Australian Defence Force receives electronic warfare boost

The Australian Defence Force’s electronic warfare capabilities have been boosted by the approval of a $500 million project to provide electronic warfare equipment and infrastructure to naval ships and army units.

The Electronic Warfare Operations Support for Maritime and Land Forces project will see approximately 75% of the $500 million spent locally over the lifetime of the project. Australian companies are set to benefit, Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne says, with the bulk of the budget driving local jobs and economic growth.

The project will deliver a range of testing equipment, tools and laboratories and construct a new purpose-built facility within the Edinburgh Defence precinct in Adelaide to house laboratories, simulation equipment and testing support systems.

Australian companies BAE Systems Australia and Ultra Electronics Avalon Systems, and their Australian subcontractors, will deliver the major items of equipment through the acquisition phase of the project. This will include design, integration and production. These companies will also provide through-life support of the major items of equipment throughout their expected service life.

The program will build on the existing Electronic Warfare Operations Support for the ADF’s air capability.

“This project will better prepare the Australian Defence Force to conduct operations in areas where advanced threats such as missiles could threaten lives and assets and will also provide a significant boost to ADF capabilities,” said Defence Minister Marise Payne.

“Many of the electronic warfare support systems to be acquired by this project will be portable and capable of operation within Australian ranges and training areas.”