BAE Systems has launched Shadow EW, a family of compact electronic warfare payloads for small airborne platforms, during the AFA Air, Space and Cyber conference in National Harbor, Maryland. The line is designed for drones and other light aircraft, with the first variant, Shadow EW 100, scheduled for production in 2027 at the company’s Cedar Rapids, Iowa facility.
The family also includes Shadow EW 120 and Shadow EW 500, with production planned to follow in 2028 and 2029. BAE has positioned the payloads around open architecture, software-defined upgrades and low size, weight and power demands, aiming to make electronic warfare more practical for affordable and potentially attritable aircraft operating in contested environments.
Shadow EW 100 is described as the smallest model in the family, covering frequencies from 70 MHz to 6 GHz and drawing less than 150 W, while the 500 variant extends to 18 GHz and adds direction-finding and geolocation functions. Software and design work will be handled in Nashua, New Hampshire. No contract, customer or pricing details were disclosed.