Electronic warfare (EW) is at a turning point. As armed forces around the world expand their capabilities in the electromagnetic spectrum, Europe is also working on a concept that combines data, sensor technology and AI into a common situation and decision-making space: the Electronic Warfare Cloud or EW Cloud.
This visionary project is intended to serve as the backbone of electromagnetic operations (EMO) in the future – and to lay the foundation for networked, coordinated and intelligent use of the electromagnetic spectrum.
SG299 – Europe's joint path to the EW Cloud
Study Group 299 (SG299) was founded in April 2024 on behalf of the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG). Its task: to investigate the advantages of an EW Cloud for near real-time capable EMO and to develop concrete recommendations for action for NATO and partner nations.
One of the European industry representatives in this working group is PLATH – represented by our colleague Sven Lüttich, Head of Technology & Innovations, who actively participated in defining the architecture and data concept of the EW Cloud.
‘The electromagnetic spectrum is indivisible and inherently multidomain,’ explains Lüttich. ‘Our task was to design the cloud in such a way that it connects all domains – land, air, sea, cyber and space – while remaining sovereign, secure and scalable.’
The vision: a shared cloud for the electromagnetic spectrum
The EW Cloud is much more than an IT infrastructure. It is the integrative heart of all relevant sensors, sources and effectors within the electromagnetic spectrum – from strategic data centres in the backend to tactical systems in the operational area.
Its goal is to serve as a coordination and collection hub:
- Collecting information in real time,
- Processing it intelligently,
- And distributing it immediately to decision-makers and effector systems.
This makes the cloud an agile evaluation and action centre for operational situational awareness and responsive action.
Artificial intelligence and automation play a key role in this: they enable highly complex and coordinated actions based on fast, data-driven decisions.
Technological cornerstones of the EW Cloud
The SG299 study defines the EW Cloud as a service and application architecture based on modern cloud principles (backend, fog, edge) that combines the following characteristics:
• Scalability and flexibility: Can be used at all levels – from strategic data centres to tactical sensors.
• Analysis & automation: AI-supported evaluation for threat detection, decision support and mission planning.
• Resilience & security: Zero-trust architecture and multi-level security for protected data rooms.
• Interoperability: Integration of NATO standards such as CESMO and Coalition Shared Data (CSD).
• Multi-domain compatibility: Connection to higher-level multi-domain combat clouds for networked operations.
From theory to implementation – the next phase begins
With the submission of its final report in April 2025, SG299 has laid a technical and organisational foundation – including a roadmap for the next steps:
1. Development of a prototype (‘minimum viable product’) to demonstrate technical feasibility.
2. Testing in exercises and trials to validate architecture, data security and interoperability in practice.
3. Standardisation and harmonisation of data structures and interfaces
4. Further development into a European EW ecosystem that also integrates national contributions.
This marks the start of the trial phase, in which industry and armed forces will translate the concepts from SG299 into real systems.
From theory to implementation – the next phase begins
With the submission of its final report in April 2025, SG299 has laid a technical and organisational foundation – including a roadmap for the next steps:
1. Development of a prototype (‘minimum viable product’) to demonstrate technical feasibility.
2. Testing in exercises and trials to validate architecture, data security and interoperability in practice.
3. Standardisation and harmonisation of data structures and interfaces.
4. Further development into a European EW ecosystem that also integrates national contributions.
This marks the start of the trial phase, in which industry and armed forces will translate the concepts from SG299 into real systems.
PLATH as co-architect and implementation partner
PLATH contributes its many years of expertise in signal intelligence, sensor integration, data analysis and decision support to this development.
As one of Europe's leading companies in the field of electromagnetic operations, PLATH understands how to convert complex data streams into usable information – and how this can be turned into operational capability.
‘We see ourselves in this role as an important co-architect of the European EW Cloud,’ says Lüttich. ‘Our role is to bridge the gap between theory and reality – through practical solutions, interoperable systems and secure data rooms that create trust.’
Together towards a connected future
The work on the EW Cloud marks a paradigm shift: away from isolated, national EW systems towards a joint European situation and action network. An approach based on trust, technological openness and cooperation.
With its participation in SG299 and the upcoming demonstration phase, PLATH is demonstrating that it is actively shaping the future of fast, secure and intelligent electromagnetic defence – and helping to strengthen Europe's digital and operational sovereignty in the electromagnetic spectrum.
