BAE Systems launches Shadow EW for small aircraft, offering low-cost electronic warfare at scale with rapid software upgrades for U.S. forces

BAE Systems launched Shadow EW, a family of compact passive radio-frequency payloads intended for small aircraft, drones and low-cost munitions. The systems are designed to provide sensing, situational awareness, targeting support and self-protection at scale, with software-defined functions that can be updated rapidly as threats change. Shadow EW is a product launch, not a confirmed U.S. procurement or operational deployment, and detailed performance characteristics remain undisclosed. BAE is positioning the family as a lower-cost complement to larger dedicated electronic-warfare platforms rather than a direct replacement for aircraft such as the EA-18G.