Precision weapons rely on electronics and GPS capabilities to stay on course, but electronic jamming can send the, off-course.
The technology of war never stands still, and each conflict provides hard-won lessons in where the current generation of weaponry worked — and where it didn’t. One of the main lessons being learned in the ongoing war in Ukraine is the susceptibility of current smart weapons to the effects of GPS-jamming and other electronic jamming. In the case of one weapon, the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb, it’s been reported that the weapon performed so badly that the Ukrainians rarely use it.
This vulnerability has seen Hanwha Aerospace join forces with BAE Systems. Hanwha, a South Korean company, is to integrate BAE Systems‘ next-generation, anti-jamming GPS technology into its Deep Strike Capability weapons system. The Deep Strike Capability system is a versatile system capable of launching a range of missiles depending on mission requirements. It also has the capability to work in single or dual-launcher configurations.
The partnership with BAE is expected to enhance the weapon’s precision and reliability, even when operating in highly contested „electronic environments.“ The system is also being engineered to ensure it meets NATO’s interoperability requirements. From a military perspective, this ensures that the system integrates seamlessly with Western command and control networks.
It’s also a move that’s intended to make the weapon more appealing to European and other allied nations. Poland has already purchased over 200 Homar-K variants of the weapon and has signed an agreement with Hanwha to manufacture missiles in Poland.
