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Royal Navy's MEWSIC protection system passes critical tests

13th November 2023 - 15:59 GMT | by Shephard News Team in London

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MEWSIC will be installed on Type 45 destroyers, Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers and future ships. (Photo: Babcock)

The MEWSIC system has been designed to detect radar signals over an extended area and will be built by a consortium consisting of Babcock, Elbit Systems UK and QinetiQ.

The UK Royal Navy’s Maritime Electronic Warfare System Integrated Capability (MEWSIC) electro-magnetic warfare system, which has been designed to protect surface vessels, has passed its critical design review (CDR).

The £100 million (US$123 million), 13-year contract awarded to the industry consortium of Babcock, Elbit Systems UK and QinetiQ in 2021 and completion of CDR will mean the system can move onto manufacture, testing and acceptance.

The CDR was part of the first phase of the wider £500 million Maritime Electronics Warfare Programme and also included on-shore facilities delivering training, trials and acceptance.

Once operational, MEWSIC will allow for increased detection and identification of radar signals over a greater range than currently possible, aiding faster operational decision-making, enhanced situational awareness and improved ship protection.

MEWSIC will lead to the next generation of Radar Electronic Support Measure (RESM) and EW Command and Control (EWC2) equipment being installed on Type 45 destroyers, Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers, and the Type 26 and Type 31 frigates being built at Govan and Rosyth shipyards, respectively, in Scotland.