NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - BAE Systems has launched the Shadow EW family of compact, software-defined electronic warfare systems designed to bring electronic support and electronic attack capabilities to small airborne platforms, including unmanned and potentially attritable aircraft.
The Shadow EW family consists of the Shadow EW 100, 120, and 500 series. BAE Systems is positioning the systems for high-volume, affordable applications, using commercially available components and established production processes to support lower unit costs and faster production.
The systems use configurable, software-defined architectures and open interfaces intended to simplify integration and allow capability changes through software updates. BAE Systems says Shadow EW products support missions including situational awareness, targeting, deception, survivability, and collaborative effects delivery. The company also says the systems can operate independently or augment existing EW suites on larger platforms.
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In the Shadows
The Shadow EW 100 is a hybrid software-defined radio optimized for radar electronic warfare while supporting signals intelligence and communications intelligence through a streaming in-phase and quadrature interface. It covers 70 MHz to 6 GHz, with 6 GHz of instantaneous receive bandwidth and 1.5 GHz of instantaneous transmit bandwidth. The system incorporates a Jetson Orin NX 16GB GPU/CPU and Kintex KU15P FPGA, weighs 7.2 pounds, and consumes less than 150 watts.
The Shadow EW 120 provides 5 MHz to 6 GHz RF coverage, with 6 GHz of instantaneous receive bandwidth and two 1.5-GHz transmit channels. The system uses a TDA4 processor and Kintex KU15P FPGA, with an optional Jetson Orin NX 16GB module. It weighs less than 7 pounds and has maximum power consumption of less than 150 watts.
The Shadow EW 500 provides 10 MHz to 18 GHz coverage and two receive channels, each providing 4 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth, for RF direction-finding and geolocation applications. The system uses an Orin AGXi system-on-module and UltraScale+ ZU47 processing, with 2 GHz of instantaneous transmit bandwidth. The 7-pound system consumes less than 250 watts with its internal power amplifier.
All three systems provide Gigabit Ethernet interfaces for integration with standard system architectures, while BAE Systems provides hardware and software interface control documents for the Shadow EW software-defined radios. The company also identifies compatibility with its BIG IRON electronic warfare integration framework.
BAE Systems says the Shadow EW 100 is scheduled to enter production in 2027, followed by the Shadow EW 120 in 2028 and Shadow EW 500 in 2029. Production will take place at the company's Cedar Rapids, Iowa, facility, with software and design work in Nashua, N.H.
