The Czech Army’s 53rd Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare Regiment has unveiled a prototype of a new mobile electronic warfare (EW) system STARKOM (STAvebnicovy Rusic KOMunikacni). 

The system was developed and manufactured by the state-owned VVU Brno military research institute in only three years. The software (SW) and key hardware components related to EW are provided by manufacturer URC Systems specializing in Czech jamming systems, supported by the JISR Institute. 

STARKOM (or STAR COM, according to the manufacturing company URC) is the modular tactical jamming system enabling the disruption, neutralization, and deception of enemy communication in very-high-frequency/ultra-high frequency/super-high frequency (VHF/UHF/SHF) bands, including Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) bands of mobile networks by jamming enemy analog and digital voice and data communications.

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In addition, the system in question can be integrated into a complex Electronic Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS) or it can work autonomously using its own ESM subsystem (SYMON).

The system is mounted on a Tatra Force T-815-7T3RC1 8×8 chassis with an extended wheelbase designed to jam aerial and land targets on the operational-tactical level, while, at the same time, it has the capability to counter modern frequency-agile systems such as frequency-hopping ones.

Further, the system is not only used for powerful jamming across the tactical waveband for electronic countermeasures, but also for electronic support measures as a radio reconnaissance, direction-finding, and surveillance sensor that can conduct a detailed analysis of enemy radio signals.

Its technical characteristics include:

• Reactive jamming, including fast hopping signals
• Smart jamming algorithms
• Power output: up to 1.8 kW depending on the configuration 
• Frequency range: 30 MHz – 6 GHz
• Modulation signal types: AM, FM, CW, FSK, and PSK
• Scanning speed 107 GHz/s

Regarding the system’s protection capabilities, it facilitates jamming of radio-controlled improvised explosive devices (RCIEDs) triggered from various sources, covering all frequency spectrums of, for example, commercial radios, radio-controlled models, mobile phones, WiFi and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

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