DSEI 2025: Thales and Autonomous Devices partner for EW-UAS

Thales and Autonomous Devices announced a partnership on September 10, during the DSEI UK 2025 exhibition, to develop a new drone-based electronic warfare solution for both naval and land forces, which they have called EW-UAS. 

The new system is described as a “turnkey” solution, combining Thales’s electronic warfare expertise with a new generation of high-manoeuvrability, long-endurance drones from Autonomous Devices.

The two companies have already worked together on the project, which includes a modular payload for the drone capable of both electronic support (detecting, identifying, and locating threats) and electronic attack (jamming). Autonomous Devices is responsible for the design of the drone platform itself. The companies stated that initial testing is currently underway and will continue throughout the year.

The EW-UAS includes two drones, with the electronic warfare (EW) payload carried in between them. It can reach speeds up to 320 km/h and fly in wind speeds up to 96 km/h, Chris Haworth, the EW campaign lead from Thales told Calibre Defence during the exhibition. 

“It has naval connotations for the Royal Navy and possibly the US Navy too, and we are also looking at Project CORNERSTONE,” Chris explained. CORNERSTONE is an ongoing procurement to upgrade the British Army’s EW capabilities, helping the country’s signals regiments move away from the light electronic warfare teams established during deployments to Afghanistan. 

For the Royal Navy, EW-UAS is positioned to meet part of MEWSIC – Maritime Electronic Warfare System Integrated Capability. “MUSIC EWCM 1A is the Ancilia launcher from SEA, and 1B is represented by systems like EW-UAS,” Chris explained. “We have used funding for DASA AUKUS to trial and prove the system and then it will have to be operated from a ship.” 

“After 1B there will be an EWCM 2, that will look to add the payload onto something like Peregrine,” he continued, referring to the UAS that was recently declared operational by the Royal Navy. 

There are also some reports that the US Navy would like to improve on the performance of the Nulka decoy system carried by some of its surface vessels. “We need more off-board electronic EA [electronic attack]. Nulka has demonstrated great performance in combat, however, we need longer legs for saturation, to counter saturation rates, and tens of minutes or longer for off-board EA,” Navy Rear Adm. William Daly, head of the Navy’s surface warfare division, said back in January. 

“The EW-UAS has a 25 kg total payload, but we could reduce that for more endurance. We’ve also worked really hard on the cooling, which is key to keep the EW system functioning, and we’re anticipating tens of minutes per flight,” Chris added. “The idea would be to have several onboard a ship and rotate them. It’s quicker to launch and get it into position than a rocket, we have proven that, and it has a two way data link,” he said. 

For naval forces, the drone can be deployed to detect anti-ship missiles and initiate electronic countermeasures, which the companies claim improves ship survivability. On land, the EW-UAS can provide “proactive protection” for sensitive military assets. Its capabilities include conducting jamming missions to disrupt adversary radar, as well as passive detection and surveillance.

The system is also capable of deception tactics, where it can detect enemy radar emissions and then manipulate signals to create an “alternative radar reality,” confusing operators and sending missiles off-course. A similar approach is used by the BriteStorm system carried by the RAF’s StormShroud. It aims to prevent an adversary from realising that they or their weapons are being spoofed. The typical approach to jamming is to use a large amount of energy in the same frequency as the radar. However, it will soon become clear to the operator that they are being jammed. Convincing the radar that there are no threats in the sky, on the other hand, can prevent the operator from realising that they are under attack. 

Calibre comment

Maritime EW is an overlooked aspect of survivability at sea. It is common for anti-ship cruise missiles to use a radar seeker for their terminal phase guidance. And drones of course rely on radio frequency communications to work. A jamming solution that can extend a ship’s reach may provide additional protection by intercepting and degrading a threat further from the ship or by providing a more persistent jamming solution. The importance of persistence increases with the threat of massed missile strikes, which are anticipated to be core to China’s doctrine, and are a demonstrated element of Russia’s doctrine.

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on September 16, 2025. Credit for the lead image is AS1 Amber Mayall RAF/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025. It shows HMS Richmond at sunset during Barrier Operations. Pictured from HMS Prince of Wales.