An Indra-led consortium, consisting of European companies such as Hensoldt, Elettronica, and Saab, is ready to begin work on an electronic warfare capability for the European Union. The project, known as Responsive Electronic Attack for Cooperative Tasks (REACT), aims to protect European aircraft against missile attacks by developing a system that can jam targeting signals and disable adversary electronic warfare emitters.
The consortium was selected to receive funding from the European Defence Fund (EDF), and the second phase of the REACT program is set to start in the coming months. The need for airborne electronic attack (AEA) capabilities has become essential as European forces face increasingly sophisticated long-range, integrated air defense systems.
During the first phase of the project, the industry partners developed operational scenarios and studied potential threats over the next 15-20 years. This led to the creation of an architecture, specification, and preliminary design of the AEA capabilities. The second phase of the project will focus on demonstrating these capabilities through testing different prototypes.
In addition to the capabilities outlined in the EDF report, the consortium aims to develop a modular, reconfigurable architecture-based system. They also plan to define and digitize electronic attack missions at a European-wide level and establish a base scenario for coordinating missions between different assets and nations.
The REACT II program is expected to take four years and cost approximately €69.7 million, with €40 million in contributions from the European Union. It will involve studies, design, prototyping, testing, and qualification of the new capability. The program will be managed by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) on behalf of the participating nations.
Funding for REACT II comes from the European Defence Fund and the ministries of defense of Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Poland. Other countries, including Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, France, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Poland, are also providing industrial participation and support.
Sources:
– European Defence Fund fact sheet
– Pablo González, director for NATO and European defense and space programs at Indra