Spanish warships are moving into new territory in maritime defense with the development of Europe’s first 4D active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for naval platforms.
Madrid-based Indra will build a prototype under the Shipborne Multiband AESA Demonstrator (SHIMBAD) program, aimed at improving surveillance and protection against threats such as missiles and drones.
The radar is expected to operate across multiple frequency bands at the same time, extending monitoring range, sharpening target tracking, and boosting electronic protection for warships.
SHIMBAD will be based on an integrated digital architecture that allows naval crews to manage the entire kill chain — from detection to response — within a single system.
It is also designed to improve detection of small, low-flying targets and support coordinated responses, including guiding multiple interceptors against incoming threats.
A European Effort
The program brings together radar developers across Europe, working alongside the Spanish Navy, which defines the operational requirements the system must meet.
Indra will lead development with funding of more than 42.5 million euros ($49.8 million) from the European Defence Fund.
“We are developing the architecture of what will become the central sensor of future European warships,” said Maria del Mar Pomares, Indra Naval Business Development for EU and NATO Cooperations Head.
“All of this will be integrated into future European collaborative combat architectures, enabling superior situational awareness and extremely high accuracy in detection and response anticipation.”
