Representative illustration of the Storm Shield miniature electronic warfare system | Image: Rafael
Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has introduced Storm Shield, a miniature electronic warfare system designed for unmanned aerial platforms. The system was unveiled at the AOC Electronic Warfare conference in Helsinki, Finland.
According to Rafael, the system was developed to address the lack of active electronic warfare protection systems currently available for unmanned aerial vehicles operating in contested environments. The company said the system is intended to help UAVs operate in anti-access and area denial environments where air defense threats and electromagnetic interference are present.
The company stated that Storm Shield continuously monitors the electromagnetic spectrum and can detect, analyze, generate, and transmit signals autonomously. Rafael said the system provides 360-degree spatial coverage and is designed to operate regardless of the platform’s orientation or maneuvering.
The system uses an active electronically scanned array transmitter architecture combined with Digital Radio Frequency Memory-based technology. Rafael said the technologies used in Storm Shield are derived from electronic warfare systems already fielded in other operational environments and have been adapted for smaller unmanned platforms.
According to the company, the system is programmable and can be configured for different missions through software changes. Rafael also said the modular design allows the system to be integrated with different UAV platforms using standard components.
The company listed the system’s capabilities as including wide frequency coverage, direction-finding, continuous electromagnetic monitoring, and deception techniques against radar-guided threats. Rafael added that the system is designed to be upgradeable and maintainable across multiple platforms.
In the announcement, Rafael said, ‘Storm Shield addresses one of the most pressing operational gaps in modern unmanned operations: the absence of market available and combat-proven, active EW systems on unmanned platforms.’
Discover more from StratPost
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
