MADRID — April 29, 2026 : Indra has been selected to lead the Shipborne MultiBand AESA Demonstrator (SHIMBAD), a European research programme focused on developing the first fully European 4D multiband radar system for naval platforms. The initiative is supported by the European Defence Fund and aims to advance next-generation sensor capabilities for future warships.
Programme Scope and Funding
The SHIMBAD programme carries an estimated total budget of €42.5 million, with €29.4 million provided by the European Commission. The project is scheduled to run for 48 months and will involve a multinational consortium of defense companies, research institutions, and technology firms from across Europe.
Indra will coordinate the consortium responsible for the design, manufacturing, and validation of a scalable radar prototype. The programme is positioned as a strategic effort to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty in naval defense while establishing a common technological framework to enhance interoperability among European naval forces.
Multinational Consortium
The SHIMBAD consortium includes participants from multiple European countries, reflecting a broad collaborative approach. Among the identified partners are VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Cafa Tech, alongside additional entities from Austria, Lithuania, Sweden, Italy, Germany, and France.
Radar Architecture and Technology
At the core of the SHIMBAD system is a 4D Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar capable of simultaneous multi-band operation. The system is designed with a fully digital and modular architecture, allowing it to consolidate multiple sensor and combat support roles into a single platform.
The radar is intended to provide extended air surveillance and wide-area surface monitoring, combined with high-precision tracking of multiple targets. Its architecture integrates detection, tracking, and engagement support functions, including fire-control capabilities, within one system.
The 4D capability enables the radar to track targets in range, azimuth, elevation, and velocity simultaneously, improving situational awareness and response timing in complex operational environments.
Operational Capabilities
The SHIMBAD radar is being developed to address a range of emerging threats, including hypersonic missiles, unmanned aerial systems, and uncrewed surface vessels. It incorporates advanced electronic protection features to maintain performance in contested electromagnetic environments where jamming and interference are present.
The system is also designed to enhance littoral combat performance. It improves detection of small, low-altitude aerial objects and surface targets while reducing the effects of coastal clutter that typically degrade radar accuracy in near-shore operations.
Additionally, the radar will be capable of guiding multiple defensive missiles simultaneously, supporting naval forces in countering saturation attacks involving multiple incoming threats.
Testing and Validation
A technology demonstrator developed under the programme will undergo testing in a real operational environment. These trials are intended to validate the radar’s performance against modern naval threat scenarios and confirm its integration potential within future combat systems.
The Spanish Navy has expressed support for the programme and considers it a key element in shaping future operational requirements for naval platforms.
Industry Perspective
María del Mar Pomares, responsible for Naval Business Development at Indra, stated that the programme focuses on developing the architecture for a multifunction sensor system capable of performing air and surface surveillance, threat tracking, and fire-control support while maintaining resilience to electronic interference.
She added that the system is intended to be integrated into future European collaborative combat architectures, enabling improved situational awareness and higher accuracy in detection and response.
Strategic Context
SHIMBAD forms part of broader efforts under the European Defence Fund’s 2025 calls for proposals, which prioritize the development of advanced naval sensor technologies. The programme is intended to contribute to long-term capability development across European fleets and support greater interoperability between allied systems.
Indra’s leadership role in SHIMBAD reflects its continued involvement in European defense research. The company has participated in more than 90 European defense projects supported by the European Commission and has led 13 of them. Under the latest EDF 2025 call, Indra is involved in 15 projects, including two as coordinator, among them SHIMBAD.
The programme is expected to establish a technological foundation for future European naval radar systems, with a focus on scalability, integration, and operational effectiveness across a range of maritime environments.
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