German premiere with live flight demonstration: German industry team showcases electromagnetic combat from the air

In the live flight demonstration in Manching, the team of German defense companies simulated a scenario close to real operations in front of numerous representatives of the German Armed Forces: the evacuation of German citizens from a crisis area equipped with comprehensive air defense systems. A Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft, a simulated Airbus A400M military airlifter, a SHARCS technology demonstrator serving as an unmanned remote carrier, and an SA-8 air defense missile system representing the enemy's air defense were used.

The PC-12 was equipped with an electromagnetic surveillance and jamming system. It acted as a stand-off jammer, or jamming aircraft, which detected and classified the SA-8 system from a safe distance, jammed it with electromagnetic countermeasures, and rendered it incapable of combat. Without functioning enemy air defenses, the simulated A400M was able to fly into the crisis area undetected, land, and evacuate citizens.

The SHARCS remote carrier, equipped with a stand-in jammer, provided support by simultaneously suppressing communications, thereby delaying a response from enemy forces. The seamless communication between friendly forces, the exchange of reconnaissance and effect data, and the processing and AI-supported analysis of the data took place in a secure cloud.

The demonstration showed how effectively forces of electromagnetic combat (EC) can operate and protect friendly forces during missions. Since EC operates without ammunition and is non-kinetic, there is also no damage.

The capability demonstrated in the demonstration is an essential component of the German defense project “luftgestützte Wirkung im elektromagnetischen Spektrum” (Airborne Effects in the Electromagnetic Spectrum), or luWES for short, in which the German Armed Forces are building up EC capabilities. Developing the technologies for this is the declared goal of Airbus, bKEC, HENSOLDT, IBM, MBDA, PLATH, Rohde & Schwarz, and Schönhofer. Under the motto “EC made in Germany for Germany,” they want to enable the German Air Force to deploy these capabilities independently and sovereignly. Following the flight demonstration, the next step will be to further develop the individual luWES components.

luWES will form a “system of systems” consisting of complementary and modular subsystems that provide electromagnetic protection from the air for armed forces. The stand-off jammer operates from a great distance and enables enemy radar and communications systems to be jammed outside their direct range. This not only protects friendly forces, but also increases their effectiveness, as enemy sensors are suppressed before their area of operation is entered.

The escort jammer operates alongside manned mission platforms. It actively protects them in enemy territory by continuously jamming enemy radar and missile systems. The stand-in jammer penetrates directly into the enemy's effective range. It suppresses enemy air defense systems at close range, protecting friendly weapons and thus increasing their effectiveness and assertiveness.