Babcock/Elbit team captures MEWSIC prize

A team of Babcock, Elbit Systems UK, and QinetiQ has won out in the race to deliver the UK Royal Navy's (RN's) next-generation electronic surveillance system, breaking the stranglehold of Thales in the UK maritime electronic-warfare (EW) sector.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the award of the GBP100 million (USD135 million) Maritime Electronic Warfare System Integrated Capability (MEWSIC) Increment 1 contract to the Babcock-led team on 9 November 2021. Thales, teamed with BAE Systems and CGI, had also been vying for the contract.

MEWSIC Increment 1 is the first phase of the GBP500 million Maritime Electronic Warfare Programme (MEWP) intended to recapitalise the RN's shipborne EW capabilities. The MoD said the new EW suite would “allow more simultaneous detection and identification of [emitters] over a greater frequency range than current capabilities” and so “aid faster operational decision-making, enhanced situational awareness, and [improved] anti-ship missile defence (ASMD) capability”.

As part of the Babcock team, Elbit Systems UK will provide the equipment solution – combining a wideband digital radar electronic support measures (RESM) sensor and an EW command-and-control subsystem – under a subcontract valued at GBP73 million. The technical solution is based on elements of Elbit Systems UK's proprietary eM-e EW suite, which is itself derived from EW systems delivered by its Israeli parent to the Israeli Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Navy.