On 11 and 12 June, the initial meeting of the Subgroup on Passive Surveillance Systems (PSS) took place under the leadership of experts from the Ministry of Defence. The new project seeks to identify the best solution for the ESSI initiative in the field of passive sensors, and above all to create a platform for sharing experience and expertise on the European level.
The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) is a German-led project designed for joint development and procurement of air and missile defence systems in Europe. It brings together over twenty European countries, including the Czech Republic, to strengthen protection against advanced threats such as missiles, drones and ballistic missiles. By working together, the ESSI enhances the European air defence posture while enabling more cost-effective procurement and closer cooperation between armed forces.
Led by experts from the Czech Ministry of Defence, the new project aims to come up with the best solution for the ESSI initiative in the field of passive sensors and indeed to create a space for sharing experience and expertise, to understand the role of passive systems in air defence and improve and accelerate the integration of these sensors into military air defence systems.
The initial meeting of the international Subgroup on passive systems in air defence took place in Prague, bringing together representatives of six European countries. Alongside the Czech Republic, the meeting was attended by Belgium, Estonia, Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Czech experience with passive surveillance systems was presented by experts from multiple units of the Czech Armed Forces. "The Czech Republic has a long and successful record in operating passive surveillance systems. However, it is not just about having a historically strong and innovative industry, we also have a well-established pool of seasoned experts and extensive databases in the Czech Armed Forces, built up through operational deployments. In addition, we have an effective training system. While others are still considering theoretical possibilities, our air defence capabilities are already testing how to integrate passive systems into the broader air defence network," says Ondřej Šamonil from the Czech MoD Armaments and Acquisitions Division.
Director General of the MoD Industrial Cooperation Division, Radka Konderlová, and Director of the MoD Force Development Division, Major General Milčický, opened the session with their keynote addresses. MG Milčický emphasised the strategic importance of international military cooperation in the air defence domain. He highlighted mutual benefits of sharing experience, with the Czech Republic offering its knowhow in the passive surveillance systems and at the same time gaining valuable insights from other members.
In her contribution, Director General Konderlová underlined the crucial importance of air defence capabilities, as shown in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. She stressed that formats like this are currently irreplaceable and carry the historic responsibility of strengthening defence cooperation across Europe in these challenging times.
According to Mr. Šamonil, closer international cooperation in armaments is a growing trend and the excellent results from the deployment of passive surveillance systems in Ukraine have only strengthened the interest among the states in pursuing this capability. "At the same time, if states do not have historical experience with operating such systems, building the capability from scratch is extremely difficult. That is why cooperation is essential," he noted.
The expert part of the programme focused on the presentations of advanced technological solutions, including a detailed introduction of systems such as the Deployable Passive Electronic Support Measures Tracker System (DPET) and its application options for ground air defence, electromagnetic warfare and air surveillance. The MoD Force Development Division presented the results of deployments during Exercises Silent Hunter I and II, which the 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment intends to continue and wants to refine the DPET employment and data quality for air defence. This will also be necessary due to the fast growth of this service in the Czech Armed Forces, driven by the progressive introduction of radar systems from the MADR and SHORAD projects.
A key part of the programme involved engaging with Czech Armed Forces personnel deployed in a foreign operation. The specialists discussed in general terms the operational deployment of the DPET system in real-world conditions, plus connectivity and compatibility challenges.
A representative of the ERA company introduced PET systems as a battle-tested technology currently deployed in Ukraine in several capabilities, including early warning and airspace monitoring.
At the end of the first day of the meeting, representatives of all participating states expressed their interest and expectations from the activities of the Subgroup, with the most frequently mentioned topic being the integration of passive surveillance systems into existing structures and possible fusions between different types of sensors and technologies. The discussion revealed that there was a high interest in learning more about the PET and PCL technologies, which are not competing but complementary. Three conference guests also mentioned the interest in integrating passive sensors into SHORAD's own systems, which they procure from Diehl Defence and Hensoldt companies. Representatives of these major companies also attended the conference, which followed the signing of a strategic partnership among Hensoldt, Diehl Defence and ERA Pardubice at ILA Berlin 2024.
The following day, the delegates visited ERA as one of the ESSI potential suppliers. ERA representatives showcased the unique features of their systems and demonstrated the operation and performance of the VERA-NG system in action. The visit was an opportunity for international partners to learn more about the long-standing tradition and expertise of the Czech defence industry.
The first meeting of the ESSI subgroup was the beginning of a discussion on the possibilities of integrating passive surveillance systems into European air defence. The participating states expressed their strong interest in continuing cooperation and tentatively agreed to meet again in late 2025. The conference highlighted the interest in exploring how different command and control systems and sensors could be fused into a unified network in future talks. While the ESSI sub-group meeting confirmed the interest in exchanging experience in developing air defence systems, harmonising national interests remains a significant challenge for any potential joint acquisition of new systems.
"While passive surveillance systems represent one of many components of a multi-layered air defence, they can never replace, for example, active sensors in networks and vice versa. However, working together to integrate different data sources into a unified command and control system should be the foundation of future European air defence. After all, the project is agnostic about effectors – some countries will use the German IRIS-T, the Czech Republic will use the SPYDER CZ system. The project’s task is to help create an architecture for sharing data across the systems,” Ondřej Šamonil concludes.
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