Strategy Analytics defense research has just completed a comprehensive analysis of the electronic warfare sector, looking at electronic attack (EA) and electronic warfare support (EWS) systems, and electronic protection (EP) support services. EA systems include radar, communications and RCIED jammers as well as infra-red and electro-optical countermeasures; EWS systems provide the ability to intercept, identify, and locate threats across the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS).

EP support services include Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) which involves spectrum management such as evaluating and mitigating electromagnetic environmental effects, managing frequency records and databases, de-conflicting frequencies, frequency interference resolution, and allocating frequencies. Other aspects of EMSO include frequency assignment, policy implementation, and host-nation coordination. Other facets include of EP include EM hardening and emission control. Collectively EP services are designed to protect personnel, facilities, and equipment from any EMS effects, intentional or accidental, that would degrade, neutralize, or destroy capabilities including the ability to operate radars and communications equipment.

Trends driving spending on the Electronic Warfare (EW) sector will be underpinned by the need to control an ever increasing complex spectrum environment, countering modern frequency agile radar systems and network-based IP-centric communications in conventional symmetric warfare scenarios, as well as combatting asymmetric threats from improvised explosive devices.

Summarised in Global Electronic Warfare Market Forecast: 2014 - 2024 and supplemented by a series of forecasts that outline global electronic warfare expenditure trends on a regional basis before breaking out the expected spend across systems, hardware, support and related services with a deeper look at the prospects for Electronic Attack (EA), across the land, air and naval domains, we are forecasting that spending on global electronic warfare systems and services will grow to over $18.7 billion in 2024, representing a CAGR of 3.7%.

Some of the top level trends and observations include:

• North America will be the largest regional end market, and will continue to drive spending with a renewed emphasis on conventional systems, though the fastest spending will come from the Asia-Pacific region.
• Airborne EW systems will represent the largest market in dollar terms while system shipments will be dominated by the land domain.
• Overall spending on EA and EWS systems will account for 91% of total EW expenditure with total system shipments growing to 21,332 units through 2024, split almost evenly between EA and EWS systems.

Taking a deeper look at the EA market, Strategy Analytics Global Electronic Attack (EA) Market and Technology Forecast: 2014 - 2024 outlines analysis looking at the total EA sector providing segmentation detail related to form factors, platforms, frequency, power and associated enabling technology trends and component demand. The associated Land Electronic Attack (EA) Market and Technology Forecast: 2014 - 2024, Airborne Electronic Attack (EA) Market and Technology Forecast: 2014 - 2024 and Shipborne Electronic Attack (EA) Market and Technology Forecast: 2014 - 2024 data models provider a deeper dive into system shipments segmented across the different domains.

• The North American region, and specifically the US, will drive spending on EA systems especially for airborne and shipborne EA systems and account for the largest end market over the entire forecast period.
• Land-based EA systems will represent the second largest market in dollar terms and dominate total shipments.
• The total number of EA system shipments is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% through 2024 to reach 10,844 units.

RF-based Electronic Attack (EA) systems such as radar, communications and RCIED (radio controlled improvised explosive device) jammers will dominate the market for EA system spending, increasing to 70% of the total market in 2024. There will be an increasing emphasis towards systems that can support multi-band and/or wideband operation to combat the increasingly complex spectrum environment. Key drivers for growth will include the upgrading of capabilities by leveraging the advantages of wideband materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) and digital RF memory (DRFM) capabilities. The associated market for component technologies will grow from $457 million to almost $1.2 billion in 2024. The need for high power RF transmitters for applications such as long-range jamming will mean vacuum tube-based solutions will continue to dominate. However, programs such as the US-based Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) and Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) programs will contribute to the market for GaN becoming a staple ingredient in the makeup of future EA systems.

Clients of Strategy Analytics Advanced Defense Systems (ADS) service have full access to the forecasts, and I’m also looking forward to attending the 52nd Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention. If you’re planning to attend, then I will look forward to discussing these trends and our outlook for electronic warfare markets, as well as the increasing convergence between EW and cyber moving forwards.

Thanks for reading!