UK receives first MEWSIC EW system for Royal Navy

The Outfit UAT(16) radar RESM display on board the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan. MEWSIC Increment 1 will deliver a new RESM/EWC2 solution to the Royal Navy surface fleet, including its six Type 45 destroyers. (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) National Armaments Director (NAD) Group has received the first production-standard Maritime Electronic Warfare System Integrated Capability (MEWSIC) system for the UK Royal Navy (RN).

Announcing the milestone on LinkedIn on 7 August 2026, the NAD Group said that MEWSIC prime contractor Babcock and equipment manufacturer Elbit Systems UK had delivered the System 1 equipment in July. Following acceptance, System 1 will transition into the next phase of testing and integration.

Part of the broader Maritime Electronic Warfare Programme (MEWP), MEWSIC is being procured as a next generation electronic warfare (EW) solution for the RN's surface fleet. The Babcock-Elbit Systems UK team was awarded a GBP103 million (USD139 million) contract in October 2021 to deliver the MEWSIC Increment 1 programme, beating a rival offer from Thales UK.

MEWSIC Increment 1 introduces a wideband digital radar electronic support measures (RESM) sensor together with a complementary EW command and control (EWC2) subsystem. RESM provides the ability to detect, identify, and track radar emissions across a very wide frequency band. The EWC2 capability is founded on intelligence-led EW operator assessment of track information supplied by the RESM components and other combat system information sources.

MEWSIC will be tested and integrated at shore integration facilities at Portsdown Technology Park in southern England. This will ensure that the system performs as intended and can operate effectively alongside the wider suite of weapon, sensor, and command and communication systems used across RN platforms, the NAD Group told Janes.