Electronic Integration.

The First Jointly-Produced EW Fighter.

The EA-49C Howler represents a landmark in multinational defense collaboration, bringing together the combined expertise of Starcrest United, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Airbus Defence and Space, and Leonardo to create one of the world’s first truly global electronic warfare fighters. Designed from the ground up for escort jamming, electronic attack, and SEAD support, the Howler bridges the gap between Western and non-Western defense ecosystems, enabling nations without access to U.S. platforms like the EA-18G to field an equally advanced capability. With Starcrest providing the base airframe and electronic warfare architecture, HAL contributing advanced mission computers and modular systems integration, Airbus refining aerodynamics and structural modifications for carrier operations, and Leonardo supplying cutting-edge radar warning receivers, jamming pods, and electronic support measures, the EA-49C Howler embodies both technological sophistication and cooperative defense strategy. More than an aircraft, it is a symbol of global defense integration, designed to ensure allied nations retain independent, sovereign EW capabilities while strengthening industrial ties and job creation across Europe, India, and beyond.

Electric Doctrine

The EA-49C Howler is designed to function as a true force multiplier, leveraging cutting-edge electronic warfare capabilities to reshape the modern battlespace. At the heart of its systems is the SEAS-67 electronic warfare pod suite, which provides comprehensive jamming, radar denial, and electronic attack functions without the need for a second crew member, enabling autonomous EW support for strike packages. Armed with IRIS-T short-range missiles for self-defense and close-in dogfighting, the Howler retains teeth even when operating deep in contested airspace. Its role is not to replace existing strike fighters but to complement and enhance them: in Europe, the Howler will serve as an escort jammer and suppression platform to the F-35 Lightning II, extending survivability and lethality against advanced integrated air defense systems; in India, it will bolster the Rafale and MiG-29K fleets, providing them with electronic cover and opening strike corridors that would otherwise be prohibitively risky. By combining electronic dominance with multirole survivability, the EA-49C Howler ensures that partner nations can project power with confidence in even the most heavily contested environments.

Procurement Catalyst

The development of the EA-49C Howler was driven by a growing demand among allied nations for dedicated electronic warfare capabilities—a demand that could not be met by U.S. exports. For decades, the EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler have been the gold standards in airborne electronic attack, yet Washington has strictly limited access to these platforms, denying even close partners such as Italy, Spain, and India. This left many advanced air forces dependent on either pod-based stopgaps or U.S. support during coalition operations, undermining their ability to conduct truly independent strike missions. The EA-49C Howler fills this critical gap. Developed jointly by Starcrest United, HAL, Airbus Defence and Space, and Leonardo, it provides a sovereign alternative that allows nations to field a dedicated escort jammer and SEAD platform without reliance on U.S. approval. By doing so, the Howler not only ensures strategic autonomy for its operators, but also strengthens multinational defense partnerships, reinforces industrial independence, and delivers a much-needed capability to nations preparing to operate in increasingly hostile and contested electronic environments.