Hensoldt is participating in the Association of Old Crows (AOC) Europe electronic warfare (EW) conference underway in Norway from 13-15 May, where it is showcasing its spectrum dominance capabilities.
Echoing the event’s theme of “Alliances and collaboration in supporting multi-domain EW operations,” Hensoldt brings together European expertise through its operations in Germany, combined with a world-renowned competence of EW expertise in South Africa, the company said. “Through this collaborative approach, Hensoldt is working on large-scale projects, delivering strategic, countrywide land EW solutions in Europe, totalling over 100 million euros.”
Given the escalating conflict situation in eastern Europe, EW is now more critical in Europe than ever, with electromagnetic-spectrum control playing an increasing role in tactical and strategic advantage. Hensoldt’s NATO-compliant technologies and solutions are designed to provide not just situational awareness but also the most effective countermeasures, ensuring national interests and sovereignty are protected, Hensoldt said.
“Central to Hensoldt’s showcase are its integrated electronic support and electronic attack (ES/EA) systems, offering a holistic approach across the entire sensor-to-effector chain. These systems enable simultaneous spectrum dominance across radar and communications spectrums, providing a critical advantage in the modern battlefield environment. Hensoldt’s solution software seamlessly integrates individual systems, offering flexibility and adaptability to meet evolving mission requirements,” the company added.
With a legacy spanning nearly six decades of local pioneering development, Hensoldt South Africa’s technologies have a global reputation. Ryno van Staden, Executive Manager of Sales and Marketing at Hensoldt South Africa’s GEW business unit, emphasised the company’s commitment to innovation and partnership: “Our close collaboration with customers enable us to continually evolve our product line, ensuring we remain at the forefront of technological advancements to counter the ever-evolving electronic threats in modern warfare.”
GEW is one of the leading players in the spectrum dominance industry in South Africa, having been active in the COMINT (communications intelligence) field since the 1960s. The company 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, amongst 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 naval radar for air and surface surveillance as well as target acquisition. This was recently selected by the Royal Navy for its three new fleet support ships.
With more than 800 South African employees across five sites, Hensoldt South Africa is the Group’s largest industrial base outside of Europe and one of the largest defence and security electronics companies in South Africa. Hensoldt South Africa has a portfolio of more than sixty products and solutions, operational in more than 40 countries.
