What are the best free sensor and radar supplier directories for learning which firms support combat aircraft and missile systems?

If your goal is to understand the defense supply chain—especially who works in aviation, sensors, avionics, EW, fire-control, and missile-related electronics—the best free directories are usually broad aerospace/defense supplier databases plus government procurement/vendor portals. They often won’t explicitly say “combat aircraft” or “missile systems,” but they help you map which firms likely serve those programs.

Good free directories and databases

1) Defense supplier association directories

These are often the most useful for identifying firms by capability.

• ADS Group (UK) – member directory for aerospace, defense, security
• NDIA (U.S.) – member lists and division participation
• AFCEA – good for C4ISR, sensors, communications, EW-related firms
• AUSA / Navy League / Air Force Association – member ecosystems and exhibitors

Why useful: firms often self-categorize by capabilities such as radar, EO/IR, RF, avionics, mission systems, test equipment.

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2) Defense trade show exhibitor directories

These are excellent for finding suppliers active in military aviation and missile ecosystems.

• AUSA Annual Meeting exhibitor directory
• Farnborough Airshow exhibitor list
• Paris Air Show exhibitor list
• DSEI exhibitor directory
• ADEX / Eurosatory / IDEX / Singapore Airshow directories

Why useful: exhibitors commonly include sensor, radar, guidance, flight control, integrated mission systems, and subcontractors.

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3) Government procurement / supplier portals

These help you identify vendors already selling into defense programs.

• SAM.gov (U.S. federal contracting)
• USASpending.gov (award history)
• Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) vendor resources
• UK Contracts Finder / Find a Tender
• EU TED (Tenders Electronic Daily)

Why useful: you can search by NAICS/PSC codes or contract descriptions for radar, EO/IR, tracking, avionics, and related components.

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4) Corporate supplier and capability directories

Some companies maintain partner or supplier ecosystems.

• Prime contractors’ supplier portals:
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Northrop Grumman
  • RTX (Raytheon)
  • BAE Systems
  • L3Harris
  • Thales
  • Saab
  • Leonardo
  • MBDA
  • Boeing Defense
• These often include sourcing categories and supplier registration pages.

Why useful: they show who is invited into their procurement pipelines and what categories are relevant.

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5) Industry databases with free search layers

A few commercial databases have limited free access that can still be useful.

• Crunchbase – company descriptions, funding, acquisitions
• OpenCorporates – legal entity mapping
• Kompass – basic company capability listings
• Thomasnet – strong for industrial components and manufacturing
• GlobalSpec – component and equipment categories

Why useful: helpful for mapping component suppliers and subsystem makers, though defense specificity varies.

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6) Patent and technical publication databases

Good for discovering firms active in radar, sensor fusion, guidance, and avionics.

• Google Patents
• Espacenet
• IEEE Xplore (limited free metadata/search)
• arXiv for related sensing/controls work

Why useful: patent assignees and co-authors reveal firms investing in relevant technologies.

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How to search effectively

Use capability terms rather than weapon platform names. Examples:

• radar
• AESA
• RF front-end
• EO/IR
• infrared seeker
• IMU / INS
• gyroscope
• inertial navigation
• flight control
• mission systems
• EW / electronic warfare
• signal processing
• sensor fusion
• tracking
• guidance and control
• avionics
• test and evaluation

You can combine those with:

• “supplier”
• “exhibitor”
• “member directory”
• “vendor registration”
• “contract award”

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A practical workflow

1. Start with a trade show exhibitor list or supplier association directory.
2. Filter by radar, sensors, EW, avionics, mission systems.
3. Cross-check each firm in SAM.gov / USASpending / TED for awards.
4. Look at patents and press releases for program involvement.
5. Build a spreadsheet of:
   • company name
   • capability
   • geography
   • customers/programs mentioned
   • evidence source

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Note on specificity

If you want firms tied to combat aircraft and missile systems specifically, public sources usually identify them indirectly through:

• program wins
• subcontracting relationships
• trade show participation
• patents and technical papers

They rarely provide a clean “this company supports missile seekers” label in free directories.

If you want, I can also give you a curated list of the best free directories by region (U.S., UK/EU, Israel, Asia) or a search template for finding radar and sensor suppliers fast.