The initial unit of the Royal Navy’s next-generation electronic warfare systems has completed production, with final tests and enhancements currently underway. The Maritime Electronic Warfare System Integrated Capability (MEWSIC), is set to be deployed on both existing and forthcoming major surface vessels, including the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, Type 45 destroyers, and the upcoming Type 26 and Type 31 frigates.
MEWSIC enhances the Navy’s current electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, which are essential for detecting enemy forces, equipment, and movements, thereby influencing operational planning and execution. The initial production model is being developed at the Elbit Systems UK facility in Bristol, while the upgraded Combat Management System has been delivered to Portsdown Technology Park, which overlooks Portsmouth, to finalize the software development.
MEWSIC represents one component of a comprehensive upgrade to the Surface Fleet’s electromagnetic warfare capabilities as part of the Maritime Electronic Warfare Programme (MEWP). The other component is a ‘trainable’ launcher designed for deploying EW decoys to mislead anti-ship missiles, known as Ancilia.
The GBP 135 million system, designed to replace Seagnat on current destroyers and future frigates, features rapid swivelling capabilities and adjustable angles for firing decoy rounds, enhancing their effectiveness—an improvement over its predecessor. This advancement eliminates the necessity for the ship to manoeuvre in response to incoming threats, as Ancilia can confront them head-on.
A significant enhancement in anti-ship missile defence is achieved through the integration of Ancilia with MEWSIC’s Electromagnetic Warfare Command and Control. This innovative capability enables the automatic fusion of detected electromagnetic emissions with the tactical picture, thereby providing the operations room team with heightened situational awareness. This improvement aids in comprehending the operational environment and ensures that appropriate countermeasures are deployed accurately and timely.
Despite the technological advancements, certain tasks still require manual intervention, particularly the loading and reloading of Ancilia with decoy rounds, a responsibility that remains with the ship’s electronic warfare specialists, similar to the Seagnat system. Over a three-day period, these specialists practiced this task and provided valuable feedback and suggestions to the designers to streamline the operation of the system. Once ready for installation with MEWSIC, two Ancilia systems will be installed on each Type 26, 31, and 45 vessel.
