drone expo 2026

Thales Unveils Mini Electronic Warfare Payload for Drones

Thales has launched a lightweight, remotely controlled electronic warfare payload for deployment by small drones to detect and locate radio signals. The new system represents a breakthrough in terms of access to electromagnetic intelligence, offering front-line units an unprecedented operational intelligence capability for that is readily accessible, agile and discreet and can be adapted for use by land or naval forces

Paris / New Delhi: At the Paris Air Show (16-22 June 2025), Thales is presenting a new electronic warfare solution to meet the need for more closely integrated electromagnetic dominance operations across all military units.

Traditionally only conducted by highly specialised units, electromagnetic dominance operations are now needed by all tactical formations as a pre-requisite for battlefield superiority.

ads

With the growing intensity of electronic warfare operations, this new Thales solution is designed to provide all deployed forces, including non-specialised units, with an initial, autonomous detection, location and analysis capability. The development of this innovative solution follows a proof-of-concept (PoC) awarded to Thales by France’s Defence Innovation Agency (AID) after a European competitive procurement process. During the PoC phase, multiple users successfully tested the solution in a range of different use cases.

“The current geopolitical context and the emergence of new threats have underscored the expanding role of electronic warfare in the theatre of operations and demonstrated a growing need for all combat units to have direct access to these crucial capabilities. Today we are able to offer a unique new solution that is discreet and easy to use by non-specialised units to enable deployed forces to gain and maintain information superiority in the field. The new solution demonstrates Thales’s capacity for innovation and the ability of our development teams to respond extremely quickly to new operational requirements,” said Christophe Groshenry, Vice President, Radio Communications Products, Thales.

Weighing less than 5 kg and with a power requirement of under 40 W, the new payload is optimised for deployment by light drones. It can be installed on free-flying or autonomous drones, or on tethered drones powered and connected to the ground by a cable, to detect radio sources tens of kilometres away with no active emissions, which is a major advantage in contested environments.

More like this

Tata Projects and MDS Aero Support Corporation Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance Aero-engine Testing Infrastructure in India

Mumbai: Tata Projects, one of India’s leading technology-driven Engineering,...

BonV Aero Supplies 45 UAVs to Indian Army’s Eastern Command for Tactical Logistics

New Delhi: BonV Aero, a heavy-payload UAV manufacturer from...

Second Edition of Indian Navy’s Biannual Commanders’ Conference 2026 to Start on September 29

New Delhi: The Commanders’ Conference 2026/02 (the second edition...

Embraer Picks Mahindra for IAF Bid

Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer has selected the Mahindra Group...

India’s Defence Edge Takes Shape

India’s defence establishment has identified technology, industrial capacity and...

Trump-Xi: Managed Rivalry, Unmanaged Consequences for India

The Trump-Xi summit in Washington has ended, but its...

Greenland Gone…. Sovereignty Unchanged, Strategy Transformed

The earlier drama concerned acquisition; the new reality concerns...

India Targets More Fighter Lines

India is seeking to reduce dependence on single suppliers...
Indian Navy Special Edition 2025spot_img