The unseen war for Europe’s skies and signals is intensifying
The battlefield has long extended beyond physical space, but today the invisible dimension of radio waves, signals and satellite links has never been more contested.
Listen to this article
This is the unseen layer of radio and signal traffic that allows aircraft to navigate, drones to be controlled and commanders to communicate.
Electronic warfare, including jamming technologies, has been at the heart of the war in Ukraine, employed on a daily basis to defend both the military and civilians against drone attacks.
But now the number of drone incidents near military bases and other infrastructure across the UK is growing, alongside high-profile incursions across the continent.
This was brought sharply into the public consciousness last month, when a drone struck an RAF base in Cyprus.
The electromagnetic spectrum now serves as a critical frontline for adversaries to disrupt communication channels and mask emerging threats, and, in turn, represents an all-important battle for information control. It underpins all modern information systems, from communications and radar to EW and autonomous platforms. Now recognised as a contested and congested operational space, securing this environment is vital to bolstering European air defences.
Without the proper technologies in place, the consequences are severe. Strategic locations are vulnerable to attack; missiles relying on GPS or radar guidance can be steered off course by malicious actors; and uncrewed systems can lose their data links, causing them to crash or become uncontrollable.
Beyond this, when communications fail, commanders cannot receive real-time sensor data, leading to decision paralysis. This perpetuates the “fog of war,” preventing unit coordination and increasing friendly-fire risks.
Organisations like ours and governments are now prioritising the development of technologies in the contested electromagnetic environments space to maintain an operational edge against adversaries. Some of the most interesting innovations include:
- Cognitive Electronic Warfare - Using machine learning to sense unknown signals in real time, understand how an adversary is operating, and automatically generate a tailored jamming or deception response.
- Quantum-Enabled Sensing - Quantum sensing devices enable navigation and detection without relying on vulnerable satellite signals or emitting detectable radio waves.
- Advanced Hardware - Hardware that can be reprogrammed in seconds to change how it ‘speaks’ and ‘listens’ across the spectrum, making it harder to detect or disrupt.
Where defence innovation was once slowed by lengthy procurement processes, agile startups are now driving advancements, bringing with them speed, adaptability and a willingness to experiment. All of these qualities are critical in a security environment defined by fast-moving, asymmetric threats.
Scaleups like Slipstream Design and Fossa Systems, both part of the Janus cohort, exemplify this type of innovation. UK company Slipstream Design delivers bespoke Digital & Radio Frequency radar and communications solutions, while Madrid-based Fossa Systems offers secure, low-power satellite communications and emerging electromagnetic intelligence capabilities.
These companies bring genuine situational awareness advantage in the often unpredictable electromagnetic environment and provide sovereign access to crucial data around threat interception and analysis.
As threats have evolved beyond physical borders, control of the electromagnetic spectrum now defines military advantage. We can no longer afford to treat this domain as secondary; denying, degrading, and disrupting adversaries' operations is crucial.
The UK and NATO allies, working closely with companies focused on securing this contested space, will not only see the battlefield more clearly but shape it.
-
Tanya Suarez is the CEO of Janus Allies and IoT Tribe. Tanya leads Janus Allies, the UK Accelerator for NATO DIANA, in partnership with UK Defence Innovation.
LBC Opinion provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.
To contact us email opinion@lbc.co.uk