L3Harris Technologies is exploring a new autonomous electronic warfare (EW) setup that can identify and counter threats in real time.
During a recent US Army exercise, the company paired its compact, software-defined Deceptor EW payload with multiple unmanned aerial systems.
The drones operated within the Distributed Spectrum Collaboration and Operations framework, using Deceptor to coordinate AI-assisted sensing and effect across the battlefield.
The system successfully identified and pinpointed radio frequency (RF) threats, fused data from multiple sensors, and applied jamming to disrupt targeted signals.
“Electronic warfare is uniquely suited for autonomy, where speed and scale in the RF spectrum are decisive,” said Lauren Barnes, president of spectrum superiority at L3Harris.
“Our work is focused on delivering autonomous EW capabilities that reduce operator burden while increasing operational advantage.”
Future trials will expand Deceptor’s integration with additional EW systems, aiming to deliver coordinated effects across multiple domains and platforms.
Inside Deceptor
Built on commercially available hardware, Deceptor provides electronic support and electronic attack functions to detect, track, confuse, and disrupt modern emitters.
It combines advanced software with a small size, weight, power, and cost profile.
The system is designed for rapid payload updates and configuration changes, making it suitable for expendable unmanned systems across air, ground, and maritime platforms.
Deceptor uses the Common Framework Environment to support rapid integration and run third-party applications that are already mature and field-ready.
