Leonardo launched New Digital Technology - BriteStorm

Leonardo has introduced a new product called ‘BriteStorm,’ designed to support armed forces operating deep in enemy territory, even in areas protected by advanced Integrated Air Defence Systems (IADS).

BriteStorm provides ‘stand-in jamming,’ an airborne electronic warfare capability that precedes the main force, delivering high-powered interference across a wide range of threats. By disrupting enemy IADS, it reduces their ability to detect and engage other platforms, protecting friendly forces and facilitating mission success.

The BriteStorm payload can be installed on a broad range of UAVs and other launched platforms, equipping each with advanced digital deception techniques that can be deployed over long distances.

Leonardo is collaborating with the UK Royal Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) on this capability, with the RCO purchasing payloads for trials. These trials have already seen successful flights, proving the effectiveness of the system.

Developed at Leonardo’s electronic warfare base in Luton, UK, BriteStorm leverages Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) technology, also used in Leonardo’s BriteCloud countermeasure. While BriteCloud disrupts incoming missiles’ radar guidance, BriteStorm is designed to confuse and suppress ground-based surveillance radars, hindering the enemy’s ability to track and engage friendly forces.

Using Leonardo’s mission-tested DRFM technology, BriteStorm analyzes the electronic warfare environment and selects the most appropriate countermeasure. Its effects range from overwhelming enemy systems with electronic noise to more advanced techniques, such as generating multiple ‘ghost’ fighter jet signatures to mislead enemy responses.

BriteStorm is lightweight, platform-agnostic, and features a platform-specific antenna, transmit-receive modules, and Leonardo’s Miniature Technique Generator. Easy to integrate, BriteStorm provides a powerful and cost-effective stand-in jamming solution. Leonardo’s digital transformation program ensured the payload is both advanced and attritable, meaning it can be considered expendable if necessary.

In addition to the UK Ministry of Defence, Leonardo sees the U.S. Department of Defense as a key potential customer for BriteStorm, offering operators in contested electronic warfare environments a strategic advantage. The system is rapidly reprogrammable to adapt to evolving threats and has already garnered interest in Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region, with demonstration units available in the U.S.

Source: leonardo.com