NATO Joint Electronic Warfare Core Staff (JEWCS)

NATO JEWCS provides SACEUR and ACO subordinate commands with Electronic Warfare (EW) expertise and training in support of the planning and execution of NATO operations and exercises. In addition, JEWCS, under the direction of SHAPE, supports NATO HQ, SACEUR and SACT in the development of EW policy, doctrine, concepts and experimentation.

Based at the Royal Naval Air Station at Yeovilton, UK, experts from JEWCS support Command & Control Warfare exercise play; assist NATO Reaction Forces and other formations prepare for all forms of operations; and provide a cadre of experienced EW personnel at high readiness to deploy to assist the planning and conduct of NATO operations.

Using sophisticated equipment, JEWCS staff can simulate known threat emitters, jam and spoof radars, navigation and communication equipment to provide a realistic and challenging exercise environment for participants.

While the equipment is capable of use in all environments, Transportable Radar and Communications Simulation Vans (TRACSVANs) are used primarily in support of maritime and air defence exercises and NATO EW vans for communications surveillance and jamming in support of land and amphibious exercises. The PODS are designed to be carried by military or commercial contract aircraft and are variously capable of missile/radar simulation and radar jamming.

JEWCS was formed in July 2006 from the former Multi-Service Electronic Warfare Support Group (MEWSG), the NATO Emitter Data Base (NEDB) staff and other national EW staffs. Combining several NATO EW elements in one organisation has allowed more efficient support to be provided to NATO commands and Headquarters in this specialist area.