On Tuesday, March 26th, the Swedish company Saab Defence and Security announced that it has received an order from the European Airbus Defence and Space for the delivery of Arexis electronic warfare system (EW) packages for future specialized German Eurofighter EK aircraft.
Image: Saab Defence and Security
The contract, of an undisclosed value, will run from 2024 to 2026.
Our solid experience of developing electronic warfare systems for airborne platforms and our long-standing cooperation with Airbus will be crucial to support the delivery of the Eurofighter EK to the German Air Force. 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, says Micael Johansson, CEO and President of Saab.
In fulfilling the above contract, Saab will be supported by its strategic partner in machine learning, the German company Helsing from Bavaria, and the Arexis package will be equipped with artificial intelligence-based software. Arexis will enable the Eurofighter EK to detect, localize, and identify radar emitters in complex and crowded electromagnetic environments, while the AI software will enable the analysis of signatures from detected radar stations and the rapid selection of precise self-defense measures.
On June 16, 2023, the German Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw – Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr) announced the selection of Saab’s Arexis system after completing a market analysis of available technical solutions. Yesterday’s agreement marks the first order in this program (Saab’s Arexis selected for German Eurofighter electronic warfare variant).
Image: Airbus Defence and Space
The Arexis package, consisting of a transmitter location system and a self-defense system, will be integrated into the equipment of 15 Eurofighter EK (Elektronischer Kampfer) electronic warfare aircraft, the procurement of which was approved by the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag on November 29, 2023.
The aircraft will carry the AGM-88E AARGM (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile) anti-radiation missiles from the American company Northrop Grumman. The Eurofighter EK is expected to obtain NATO certification by 2030 – at that time, it will replace the German Panavia Tornado ECR in the role of electronic warfare and suppression of enemy air defenses (Electronic Combat Reconnaissance, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, ECR/SEAD) in the German Air Force (Luftwaffe).
The Eurofighter EK aircraft will be created through the deep modernization of multirole Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft currently used by the Luftwaffe.
We’re detecting, countering, and dominating adversaries – one order at a time.
We have received an order from @AirbusDefence for the Arexis Electronic Warfare (EW) sensor suite.
Read more: https://t.co/1cIENvSCkD#EW #sensors pic.twitter.com/UweNX9OKpv
— Saab (@Saab) March 26, 2024