Scorpius - A Quantum Leap in Electronic Warfare Capabilities and Performance (sponsored)

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The challenges to forces on the ground, at sea, and in the air are daunting. Examples include the latest cruise missiles, powerful imaging radars deployed from aircraft, and long-range air surveillance and defense radars. The list is virtually endless, and to make matters worse; some of these systems are finding their way into the hands of dangerous, rogue nations and non-state actors.

The stakes are high – the loss of highly trained personnel and costly, difficult to replace platforms and equipment may result in failure or even defeat – so it is imperative that forces be equipped with the tools needed to survive and successfully complete their objectives. To this end, Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Group and Subsidiary, ELTA Systems Ltd. has leveraged its decades rich technological heritage as the country’s radar and electronic warfare house, and its culture of innovation, to field the Scorpius family of cutting-edge Electronic Warfare (EW) systems. Offering unmatched protection on land, at sea, and in the air, the Scorpius family redefines the state of the art in EW and Electronic Attack system performance.

AESA and GaN – Game Changing Technologies

The Scorpius product range is based on ELTA’s Active Electronic Scanning Array (AESA) technology. AESA, built with a staring array of wide-band solid state transceivers, provides a dramatic increase both in receiver sensitivity and in Effective Radiated Power (ERP) – far exceeding legacy EW solutions. Furthermore, AESA technology allows narrow multi-beam operation for reception and transmission, enabling the system to detect and target multiple threats simultaneously, across the entire field of regard.

The Scorpius family also incorporates the latest Gallium Nitrate (GaN) technology, which provides much higher power density and efficiency than previous generation Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) transistors, maximizing power and reducing energy consumption.

Leveraging AESA’s exceptional sensitivity, the Scorpius family is able to detect and track advanced threats such as low probability-of-intercept (LPI) radars and long-range targets. Furthermore, with its superior ERP, Scorpius disrupts and degrades enemy radars with unparalleled effect. Scorpius effectively protects assets against modern airborne, shipborne and land-based threats, including fire-control radars, search radars, active missile seekers, and imaging radars.

Meet the Family

The Scorpius family comprises the land-based Scorpius-G EW System and Scorpius-T Threat Emulator for EW training; the naval EW System, Scorpius-N; and two airborne systems – Scorpius SP for self-protection, and Scorpius EJ for escort jamming.

Scorpius-G (ELL-8256SB) is a powerful ground-based system designed for long-distance RF Electronic Countermeasures (ECM). Mounted on a rotating pedestal and deployable from a single rugged all-terrain vehicle, Scorpius-G performs accurate, multi-beam, multi-technique electronic attack against advanced fire control radars, search radars, AEW sensors and SAR over a wide geographic sector. Capable of simultaneously jamming numerous emitters over its entire frequency range, Scorpius-G protects ground forces from both airborne threats as well as ground-based threats within its line of sight. In addition, the system provides high performance Electronic Support Measures (ESM), continuously intercepting and tracking hostile electronic emissions, and building a detailed Electronic Order of Battle (EOB).

Mounted on a small truck or service vehicle, Scorpius-T (ELL-8257SB) is a multi-threat EW emulator designed to provide a realistic signal-dense, multi-threat training environment for aircrews and EW operators, and to support system testing and evaluation. Scorpius-T’s capabilities are unprecedented, with diverse training scenarios to challenge fourth- and fifth generation fighter aircraft. With its multi-beam capability based on the Scorpius ESA technology, the system can simultaneously engage multiple trainee aircraft with an array of threat patterns, emulating the threat’s full operational sequence: from search, acquisition and track, to launch.

Credit: IAI ELTA

Scorpius-N (ELL-8256SB) is ELTA’s powerful shipborne EW suite combining advanced Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) capabilities. It comprises four conformal antenna array panels, each housing transceiver arrays that cover a wide frequency range, a control unit for processing and managing operations, and an operator console that includes maintenance and training functions. Scorpius-N provides naval forces with the tools needed to contend with current and future threats.

Highly developed multi-beam, multi-technique power management capabilities enable Scorpius-N to efficiently jam multiple emitters, including all types of radars and RF missile seekers. The system detects and then tracks, engages and jams multiple threats over a wide geographic sector to create a protective hemisphere around naval forces. It will disrupt the operation of long-range, stealthy anti-ship missiles before they close range and lock on to the vessel. Moreover, the system will effectively attack the newest generation low probability-of-intercept radar systems used to provide weapons with target data. Finally, Scorpius-N is fully compatible with leading hard-kill systems. In fact, its advanced capabilities significantly reduce the burden on hard-kill systems, preserving their capabilities for further engagement.

Scorpius technology allows for exceptionally high EW performance in a small form factor – advantages that enabled the development of the Scorpius-EJ (ELL-8251SB) and Scorpius-SP (ELL-8222SB) systems. Designed for deployment from fighter and transport aircraft, these systems deliver unprecedented capabilities relative to their respective size and weight class thanks to AESA and GaN technologies.

ELTA offers an extensive portfolio of high-performance and field-proven payloads and a wide range of platforms; from strategic ISR satellites, multi-mission sensors for aircraft and UAVs, to tactical drones and ground systems. System solutions cover integrated EW (ESM/ECM), Radar, EO/IR, IMINT, Launch Detection Systems (LDS), SAR/GMTI, SIGINT, and cyber. This ability to deliver game changing solutions such as the Scorpius EW family, at the strategic and tactical levels to customers worldwide, is a key factor in ELTA’s ability to maintain its position as a trailblazer in advanced defense electronics.

For further information please contact [email protected]