Britain’s defense ministry is building a massive experimental facility to better understand how it can protect military aircraft against GPS jamming and other threats as the war in Ukraine shows the danger of electronic warfare.
The new defense testing facility — expected to be one of the largest in Europe and resemble a large aircraft hanger in size — will simulate hostile environments and test some of the UK’s most advanced military equipment, Britain’s defense ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The ministry said it will be big enough to fit F-35 stealth fighter jets, Chinook transport helicopters, and Protector combat drones.
“Hostile threats jamming GPS to disorientate military equipment has become increasingly common,” Maria Eagle, the UK’s minister for defense procurement and industry, said.
“This cutting-edge test facility will help us eliminate vulnerabilities from our platforms, protect our national security and keep our Armed Forces better protected on global deployments,” she added in a statement.
Electronic warfare has been a prominent element of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with both sides using jamming and other digital interference tactics to mess with the targeting process of precision strike weapons like attack drones and guided munitions.
With the extensive employment of these capabilities on the battlefield, both Russia and Ukraine have been forced to seek out innovative solutions to scale up their electronic warfare capabilities and also develop various countermeasures to stay ahead.
NATO countries — including the US and UK — have been watching the electronic warfare trends and adaptations in Ukraine and are making their own force posture adjustments to be ready for a future fight.
For the UK, this includes the newly announced experimental facility.
Britain’s defense ministry said that the “silent hangar” will reduce the emission of radio-frequency waves. GPS simulators inside the chamber will allow the UK to test how well equipment can withstand jamming or other disruptive threats.
“The facility will provide a key capability to develop UK assets that can perform in the harshest electromagnetic environments on operations,” the defense ministry said. Since the hangar is isolated, the tests won’t impact emergency services or air traffic control, it added.
UK firm QinetiQ will build the facility under a £20 million ($26 million) contract. It is set to open in 2026.
“On an increasingly digital battlefield, the debilitating effects of electronic warfare are a persistent threat,” said Will Blamey, the chief executive of UK defense at QinetiQ, said.
“The testing we will conduct using this new facility will be integral to strengthening the resilience of military equipment, which in turn enhances the safety and security of our Armed Forces and the United Kingdom,” he added in a statement.
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