Strength­ening Global Presence

Running alongside these efforts are pan-European programs – such as the successful EDIDP (European Defence Industrial Programme) pilot program and its successor EDF (European Defence Fund) – that are focused more than ever on cooperation. Not only between defence ministries, but also at industrial level. Coupled with multinational projects such as the Future Combat Air System (“FCAS”) and the Main Ground Combat System (“MGCS”), which are already underway, such programs constitute a new kind of European cooperation.

HENSOLDT is a prime example of this European cooperation. The company is already involved in a multitude of European projects, often as the lead partner of up to 30 other companies. One example of a complex pan-European project is the FCAS Consortium, in which HENSOLDT plays a central role. Around 80 HENSOLDT employees are involved in this project alone, with this number set to double in 2024.

But FCAS also clearly illustrates another paradigm shift in the defence sector – one that benefits HENSOLDT in particular: the shift from a platform-centred approach to a system- or even data-centered approach. As a result, the amount of defence electronics within the various platforms will increase considerably in the years ahead. In addition, increasingly data needs to be intelligently recorded, analysed, and evaluated, as the human brain is hardly able to identify and understand certain threats at an early stage, let alone respond accordingly.

HENSOLDT Analytics is a European market leader in both areas – defence electronics and AI-assisted data analysis. Self-learning algorithms are already an integral part of many HENSOLDT products and solutions, from self-defence systems and signals intelligence through to image analysis and radar warning systems. A particular strength of HENSOLDT Analytics in this field lies in the intelligent fusion of traditional and virtual sensor systems with a view to further enhancing decision-making capabilities.

The aim of ODINs EYE is to develop a European ballistic missile warning system in space. The “multinatiOnal Development INitiative for a Space-based missilE earlY-warning architecture” – to give the project its full title – is designed to heighten awareness of the rising threat posed by ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Through its involvement in the project, HENSOLDT Optronics is evaluating the technical feasibility of orbiting sensor solutions in space.

CARMENTA is all about developing a new European self-protection system for helicopters, transport aircraft, and other platforms. The resulting system, which will be adaptable to mission-specific requirements, is designed to offer optimum protection in a vast array of mission conditions. As the European technology leader in the airborne sensors segment, especially in missile and laser warning systems in the field of directed infrared countermeasures, HENSOLDT defines existing and new threats for transport aircraft and helicopters. The company is also developing new concepts for the next generation of self-protection systems.

With drones set to become central platforms in the military conflicts of the future, active and passive mastery of them will be pivotal within the context of a pan-European security and defence strategy. In light of the fast-paced developments in this area and the increasing threat, especially due to armed mini drones and those used by intelligence services – a counter-UAV system needs to be developed that fully harnesses all technical and tactical possibilities. It needs to be able to recognize, classify, pursue, and neutralize drones – for the purpose of protecting individual soldiers, but also everything from vehicles and locations through to critical infrastructure. HENSOLT contributes its counter-UAV expertise to the definition of the concept of operations and is also responsible for cybersecurity.

On account of the considerable success of the EU EDIDP pilot program, the European Union launched the follow-up EDF (European Defence Fund) program in 2021. In the period until 2027, this program supports cooperative projects in an amount of €7.9 billion; these projects focus on new and groundbreaking technologies as well as current security threats – and seek to close gaps in terms of technologies and capabilities. With its longer time horizon and a larger budget than its predecessor programs, the EDF will fundamentally revolutionize the development of defence technologies and capabilities.

The EDF will center around a broad spectrum of capabilities and basic prerequisites – from ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), AI, and (big) data through to the fostering of potential synergies between aerospace and defence. In the process, dual-use technologies for both civilian and military purposes will grow in importance. Here too, HENSOLDT is in an excellent position by virtue of pioneering technologies in the areas of cyber, AI, data analysis (“OSINT”), and 3D-printed electronics.

And this is precisely the advantage held by HENSOLDT UK: Under its former name of Kelvin Hughes, the company built up a formidable reputation in the United Kingdom. Acquired by HENSOLDT in 2017, this renowned British company, which now operates as HENSOLDT UK, specializes in maritime navigation and sensors. “In the United Kingdom, we are fortunate to be able to build on the heritage and strong reputation of Kelvin Hughes, which enables us to offer the entire portfolio of HENSOLDT solutions,” explains Russell Gould, Head of International Business Development at HENSOLDT.

This positioning represents a strong foundation for the corporate development of HENSOLDT: In 2021, HENSOLDT launched its first ground-based surveillance radar – the SPEXER 600 – on the British market and is thus planning to strengthen its position in the area of civilian and military ground surveillance. At the same time, exciting new markets are opening up for the affordable yet powerful AESA X-band radars. HENSOLDT Avionics also offers various software solutions for flight planning and operation. Russell Gould sums up the mission of HENSOLDT UK: “Our aim is to build up a strong industrial presence so that we can compete in and win major invitations to tender, thereby strengthening the HENSOLDT brand and its reputation in the region.”

HENSOLDT UK employs almost 200 people across all four of the Group’s divisions, both at its headquarters in Enfield (north London) and at HENSOLDT Avionics UK in Slinfold, West Sussex.

This is precisely why the headquarters of HENSOLDT USA are located in Vienna, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. In the United States, HENSOLDT operates under the terms of a special services agreement (“SSA”), which grants the company access to the classified US defence market. This facilitates the use and deployment of European technologies. “The aim of HENSOLDT in the United States is to become an integral part of the industrial landscape, secure contracts for the HENSOLDT Group, and expand our local presence, both independently and with the support of partners,” says Russell Gould.

This approach is already bearing fruit: In 2021, HENSOLDT signed a letter of intent with QinetiQ to form a partnership on the development, integration, testing, commissioning, and maintenance of HENSOLDT products in the United States. The two companies jointly unveiled the HENSOLDT SETAS sensor suite (See-Through Armor System) and the new SPEXER 2000 radar for armoured vehicles to the US Army. These solutions are designed to modernize the vehicle fleet. They were not only met with a large media response, but also demonstrate the enormous potential open to HENSOLDT in this area. Major American trade magazines have further raised the profile of HENSOLDT on the US market through their extensive reporting.

The HENSOLDT site in the Tasmanian capital Hobart also serves as the headquarters of the Southern Guardian Space Domain Awareness System. Here, the intention is to develop a sovereign Australian capability for space surveillance.

Jon Wachmann, Managing Director of HENSOLDT Australia and New Zealand, summarizes the strategy down under: “It is important to have a strong local presence here, since Australia – as a Five Eyes member – boasts a strong and reliably funded defence portfolio. What makes HENSOLDT Australia & New Zealand unique is that we are a leading global supplier with an established local presence.”