In June, the German defence procurement organisation (BAAINBw) announced that Saab's Arexis was chosen as the preferred sensor solution for an electronic warfare variant of the Eurofighter combat aircraft. However, Saab had not signed any contract or received any order related to the announcement, which Försvarssektorn Nyheter previously reported.
The role of the Luftwaffe's electronic warfare combat aircraft has previously been filled by the Tornado Electronic Countermeasures and Reconnaissance, ECR, in which Saab has previously implemented various systems , but it is to be gradually replaced.
Saab themselves described Arexis in June as "[...]a modular electronic warfare solution based on advanced hardware and software with sophisticated AI algorithms that provide the user with superior capability in complex electromagnetic environments."
– Electronic warfare and reconnaissance are important NATO requirements: current conflicts and the current security situation show how important these two capabilities are, says Michael Schöllhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, in Airbus' press release.
With Saab's emitter positioning system and Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) from Northrop Grumman, the Eurofighter EK will be able to detect, locate, and disable air defence radars. Additionally, the Saab solution includes jamming equipment that enhances the Eurofighter's self-protection, writes Airbus.
Eurofighter EK also features onboard technologies developed by small and medium-sized enterprises as well as a start-up. These include an AI solution that enables onboard radar data analysis and quickly determines exact self-protection measures, continues Airbus.
Helsing, a German defence start-up collaborating with Saab to deliver the system, has previously received significant attention in Sweden. Just over two years ago, Spotify founder Daniel Ek invested one billion kronor in the start-up and became part of the board. In a press release from Helsing on 16 June, co-founder Gundbert Scherf states that the ongoing war in Ukraine shows that cyber warfare plays a critical role and that AI is now a fundamental role in modern electronic warfare.