Group : ESM & Warning Systems
Status : Active
Also Known As : Blue Kestrel
Origin : United Kingdom
Contractor : Thales
Total Production : ?

The Kestrel is a 360-degree coverage, airborne electronic and intelligence system designed for use in both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. It gives automatic analysis of the immediate radar environment providing self-defense, location of hostile emitters, and electronic warfare situational awareness. The Kestrel (Blue Kestrel) has been integrated in the EH101 helicopter as well as other aircraft.

The Kestrel employs six antennas mounted around the aircraft to receive continuous and pulse wave radar emissions. This information is digitized and passed to a data processing unit. Then the emitter is identified by comparison with a software library containing more than 2,000 radar modes. The Krestel features an integrated radar warning system and interfaces with a jammer and decoy launcher device.