Airborne Electronic Attack

Electronic warfare

Airborne Electronic Attack
Type	Electronic warfare
Place of origin	European Union
Service history
Used by	Spanish Army French Army Swedish Army

Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) is a European Union Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) initiative meant to equip future European military aircraft with new electronic-warfare capabilities. The project is led by Spain with the goal of enabling a platform for Airborne Electronic Attack missions that could adapt to the latest electronic warfare requirements, which include suppression of enemy air defences, escort/modified-escort role, non-traditional electronic attack, self-protected/time-critical strike support, and continuous capability enhancement. The system will also protect the GNSS from interference by foreign powers in various ways.^[1]^[2]

It will follow a modular development approach, with the option of being inside the aircraft or in a pod configuration, in order to be compatible with different aircraft, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon or the Future Combat Air System. It will allow European air forces to safely carry out operations within EU territory and the projection of the force in other potential areas of operations. ^[3]

Features

Main features:^[4]

Very high ERP, for main, side and scattered lobes jamming
Solid-state active phased array AESA jamming
Multiple DRFM architecture for simultaneous beam aimed multi-threat jamming
Smart digital jamming techniques
Up to 360° wide angular coverage
Extended low and high brand threat coverage capabilities

Increased ES/EA mission capability through advanced jamming functions:

Pod or internally mounted, for fighter aircraft, UAV, J-UCAV or mission aircraft with network centric warfare (NCW) capabilities
Very high power main / side / scattered lobe jamming
Unsigned raid DDA, up to RF horizon action possible
Smart techniques / coherent waveforms / covert jamming
Smart power management using active phased array transmitter

Members

Spain - Project Coordinator
France
Sweden

Companies

Indra

References

^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "EU signs off on new joint defense projects — but to do what? | DW | 12.11.2019". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
^ "AIRBORNE ELECTRONIC ATTACK (AEA)". pesco.europa.eu. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
^ Sprenger, Sebastian (2019-11-26). "Spain's Indra claims lead in EU electronic-warfare push for future aircraft". Defense News. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
^ "Thales|Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA)". thalesgroup.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.

Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union

Leadership

Structure

External Action Service	Command structure on the civilian/military strategic and operational levels (Military Planning and Conduct Capability within the Military Staff, Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability, Joint Support Coordination Cell) Intelligence and Situation Centre (Club de Berne) Crisis Management and Planning Directorate Security & Defence College
Agencies	Defence Agency Institute for Security Studies Satellite Centre
Council preparatory bodies	Committee of Permanent Representatives Political and Security Committee Politico-Military Group Military Committee Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management
European Commission bodies	Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space
Funding	Defence Fund