The Maritime Electronic Warfare System Integrated Capability,
known as MEWSIC
Increment 1, will be installed on current and future warships,
including the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, Type 45
destroyers and the Type 26 and Type 31 frigates currently in
build.
Procured by DE&S, MEWSIC
will enhance defensive capabilities by replacing the Navy's
existing EW system - the cornerstone of keeping threats at bay -
including anti-ship missiles.
The first production model of MEWSIC
has been set to work at an Elbit Systems UK facility, while the
first build of an updated Combat Management Software System has
been delivered to Portsdown Technology Park in Hampshire to
support ongoing development.
Dr Allan , DE&S' Maritime Electronic
Warfare Team Leader, said:
The Royal Navy (RN) has invested in an ambitious programme to
deliver modern electronic warfare capabilities that will help its
surface warships keep the UK and its allies safe around the
world.
It's fantastic to see the first MEWSIC
system being delivered by DE&S and our industry partners so
that this crucial phase of testing and evaluation can be carried
out, and the capabilities of MEWSIC
can be proven.
With Babcock International as the prime contractor working with
Elbit Systems, MEWSIC
is one half of the overarching upgrade to the Navy surface
fleet's EW capability under the Maritime Electronic Warfare
Programme (MEWP).
The other is a ‘trainable' launcher for EW decoys to confuse
anti-ship missiles called ‘Ancilia', designed and built by
Systems Engineering and Assessment (SEA) in Barnstaple, North
Devon, which will replace Seagnat on existing destroyers and
future frigates.
The £135 million system swivels rapidly and adjusts the angle at
which decoy rounds are fired to maximise their effectiveness,
which its predecessor cannot do. This means there is no need to
manoeuvre the ship to counter the incoming threats as Ancilia
will face them directly.
Some things still need to be done manually, however, including
loading and unloading Ancilia with decoy rounds. Navy electronic
warfare specialists have been testing the practicalities of how
this can be done best ahead of the system coming into service.
This defensive combination will give Navy personnel in the
operations room increased situational awareness, helping them to
better understand the operational environment and deliver
countermeasures to the right place at the right time.
The integration of Ancilia with MEWSIC's
Command and Control system makes this anti-ship missile defence
formidable. Two Ancilia systems will be fitted to Type 26, 31 and
45 when ready for installation, alongside MEWSIC.
