The European Defence Agency (EDA) has issued a clear mandate for the unified development and integration of cyber and electromagnetic capabilities, termed Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA), signaling a critical area for future investment and collaborative project opportunities across the European defence technological and industrial base.
This strategic focus, discussed at an industry day on September 30th, addresses the necessity of a coordinated approach in a military environment defined by rapid digitisation and reliance on the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) for communications, sensing, and operational control.
For UK-based businesses engaging with European partners, particularly those targeting contracts under the European Defence Fund (EDF) or bilateral programmes, the EDA’s emphasis on CEMA defines a high-priority technology domain. The Agency stressed that uncoordinated activities across cyberspace and the EMS risk interference and operational failure, while synchronised, integrated operations offer significantly enhanced military effect in multi-domain and cognitive warfare scenarios. This principle translates directly into a demand for solutions that achieve seamless interoperability between cyber security, electronic warfare (EW), and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) systems.
The industry day, which involved companies specialising in advanced defence technologies such as Avantix, ELT Group, and MyDefence, showcased technological areas of acute interest. These included counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), passive surveillance technologies, sophisticated radar modelling and simulation, software-defined solutions for adaptability, and resilient anti-jamming systems. The expressed need for integration and enhanced collaboration within the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (C5ISTAR) framework creates specific requirements for companies specialising in system integration, secure data transport, and advanced digital platforms capable of managing and exploiting simultaneous cyber and EMS data streams.
This initiative reinforces the EDA’s commitment to strengthening cooperation among the EU defence industrial base. UK companies should view the CEMA focus as an indicator of future European defence technology requirements, positioning their expertise in areas like multi-domain C5ISTAR integration and cognitive EW to secure partnerships and technical leadership in this rapidly evolving and strategically vital sector. The demand is not merely for individual component capabilities, but for comprehensive, integrated systems that deliver a decisive operational advantage.
If you would like to join our community and read more articles like this then please click here
Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
RELATED ARTICLES
October 30, 2025
Homeland - A UK-Ukraine Model For Defence Innovation – Research Paper
The war in Ukraine has triggered a fundamental shift in the global defence landscape. Not only has it exposed critical
