Saab has received an order from Airbus Defence and Space for its Arexis electronic warfare (EW) sensor suite, the Swedish company announced on 26 March 2024.
The system was selected by the German defence procurement office in June 2023 to equip the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter Elektronischer Kampf (EK) aircraft, of which 15 examples are being acquired as Eurofighter EW variants to replace the Luftwaffe’s Tornado Electronic Combat/Reconnaissance (ECR) aircraft, which are set to be decommissioned from 2030. Procurement of 15 Eurofighter EK variants was approved by the budget committee of the German Bundestag in November 2023.
The Arexis systems will be supplied in the 2024 to 2026 timeframe; the value of the contract was not disclosed.
In delivering the Arexis EW sensor suites to Airbus Saab will be supported by German partner Helsing, which will provide the systems with artificial intelligence (AI) features.
Featuring the latest sensor and self-protection capabilities, the Arexis suite enables the user to detect, locate and identify radar emitters in complex and congested electromagnetic environments. Modular in nature, it can be adapted to almost any modern airborne combat platform.
“Our solid experience of developing electronic warfare systems for airborne platforms and our long-standing co-operation with Airbus will be crucial to support the delivery of the Eurofighter EK to the German Air Force,” Micael Johansson, CEO and president of Saab, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “Combining advanced hardware and AI-enabled software, our Arexis sensor suite will strengthen the German defence with future-proof electronic warfare capability for decades to come.”
