BENGALURU, India, June 28, 2026 — Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and French defense technology company Thales have expanded their partnership to locally manufacture advanced microwave modules for the SPECTRA electronic warfare (EW) suite installed on Dassault Aviation's Rafale fighter aircraft. The initiative supports India's Make in India program and strengthens the country's capability to produce advanced aerospace and defense electronics.
The collaboration builds on BEL's successful production of transmit/receive (T/R) modules for the Rafale's RBE2 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. In February 2025, BEL delivered the 7,000th T/R module to Thales, marking a major milestone in the technology transfer program between the two companies.
The partnership is part of the offset commitments linked to India's Rafale fighter acquisition. Technology transfer began in 2017, with BEL engineers receiving specialized training at Thales facilities in France and dedicated production lines being established at BEL's Bengaluru manufacturing facility. In November 2020, Thales delivered the first RBE2 AESA radar featuring a front-end manufactured entirely by BEL in India. The new agreement extends BEL's manufacturing role from radar components to critical electronic warfare hardware.
SPECTRA Electronic Warfare Suite
SPECTRA is the Rafale's fully integrated electronic warfare and self-protection system, jointly developed by Thales and MBDA. Designed to enhance aircraft survivability, it provides 360-degree threat detection, identification, localization, and response against radar, laser, infrared, and missile threats.
The system combines radar warning receivers, laser warning receivers, and the DDM-NG infrared missile approach warning system to continuously monitor the surrounding environment. Data from these sensors is processed by a Modular Data Processing Unit (MDPU), which fuses the information, compares detected signals with an onboard threat library, prioritizes threats in real time, and automatically selects the most effective defensive response.
Once a threat is identified, SPECTRA uses active phased-array radar jammers to disrupt or deceive enemy radar systems while automatically deploying radar chaff and infrared flares to counter incoming missiles. The integrated design enables rapid responses without compromising the Rafale's low-observable characteristics and has been combat-proven in operational service with the French Air and Space Force.
Role of Microwave Modules
The microwave modules to be produced by BEL are critical components for the radio-frequency functions of the SPECTRA system. They process high-frequency signals used for threat detection, signal analysis, and electronic jamming, allowing the system to rapidly intercept hostile radar emissions and generate targeted electronic countermeasures against enemy tracking and targeting systems.
Manufacturing these advanced modules in India will increase indigenous content in Rafale systems, strengthen the domestic supply chain for high-end defense electronics, and further enhance BEL's expertise in advanced aerospace manufacturing.
Similar Electronic Warfare Systems
Integrated electronic warfare and self-protection suites are standard equipment on modern 4.5-generation and fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Comparable systems include:
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F-35 Lightning II (United States): AN/ASQ-239 Barracuda electronic warfare system providing advanced threat detection, electronic support, and active jamming.
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Eurofighter Typhoon (Europe): Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS), integrating radar warning, missile warning, electronic jamming, and automated countermeasures.
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F-22 Raptor (United States): AN/ALR-94 passive electronic warfare system integrated with the aircraft's AESA radar for long-range threat detection and electronic attack.
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HAL Tejas Mk1A (India): Equipped with an indigenous advanced electronic warfare suite, including the Mayavi system developed by DRDO and BEL, featuring radar warning receivers, electronic support measures, and active jamming capabilities.
These systems rely on active electronically scanned arrays, digital signal processing, real-time threat libraries, and integrated countermeasures to improve aircraft survivability in highly contested environments.
The expansion of the BEL-Thales partnership further strengthens India's indigenous defense manufacturing ecosystem and positions BEL as an increasingly important supplier of advanced aerospace electronics for the Rafale program. The collaboration also supports future technology transfer, higher indigenous content, and deeper integration of Indian industry into the global defense supply chain.
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