The international meeting on the implementation of the Project ‘Electronic Warfare Capability and Interoperability Programme for Future Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR)’ was held in Prague from 14th to 16thMay for the second time within the permanent structured cooperation of the European Union countries, the PESCO.

The aim of the Project is the creation and subsequent development of management of electronic warfare operations within the European Union, and unification of approaches for joint action to support European Union missions. The key members of the Project are Germany, and the Czech Republic, which is also the leading country and coordinator of the Project.  

Picture: The second international meeting to implement the Electronic Warfare Project within the PESCO took place in Prague | army.cz

The Project is Guaranteed by the Czech Republic 

“Currently, it is the only Project that is guaranteed by the Czech Republic. Other countries, which have signed up for the Project, are Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Italy and Sweden. They hold the position of observers based on the assumption of joining the participating countries,” said Petr Čech, who manages the Project on behalf of the Defence Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence.

As part of the Expert Group meeting and the so-called ‘Steering Board’, the Project implementation process was unified by the Czech, German and Lithuanian representatives with emphasis on analysing current possibilities and capabilities of the participating countries in the area of electronic warfare, training, and the capability to assemble units that are able to respond to current security threats and new technologies.

Concept of Processing Approaches

Subsequently, the concept of processing approaches was developed and the framework of the whole project, which aims to enhance the capabilities and effectiveness of cooperation in the field of electronic warfare, was defined.  This Expert Group is led by the representatives of the Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare Department of the Ministry of Defence under the leadership of the Lieutenant Colonel, Petr Šnajdárek, and consists of experts of the Department of Intelligence and Security, Electronic Warfare University Defence and the 53rd Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare Regiment.   

The representatives of the Czech Defence and Security Industry, who participate in the Electronic Warfare Project, took part in the position of the observers. 

Picture: The second international meeting to implement the Electronic Warfare Project within the PESCO took place in Prague | army.cz

According to the requirements of the European Union the basic documents were also finalized and the rules for the Project management and administration that should be subsequently signed by all participating parties were discussed. 

Permanent structured cooperation is a part of the Common Defence and Security Policy of the Member States of the European Union and its main goal is the development and enhancement of the European defence capabilities. In total it involves 25 Member States of the European Union. Up to now, the Council of the European Union has approved 34 international projects in the two waves of the PESCO. Apart from the project management in the field of the Electronic Warfare, the Czech Republic also joined other 13 projects, 7 of them as a participant, and 6 of them as an observer.