EDA Tests Autonomous Systems and NATO Trials New Electronic Warfare Sensor for 2025 Operations

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has taken an important step towards enhancing European military capabilities by conducting a series of system acceptance tests on autonomous systems ahead of its major Operational Experimentation (OPEX) campaign planned for June and July 2025 in Rome. These tests are crucial for ensuring that each system meets strict technical, operational, safety, and reliability standards before being deployed in real-world military scenarios.

What is the OPEX Campaign?

The Operational Experimentation (OPEX) campaign is a European initiative led by the EDA that allows unmanned aerial and ground systems to be tested in realistic battlefield conditions. Hosted by the Italian Army, this campaign gives defence developers and military planners a chance to observe how new unmanned technologies perform in demanding operational environments.

The aim is to identify systems that can be quickly integrated into the European Union’s future military operations, especially in the areas of logistics support, reconnaissance, surveillance, and battlefield management.

Six Companies in the Spotlight

In recent weeks, EDA experts visited several European countries to assess the solutions proposed by six defence technology companies:

• Beyond Vision from Portugal

• ALTUS LSA from Greece

• Schiebel from Austria

• Alisys from Spain

• Siec Badawcza Lukasiewicz PIAP from Poland

• ARX Robotics from Germany

Each company presented either unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or integrated autonomous systems, all designed to perform crucial support roles in complex military operations.

The systems underwent rigorous technical inspections, safety evaluations, and reliability tests to verify that they are capable of performing autonomously, securely, and efficiently in operational conditions.

Focus on Innovation and Rapid Capability Development

The OPEX campaign is not just about testing equipment — it’s also about accelerating innovation. The EDA’s Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI) is leading this effort by creating a collaborative space where industry experts, military users, and technical specialists can work together.

HEDI is designed to rapidly turn emerging ideas into operational military tools. Through immersive, scenario-based experiments, it allows new technologies to be trialled, validated, and fine-tuned in simulated combat and support operations. This ensures that when these systems are eventually deployed, they’re fully prepared for the challenges of modern battlefields.

NATO’s New Electromagnetic Warfare Sensor: GANDALF-4

Meanwhile, NATO has made significant progress in strengthening its electromagnetic warfare (EW) capabilities with the successful testing of a new prototype sensor called GANDALF-4. Developed by the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), this sensor is designed to detect, classify, and locate attempts to disrupt or deceive Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals — a tactic known as GNSS jamming and spoofing.

As modern militaries depend heavily on GNSS signals for navigation, targeting, and communications, these types of attacks represent a serious risk to operational security and effectiveness.

Advanced Testing in Controlled Conditions

The GANDALF-4 sensor underwent a series of precise performance tests in a specialised anechoic chamber at the NATO Support and Procurement Agency’s (NSPA) facility. This high-tech chamber simulates an isolated electromagnetic environment, enabling accurate calibration and assessment of the sensor’s antenna array.

The tests focused on the sensor’s ability to detect and locate jamming and spoofing sources, with a high degree of accuracy and reliability — essential for protecting NATO’s critical infrastructure and operational forces.

A Strong NATO Partnership

This testing campaign was made possible through close collaboration between NCIA’s Electromagnetic Warfare and Surveillance (EW&S) team and NSPA’s Ground-Based Defence (GBD) experts. The partnership ensured that technical expertise and operational knowledge were combined effectively to achieve testing goals.

Both agencies confirmed that the success of these trials marks an important step towards rapidly deploying next-generation electromagnetic defence systems within NATO’s operational network.

Both the EDA and NATO are actively investing in advanced autonomous systems and electromagnetic defence technologies to prepare for future operational challenges. The upcoming 2025 OPEX campaign and the deployment of systems like GANDALF-4 are clear examples of how European and NATO forces are modernising their capabilities to maintain operational superiority in increasingly complex and contested environments.

By combining operational trials with innovation hubs and expert collaboration, these defence organisations are setting new standards for the integration of cutting-edge military technologies.