BAE Systems have flight tested their ‘Small Adaptive Bank of Electronic Resources’ (SABER) tech, paving the way for a critical software upgrade to the EC-37B Compass Call, a next-generation electronic warfare aircraft.

“Teams from both BAE Systems and the U.S. Air Force conducted tests on 11 flights of an EC-130H from Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona”, say BAE.

BAE say that the SABER system is a major technological advance – transitioning from hardware to software-based electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) warfare capability for the U.S. Air Force and its Compass Call weapon system.

The system is built on a suite of software defined radios using an open system architecture and will provide the backbone of the EC-37B’s operating system.

“SABER allows flexibility to update systems without significant physical reconfiguration,” said Pam Potter, director of Electronic Attack Solutions at BAE Systems.

“It also adapts to new applications as well as revisions to existing applications. It is the technology that will enable the U.S. Air Force to rapidly and proactively respond to emerging enemy threat systems.”

BAE add that additional SABER testing in 2021 will focus on simultaneity of engagement capacity, dynamic resource sharing, rapid integration, and operation of multiple additional applications. Work on SABER is being conducted at BAE Systems’ state-of-the-art facility in Hudson, N.H, USA.

About Compass Call

From the BAE website:

“Compass Call is an airborne tactical electronic attack weapon system that disrupts enemy command and control communications, radars, and navigation systems to restrict adversary battlespace coordination. The weapon system supports the suppression of enemy air defenses by preventing the transmission of essential information between adversaries, their weapon systems, and control networks.

Compass Call has provided attack capability on the EC-130H since 1981 and is now being cross-decked onto a Gulfstream G550 CAEW platform to be named the EC-37B Compass Call. BAE Systems serves as the mission system engineering, integration, and testing lead as well as the mission system prime contractor.”

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Lisa has a degree in Media & Communication from Glasgow Caledonian University and works with industry news, sifting through press releases in addition to moderating website comments.
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Reaper
Reaper
2 years ago

could have sworn the uk had something similar πŸ‘€ πŸ™„

Nic
Nic
2 years ago
Reply to  Reaper

Would that been the Sentinel that was just retired from

Robert Blay.
Robert Blay.
2 years ago
Reply to  Nic

Sentinel was not a tactical electronic attack warfare platform. ASTOR was for tracking ground movements of troops vehicles ect and building situational awareness.

Nic
Nic
2 years ago
Reply to  Robert Blay.

Thanks for correcting me

Reaper
Reaper
2 years ago
Reply to  Nic

Yes.

Gavin Gordon
Gavin Gordon
2 years ago

SABER i.e. cutting edge. Great! until you’re told what the acronym stands for 😴

Herodotus
2 years ago
Reply to  Gavin Gordon

Is SABER ‘Strategically Applied BAE Epoxy Resin’

captain p wash
captain p wash
2 years ago
Reply to  Herodotus

It’s a Sharp Edged Tool . !!!!

David
David
2 years ago

I wonder if these top companies hire someone to produce acronyms. How many times can you use SABRE? I can only assume as part of their ongoing training they have attended a “Training With Assisted Technology” course!

farouk
farouk
2 years ago

There’s a very interesting article on the latest Air forces monthly
“Next-gen Radar” on the AESA rollout for the Typhoon which highlights the differences between the Kuwaiti (Radar 0) the German and Spanish (Radar 1) and the British (Radar 2) Captor-E projects with the latter, fielding a much more advanced AESA radar (whilst sharing the same name the UK version is different in that it shares no common hardware from the power supply forward) affording it advanced electronic attack (EA) and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities) if I have the time I will scan said article and upload it

Last edited 2 years ago by farouk
farouk
farouk
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk

Note these pics will delete after 31 days:
https://i.postimg.cc/MKm7fYLt/img141.jpg

farouk
farouk
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk
farouk
farouk
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk
farouk
farouk
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk
farouk
farouk
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk
farouk
farouk
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk
farouk
farouk
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk
farouk
farouk
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk
Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk

Replacing the Trance 1 while awaiting the arrival of Tempest is still the best way forward.

I wonder how much knowledge has been gained in identifying the F35/F22 for a missile lock? Not had time to read the full article as yet!

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
2 years ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

Digital Stealth appears to be the way forward?

“EW systems are able to evolve to deal with this dynamic and rapidly changing threat, in a way that fifth-generation stealthy aircraft cannot. While stealth aircraft are hard to detect, they are not invisible, and counter-stealth technology is developing rapidly. Moreover, the skin, internal structure, and configuration of an aircraft cannot be easily altered. β€œYou cannot easily modify a stealth platform to counter new high-end threats,” Hewer said.”

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2019-06-19/typhoons-digital-stealth-can-evolve-meet-changing-threat

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
2 years ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

Fascinating read which goes a very long way in explaining the previously somewhat confusing history of Captor E and it’s forks and variants along the way.

Daveyb
Daveyb
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk

Cheers Farouk. Interesting to read that Bright Adder/?ECRS 2 can be run 24/7 on the roof. Could this be a possibility for an UAV AEW capability?

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk

Many thanks for taking the time Farouk, greatly appreciated!

captain p wash
captain p wash
2 years ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

It’s great to know you have allowed him to post here on Your own personal Site ! lol,

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
2 years ago
Reply to  captain p wash

Where shall we go shipmates, East or West?

Like he knows the difference! πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜‚

https://nostalgiacentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/pugwash7.jpg

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk

The Germans appear to be upping their game!

“The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) has begun equipping its Eurofighter combat aircraft with the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), the service announced on 16 April.”

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/luftwaffe-eurofighters-get-meteor-bvraam