The UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and QinetiQ have developed Erebus, a new flight test capability designed to reduce the risk and cost of integrating defensive aid systems onto military aircraft.
Erebus allows defensive aid systems (DAS) — equipment fitted to military aircraft to detect and protect against threats including radar and missiles — to be evaluated in real-world flight conditions before integration onto operational platforms. The program builds on existing laboratory and simulation testing by providing a real-world evaluation stage prior to frontline deployment.
The systems currently fitted to Erebus were developed under Team Pellonia, a UK government partnership with industry. They include the Elix-IR infrared threat warning system from Thales UK, the Miysis directed infrared countermeasure from Leonardo UK,the MAPPS-C DAS controller, also from Leonardo UK and SAGE, a radar warning and electronic support measure from Leonardo UK.
Integrating DAS onto aircraft represents the most expensive phase of DAS deployment, and Erebus is intended to reduce these costs by enabling faster development and testing without removing military aircraft from frontline service. The capability allows full platform capabilities to be tested without drawing operational aircraft away from active duty.
Erebus supports spiral development to enable rapid upgrades and is designed to scale in support of both UK and allied forces. Dstl says the program may also enable the UK to share development costs with NATO partners in the future.
QinetiQ has held a long-term partnering agreement with the UK MoD since 2003, under which it provides test and evaluation of military and civil platforms, systems, weapons and components across land, sea and air environments. The development of Erebus represents an extension of that relationship into real-world DAS flight testing.
The first set of flight tests was completed in October 2025, providing test evidence for UK DAS development and assurance. Future work will focus on reducing integration risk and simplifying the process of bringing new systems and upgrades into service.
Erebus has already attracted interest from NATO and European partners. The UK is sharing best practice and access to the capability through the Four-Eyes Air Electromagnetic Warfare Combined Test and Evaluation Programme Agreement, reinforcing its position in international DAS development.
