Stormforce 25, a major electronic warfare (EW) exercise focused on improving how allied forces detect, locate, and respond to electronic threats, marked the operational debut of the Bandit system.

The exercise, held at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, brought together military and intelligence teams from the Five Eyes alliance – Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Joint EW Directorate’s Assistant Director Cooperative Operations, Matthew Kinast, said Stormforce was the premier demonstration series for multi-intelligence integration.

Organised and hosted by our US partners, it provides Australia with an opportunity to represent at the Five Eyes level – strengthening our operational credibility and deepening international relationships across coalition partners.

Stormforce 25 focused on precision geolocation and interoperability, allowing multiple nations to share sensor data in real time and coordinate responses across the battlespace.

“A standout feature of Stormforce 25 was the operational debut of Bandit, a redesigned EW system developed by the Joint EW Directorate (JEWD),” Mr Kinast said. 

“Bandit marks a strategic shift from earlier, engineer-heavy systems to a more agile, operator-focused solution.”

In 2024, JEWD transitioned to Bandit, making it easier to deploy, scale and operate across diverse platforms and networks. By removing barriers to collaboration, Bandit enables Five Eyes partners to act as a unified force in contested environments.

The Australian Army’s 7th Combat Signal Regiment played a key role in validating Bandit during Stormforce 25.

Bandit was praised for its rapid setup, intuitive interface and effectiveness in enabling collaborative precision geolocation.

The system’s success demonstrated more than just technical capability – it proved its value as a coalition enabler. Its integration across national systems means that allied forces can now operate with greater speed, coordination and confidence.

“Stormforce 25 proved that Bandit is not only operationally ready – it’s coalition-ready,” Mr Kinast said.

Stormforce 25 set a new benchmark for Australia in multinational EW operations. 

As Five Eyes partners continue to invest in joint EW capabilities, Bandit’s success highlights the importance of designing tools that are not only technically advanced but also easy to use and adaptable to real-world conditions.