Thales Advances in EW Superiority with CURCO and Golden AI
How new radar-detection and AI analysis tools give Thales an edge over competing electronic-warfare solutions.
www.thalesgroup.com
Why These Technologies Matter for Modern Defence Applications
Armed forces worldwide are seeking faster radar detection, better electromagnetic-spectrum awareness, and reduced operator workload as drones multiply and conflicts intensify. Thales’ newly awarded PERSEUS labels highlight two innovations answering these operational needs: CURCO, a radar-emission detector for drones and mobile platforms, and Golden AI, an artificial-intelligence engine that speeds up electronic-warfare (EW) data analysis. Both solutions address key questions defence organisations increasingly ask: how to detect threats sooner, process data faster, and maintain decision advantage.
How CURCO Differentiates Itself Among Radar Detectors
CURCO is a lightweight, compact radar-detection payload that integrates with almost any drone or air, sea, or land vehicle. Unlike conventional systems requiring larger platforms, CURCO is designed around strict SWaP constraints, enabling high-performance EW capability on smaller, more agile assets.
Its wide-band electromagnetic sensing delivers rapid and precise detection of enemy radar emissions. Trials with the French Navy in 2024 and 2025 confirm its operational reliability and compatibility with diverse mission-software environments. Planned enhancements include an optional on-board jammer, allowing CURCO to both detect and disrupt hostile radars—an uncommon capability in this class of payloads.
Compared to competitors, CURCO stands out through its platform-agnostic design, real-time tactical output and future jamming option, offering a flexible, scalable solution for radar warning and spectrum awareness.
Golden AI: Accelerating R-ESM Analysis and Enabling Cognitive EW
Golden AI tackles one of the biggest EW challenges: the volume and complexity of data generated by radar-intercept receivers (R-ESM). Manual processing, still common in many militaries, slows responsiveness in fast-changing missions.
Thales’ solution marks a step toward cognitive electronic warfare by analysing R-ESM data up to four times faster. It trains specialised AI models on existing electromagnetic-interception databases and applies them to mission data to identify radar signatures and expand the reference base. This reduces operator workload while improving the consistency and precision of reports.
Ground tests and the Clemenceau 25 exercise showed Golden AI’s ability to handle the French Navy’s extensive capitalisation database, accelerate debriefing cycles, and enhance perception of the electronic order of battle—all while ensuring sovereign, trusted AI, a key differentiator for defence customers.
CURCO, a lightweight and compact external payload, adaptable to any drone and air, sea or land vehicle ©Thales
The Role of the PERSEUS Label in Defence Adoption
Granted by the French Navy, the DGA and the Defence Innovation Agency, the PERSEUS label accelerates the introduction of high-value technologies into military use. The 2025 awards for CURCO and Golden AI follow Thales’ 2023 recognition for its Sentinel EW system, reinforcing the company’s leadership in electromagnetic-spectrum mastery.
In an environment where radar threats evolve quickly and drones reshape operations, these tools respond to urgent needs for faster threat detection, better situational awareness, and optimised analysis workflows. Their relevance extends beyond the French Navy to export markets facing similar spectrum-dominance challenges.
Thales’ Differentiation in the EW Landscape
With more than 60 years of expertise, Thales remains a core partner in European electronic warfare. The combination of a highly deployable radar detector (CURCO) and an AI-powered analysis engine (Golden AI) demonstrates a key competitive advantage: the ability to offer both advanced sensing and accelerated interpretation, adaptable to multiple platforms and built on sovereign AI foundations.
Together, these innovations strengthen control of the electromagnetic spectrum—an increasingly decisive element in modern military superiority.
www.thalesgroup.com
