Why India cannot afford to ignore advanced EW technologies

The electronic warfare of today has grown leaps and bounds from its days of simple radio communication jamming. Today, it is also about sensing and seeing first, deceiving and even controlling the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

“The highly contested battlespace of today necessitates a superior electronic warfare capability. The Indian Air Force as well can benefit from a new generation EW solution that gives the pilots an armour of information advantage. Knowing first is crucial in order to be able to successfully counter the threats of today and tomorrow,” says Kent-Åke Molin, Sales and Marketing Director at Saab.

When Saab set out to create the smartest electronic warfare solutions for modern air forces, it aimed for something that was a complete package. The result was Arexis, an EW suite that offers unrivalled survivability, superior situational awareness, freedom to act, and a safe return home. The EW suite is fully integrated on all Gripen aircraft, giving the pilots a self-reliant ability to operate without the need of escort of a specialized EW aircraft. It can also be installed in any other aircraft type, in a missionized pod or even used with an unmanned vehicle.

Arexis offers both defensive and offensive capabilities including neutralisation of the Anti- Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) bubble. Powered by Gallium Nitride (GaN) Active Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESAs) and fully digitized receivers, Arexis provides superior situational awareness in every scenario. Saab has also offered India GaN AESA radar technology. "If India requires, Saab is willing to share its know-how of the GaN technology not just for the Gripen programme, but also for ongoing and future indigenous programmes such as the LCA and AMCA ," Kent-Åke adds.

One of the most important reasons behind Arexis’ reliability is its unique ability to manage and digitize a wide range and high number of signals and sensor data with extreme rapidity and accuracy. The digitization is very important because of the sheer number of signals that are to be managed by today’s systems.

“A non-negotiable for an effective EW system is its ability to understand radio frequency emitter signals, no matter how many they are, and draw quick conclusions. Arexis provides the pilot a complete threat picture across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The result is superior situational awareness that helps the pilot to see first and act first. Modern air forces like the IAF need this game-changing capability to ensure mission success,” Kent-Åke says.