now focusable, has wifi streaming so you can stream the image to a portable tablet or phone. They have also increased its performance. It has detection up to 1200 yards and recognition of a man-shaped object out to 800 yards.

According to my contact, FLIR will be discontinuing the above items. Not even LE/MIL will be getting those products. As mentioned earlier they are refocusing their brand. They are liquidating what inventory they still have to existing dealers and will continue to honor warranty repair for these items even when they no longer continue to make or sell them.

While it is unfortunate that FLIR focuses their efforts elsewhere, that does give the competition room to take up their share of the civilian market. It will be interesting to see what fills the gap in FLIR’s absence. Just as long as we can keep buying the FLIR Breach, because nothing can touch it for the price and capabilities.