Posted: Monday, June 30, 2025
Electronic warfare (EW) now plays a decisive role in military operations, and the insights shared by those on the ground are directly influencing how the industry sets its priorities. The war in Ukraine has provided unprecedented real-time insights into which capabilities are effective on contested battlefields, prompting military systems to prioritize swift and reliable control of the spectrum.
These battlefield lessons were recently examined in an episode of the podcast From the Crow’s Nest, live from AOC Europe 2025, where industry experts, including Manuel Sigler, from ERZIA, discussed how military buyers and program managers now prioritize solutions that combine higher output power, quick adaptation, and proven field performance. It’s essentially a complete rethinking of how electronic warfare systems must perform in modern combat scenarios.
Power as the Key Metric
Output power now drives most EW system decisions, particularly for jamming applications where spectrum dominance can mean the difference between mission success and failure. The rapid transition from 20-watt amplifiers to 50-watt and even 100-watt solutions reflects a significant shift in battlefield requirements driven by direct operator feedback.
More power delivers tangible operational advantages:
- Broader frequency coverage across multiple threat bands
- More reliable signal disruption against sophisticated adversaries
- Enhanced mission effectiveness in contested environments
- Greater standoff distances for operator safety
However, this power increase brings significant engineering challenges. Managing thermal loads becomes critical as heat dissipation can compromise system reliability. Maintaining strict size and weight constraints remains essential for mobile platforms, while ensuring consistent performance across extreme environmental conditions—from Arctic cold to desert heat—demands innovative design approaches.
Field Feedback Driving Revolutionary Change
The driving force behind this EW evolution is direct feedback from field users operating in some of the world's most hostile environments. Teams deployed in active conflict zones are providing detailed, real-time reports on system performance, creating an invaluable feedback loop that's transforming product development cycles.
When a product shows limitations—whether in effective range, signal reliability, or bandwidth coverage—defense contractors and suppliers must adapt with exceptional speed. The traditional multi-year development cycles that once characterized defense technology are being compressed into months as manufacturers race to address critical capability gaps.
The Challenge of Quick Adaptation
Engineering teams now face the complex task of balancing seemingly contradictory demands: delivering substantially higher power without adding unnecessary weight or complexity, while ensuring new systems integrate seamlessly with existing mission-critical infrastructure. This balancing act requires innovative approaches to thermal management, power efficiency, and modular design.
For suppliers, success means working as true partners with system integrators and program offices, transforming urgent field demands into rapid product enhancements. Agility in both development and delivery has become a key differentiator in defense procurement decisions. Companies that can demonstrate the ability to iterate quickly based on operational feedback are winning contracts over those with superior specifications but slower response times.
Local Supply Chains and European Collaboration
Recent geopolitical events have dramatically accelerated Europe's strategic push toward defense independence and technological sovereignty. European governments and industry leaders are actively prioritizing local supply chains and indigenous technology development, viewing defense self-reliance as essential to national security.
Amplifier manufacturers and subsystem providers across Europe are stepping up to support this important effort, working not merely as component suppliers but as strategic partners who understand the broader implications of building a strong European defense industrial base. This collaboration extends beyond simple procurement to include joint research initiatives, shared technology development, and coordinated responses to emerging threats.
Mission-Driven Design Takes Priority
The most effective EW solutions emerging share a common characteristic: they're designed from the ground up with operational reality as the primary driver, not laboratory ideals. Real-world performance metrics, validated by end users operating in challenging environments, are reshaping amplifier design philosophies and production cycles.
Companies that can successfully translate urgent field demands into high-power, adaptable systems—and do so quickly and reliably—are becoming the preferred partners for defense programs worldwide. The focus on operational performance has changed how development works, moving away from specification-driven approaches towards mission-driven innovation.
Ready to Push Past the Limits of RF/Microwave Performance in Your EW Systems?
ERZIA specializes in high-power amplifiers and microwave assemblies engineered for extreme environments where reliability, efficiency, and compactness are non-negotiable. Contact us to discuss how our proven RF solutions can meet your most demanding electronic warfare requirements.
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