A mission data toolkit used to help combat pilots in the UK Armed Forces recognise and evade hostile threats will be maintained under £10 million contract with Leonardo.

The Joint Electronic Warfare Operational Support Centre (JEWOSC) uses HORUS – Leonardo’s data generation and analysis tool set – at RAF Waddington to ensure that multiple other military aircraft are loaded with up-to-date mission data.

The new contract will see the company continue to support the tool sets in response to the evolving demands of modern combat missions. The upgraded toolsets will be built upon the new Leonardo NEXIS architecture, which will also be available to all export customers.

The contract, which covers the next 10 years and will future proof mission data tools to benefit next-generation aircraft, was placed by the Mission Planning and Beacons team in Air Platform Systems team at DE&S.

Head of Branch at DE&S, Kyle Thompson said:

“This has been a continuing collaborative effort between DE&S, UKSC, the RAF and industry to harness technology and build a competitive edge for our UK Armed Forces by ensuring they have access to a mission system that can be rapidly updated to counter emerging threats.”

Mission data is essential during combat operations as it ensures the aircraft adapts to scenarios on the battlefield to ensure the user knows what and where threats are and provides the ability to respond swiftly with countermeasures to keep them safe.

One of Leonardo’s objectives will be to make it quicker and less labour intensive to refresh mission data, enabling updates between missions while maintaining a high level of assurance.

Leonardo’s Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) centre of excellence in Lincoln, UK will lead the delivery of the new contract.

SVP Electronic Warfare at Leonardo UK, Iain Bancroft said:

“The ability to rapidly update mission data is a vital sovereign capability that ensures our Armed Forces are able to operate effectively in a contested and congested battlespace. By working collaboratively with DE&S and our Armed Forces end-users, we are able to maximize our combat air fleet’s survivability and help ensure operational independence.”