BAE Systems Unveils Next-Generation DIGAR to Shield Aircraft from GPS Jamming

WASHINGTON / LONDON : Global defense contractor BAE Systems has unveiled expanded details of its next-generation Digital GPS Anti-Jam Receiver (DIGAR), positioning the system as one of the most advanced airborne GPS protection solutions available amid intensifying electronic warfare threats worldwide.

As modern battlefields become increasingly contested in the electromagnetic spectrum, military aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are facing deliberate GPS jamming designed to degrade navigation, targeting, and command-and-control functions. BAE Systems says DIGAR has been specifically engineered to counter these threats, offering mission-critical resilience in some of the most hostile GPS environments encountered by Western and allied forces.

Rising GPS Jamming Threats Drive New Capability

Defense analysts note that state and non-state adversaries are investing heavily in GPS denial techniques, using high-power jammers and sophisticated spoofing systems to disrupt precision-guided weapons and airborne operations. According to BAE Systems, DIGAR builds directly on field-proven anti-jam technologies already used in modern weapons systems, adapting them for broader airborne platform protection.

Unlike legacy solutions that rely on limited nulling capability, DIGAR employs advanced digital beamforming and state-of-the-art signal processing to dynamically steer reception away from jamming sources, preserving reliable satellite navigation under extreme interference.

Advanced Digital Beamforming Architecture

At the core of DIGAR’s performance is its ability to generate up to 16 simultaneous, independently steered beams, providing what BAE Systems describes as superior jamming immunity in high-density electronic attack environments. In beam-steering mode, the system is rated for performance exceeding 125 dB J/S, though the company notes that actual operational capability remains classified.

DIGAR supports both L1 and L2 GPS frequencies simultaneously and is compatible with two- to seven-element Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas (CRPA), enabling flexible integration across a wide range of airframes. The system also supports advanced beamforming techniques, including Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) and Space-Frequency Adaptive Processing (SFAP), enhancing resistance against complex, multi-source jamming.

Full Compatibility with Military GPS Signals

Reflecting evolving U.S. and allied requirements, DIGAR is designed to operate with encrypted military GPS signals, including Y-Code and the modernized M-Code. This ensures compatibility with current and future secure navigation architectures, particularly for aircraft expected to operate deep inside contested airspace.

BAE Systems emphasizes that the system’s heritage in weapons-grade GPS protection gives DIGAR a decisive edge over commercially derived solutions, especially in scenarios involving high-power, wideband jammers.

Two Form Factors for Broad Fleet Integration

To address both legacy aircraft upgrades and next-generation platform designs, DIGAR is offered in two distinct form factors. The larger DIGAR-200, with a volume of approximately 218 cubic inches, is optimized for retrofit installations on existing fleets. The more compact DIGAR-300, measuring roughly 75 cubic inches, is intended for forward-fit integration where space, weight, and power constraints are critical.

The system is compatible with AE-1, GAS-1, and ADAP architectures, allowing operators to enhance GPS resilience without extensive avionics redesign.

Strategic Importance for Airborne Operations

Military planners increasingly view assured navigation as a foundational requirement for airpower, particularly as electronic warfare becomes a central feature of future conflicts. By extending high-end anti-jam capability beyond weapons and into aircraft navigation systems, DIGAR aims to ensure continued mission effectiveness even when GPS is actively contested.

BAE Systems officials say the system is designed to evolve alongside emerging threats, providing airborne platforms with a scalable and resilient defense against GPS denial tactics that are now commonplace in modern warfare.

As conflicts increasingly extend into the electromagnetic domain, technologies like DIGAR underscore how navigation assurance is becoming as critical as stealth, speed, and firepower in shaping the outcome of future air operations.