Milkor, a global defence contractor, and Starlight Italia, an Italian company specializing in advanced imaging systems, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen their collaboration in the maritime domain.
The agreement was formalized at Milkor’s stand during the IDEX 2025 defense exhibition, marking a pivotal moment in their joint efforts to deliver integrated maritime security solutions.
Milkor is a well-established player in the global defense industry, with operations spanning multiple domains, including land, air, and sea. Within the maritime sector, Milkor is recognized for designing and delivering a variety of vessels tailored to enhance maritime security across diverse operational roles.
These vessels serve as critical platforms for defense and security forces worldwide.
Starlight Italia, a privately-owned firm based in Italy, specializes in the production of Electro-Optical, Infrared, and Night Vision (EO/IR/NV) systems. These advanced technologies are essential for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and search and rescue missions, applicable to both land and maritime environments.
The company’s expertise in imaging systems complements Milkor’s maritime offerings, setting the stage for a robust partnership.
The MOU aims to streamline cooperation between Milkor and Starlight Italia, simplifying the integration of their respective technologies and delivering optimized solutions to clients around the globe. By combining Milkor’s maritime vessels with Starlight Italia’s cutting-edge EO/IR/NV systems, the partnership seeks to provide comprehensive capabilities that address the evolving demands of maritime security.
This collaboration is designed to enhance system compatibility, improve operational efficiency, and offer end users a seamless, high-value experience.
The signing ceremony, held at IDEX 2025, was attended by key representatives from both companies. Starlight Italia’s EMEA Sales Director, Giovanna Iafrate, expressed optimism about the partnership, stating, “We work closely with system integrators such as Milkor to ensure our night vision systems provide maximum value to the end user. We look forward to a productive partnership with Milkor in future.”
Milkor UAE CEO, Julian Coetzee, echoed her sentiments, emphasizing the strategic importance of the collaboration. “Milkor aims to deliver capabilities rather than simply products,” he said. “Starlight Italia’s low light imaging systems provide an important part of delivering that capability to maritime security forces around the world.”
“We appreciate the support Starlight Italia has provided in the past, and we look forward to an even closer relationship after the signing of this MOU.”
This partnership highlights the growing emphasis on integrated systems within modern defense strategies. By leveraging Milkor’s maritime expertise and Starlight Italia’s advanced imaging technologies, the two companies are well-positioned to offer enhanced solutions for surveillance, reconnaissance, and search and rescue operations at sea.
The signing of the MOU at IDEX 2025, a leading global defense exhibition, underscores the significance of this alliance within the international defense community.
In the meantime, Milkor UAE is wrapping up the construction of its Commander high-speed patrol boat, with plans to introduce the vessel to the market in the upcoming months.
The development of the Commander patrol craft began in 2023. A scale model of the vessel was publicly showcased for the first time at the World Defense Show in Riyadh in February 2024.
Milkor has stated that the creation of the Commander was motivated by a growing need for rapid naval response capabilities due to increasing threats such as piracy, human trafficking, and smuggling along the coastlines of Africa and the Middle East. The company emphasizes its extensive expertise in developing and supporting naval vessels and notes that it has the capacity to produce ships up to 30 meters in length.
