ERA has been showcasing its BEST OF in the field of land based passive surveillance systems within EW Live in Tartu, Estonia

The Czech company ERA has participated in the Electronic Warfare exercise EW Live 2024, held at Tartu Airport in Estonia, with its passive surveillance and reconnaissance systems. ERA considers EW LIVE a truly special and very important event for the EW community and is proud to contribute with several highlights - its unique passive sensors and SW tools, namely:

PLESS:  Passive Long-range ESM Surveillance system, an Over-the-Horizon (OTH) Direction Finder (DF), intended for electromagnetic signal detection hundreds of kilometres from the emitter.

VERA-NG: an iconic Passive ESM Tracker (PET) VERA-NG, broadly recognised by the EW community worldwide

ERA information systems and tools for Electro Magnetic Spectrum Operations.

“We say: “Seeing is believing”, when presenting and demonstrating our unique Passive Surveillance Systems, and therefore we are thrilled to be at EW LIVE with our land-based sensors (PLESS, VERA-NG) as well as ERA information systems and tools for EW/EMSO.  Fulfilling this motto, we will be showcasing them all during dedicated classroom sessions,“ stated Jakub Thomas, ERA Commercial Director.

A number of ERA professionals has become part of the trial providing detailed and descriptive presentation of the PLESS OTH DF system developed by ERA. PLESS can detect, locate, identify and track air, land and naval targets with a focus on slow-moving or stationary platforms. Thanks to the utilization of tropospheric reflectivity properties, the PLESS system can see targets located even beyond the radio horizon. Using the unique passive detection technology by ERA, it provides a covert mode of operation, ideal for long-term cross-border and maritime surveillance.

Apart from the novelty, ERA exhibits its well-known and original Czech technology of Passive ESM Tracker VERA-NG. The system provides detection, localization, tracking and identification of airborne, ground and naval targets using a pulse signal as well as continuous wave signal analysis. Its latest version, called DPET (Deployable Passive ESM Tracker) is the deployable version of the VERA-NG system, developed and designed to fit the specific needs of the Czech Armed Forces. VERA-NG has also been deployed in many NATO and allied militaries.

Last but not least, the participants are able to become familiar with ERA information systems and tools for EW and EMSO including EW-EDMT - data mining tool for management of ESM databases, and EW-SIM - advanced training tool for analysing real signals serving as a ESM/ELINT simulator

Passive systems’ use cases: Passive systems are gradually being introduced as an additional level in airspace surveillance in the area of interest, a surveillance asset in air defence systems and also, as an invaluable assistant in Electronic Warfare, providing intelligence. Their capabilities are extremely valuable for air defence and anti-aircraft missile troops. Equally important is electronic warfare, more specifically electronic support and electronic intelligence. In these tasks, sources of electromagnetic radiation are analysed, and the information obtained serves to identify current threats and may be provided to commanders of the domestic or allied forces on a tactical level. In long-term deployment, it can also be an important basis for decision-making on the strategic level.

ERA attends the EW events regularly: it took part in AOC conferences in Bonn, Montpellier, Liverpool, Lausanne, London and Oslo, and some other EW events: EW Live Estonia, EW Singapore, EW UAE, etc.