Marking what it says is a significant advancement in electromagnetic warfare technology, Hensoldt South Africa is showcasing its new communications intelligence (COMINT) automation engine at AAD 2024. This tool uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance signal analysis, providing actionable intelligence on the modern digital battlefield.
Part of Hensoldt’s electromagnetic warfare portfolio, the COMINT software engine forms the core of detection, processing, and analysis of enemy communications, enabling quicker and more efficient intelligence gathering. It integrates wideband sensors, processes multiple signals at once – including agile frequency-hopping transmissions – and features radio network clustering for streamlined intelligence review.
“With minimal operator input, the system detects modern communication targets such as drones and CEMA (Cyber-Electromagnetic Activities) modes like GSM and LTE. Its AI-driven processing ensures faster, more accurate insights, and the engine is flexible enough to integrate third-party decoders for future needs,” Hensoldt stated.
According to Wimpie van den Berg, Portfolio Manager of GEW, a business unit of Hensoldt South Africa: “AI is transforming defence, especially in signal analysis. Our COMINT engine accelerates intelligence gathering, enabling commanders to make fast, informed decisions to counter emerging threats.”
The COMINT automation engine is one of GEW’s communications intelligence, electronic attack, and electronic warfare solutions. The company is one of the leading players in the spectrum dominance industry in South Africa, having been active in the COMINT field since the 1960s.
GEW develops and manufactures strategic, semi-mobile and tactical systems, as well as airborne and ship-mounted systems, some of which include sophisticated electronic attack capability in addition to search, direction-finding and basic jamming capability. GEW’s signal intelligence and spectrum monitoring systems have been sold and are in operation in more than 30 countries worldwide, including with the South African Air Force, Army and Navy, and the spectrum regulatory body ICASA.
A more recent development has been jamming systems to protect fixed targets, convoys, individual vehicles and foot patrols (manpack system) against remotely controlled improvised explosive devices (RCIEDs), such as the roadside bombs encountered in Afghanistan and Iraq.
GEW is also active in the fields of airspace surveillance and security systems, particularly perimeter and border fencing systems with integrated alerting systems to localise a breach. Such systems have been successfully used to counter wildlife poaching, among others.
Hensoldt South Africa/GEW is increasing its involvement in the radar, data link, identification friend or foe (IFF), customer services and business development fields, among many others, and this has been helped by the recent acquisition of Tellumat’s air traffic management and defence business units, which now form part of the company’s new Radar Business Unit. This offers 3D radar, synthetic aperture radar, radar for counter-UAV operations and passive radar. One of the biggest radar projects in South Africa in recent years is Hensoldt South Africa’s Quadome dual-mode, three-dimensional (3D), multi-mission radar for air and surface surveillance as well as target acquisition. It was launched in 2021.
