Era
ERA a.s. is a Czech defense and civil aviation technology company specializing in multilateration, passive surveillance, and electronic warfare systems, serving air navigation service providers and military organizations across 70+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1961
- HeadquartersReston, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Era does
ERA a.s. is a Czech defense and civil aviation technology company headquartered in Pardubice and operating as a subsidiary of OMNIPOL a.s. Founded in 1961 with 251-500 employees, the company specializes in multilateration (MLAT), multistatic surveillance, and passive sensor technology. Its portfolio spans two primary product lines: a civil aviation suite centered on Wide Area Multilateration (WAM), ADS-B, and the ERIS family (ERIS-ATM, ERIS-A, ERIS-COMMS, ERIS-DART), plus the next-generation NEO platform and MSS-5 surface surveillance system; and a military line led by the VERA-NG passive Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system with proprietary 'FINGERPRINTING' and 'CAMOUFLAGE' capabilities, complemented by PLESS, EW-EDMT, LAPDIS, MIPS, and the EW-SIM training simulator. ERA has deployed more than 160 installations across over 70 countries on five continents, with systems designed for 24/7 mission-critical operations and built-in redundancy for high availability.
The company serves two principal customer segments: civil air navigation service providers (ANSPs) such as PANSA (Poland), LVNL (Netherlands), and the civil aviation authorities of Lithuania and Kyrgyzstan, and military and defense organizations including the Nigerian Air Force. ERA generates revenue through three streams: one-time license sales of surveillance hardware and software, professional installation and integration services (including cybersecurity implementation for complex projects), and recurring MASTERCARE maintenance and support subscriptions. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through government contracts on a custom basis, reflecting long enterprise sales cycles. Go-to-market is primarily direct enterprise sales supplemented by major defense and aviation exhibitions (ILA Berlin, Eurosatory, HEMUS, Airspace World, IEEE RadarConf), and the company recently formed strategic technology partnerships with Airbus and German defense partners to expand reach into next-generation air defence applications.
ERA a.s. is commercially headquartered in Pardubice, Czech Republic, with a wholly owned Slovak subsidiary (ERA R-SYS) that became the first Slovak company to obtain EASA Design Organisation Approval certification for ATM/ANS in June 2026. The company exhibits at five major global trade shows annually, maintains a presence across LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter, and pursues both organic geographic expansion (Central Asia via Kyrgyzstan) and partnership-led ecosystem integration (Airbus) as its primary growth vectors.
Era firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Era
- Legal name
- ERA a.s.
- Website
- https://era.cz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1961
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- ERA a.s. is a Czech defense and civil aviation technology company specializing in multilateration, passive surveillance, and electronic warfare systems, serving air navigation service providers and military organizations across 70+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Era industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Air Traffic Surveillance Systems
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IFF/Identification, Beaconing & Cooperative Surveillance Systems (IMABAGAF)
Keywords
Where Era is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Era business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Surveillance Systems Sales: Sale of hardware and software surveillance systems including WAM, MLAT, ADS-B, and passive sensor systems for military and civil air traffic management applications.
- Installation and Implementation Services: Custom installation, integration, and deployment services for mission-critical surveillance infrastructure including cybersecurity implementation for complex WAM projects.
- Maintenance and Support Services: Ongoing operational support, system maintenance, and MASTERCARE services for deployed systems ensuring 24/7 operations.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Era product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ERA a.s. develops, manufactures, and implements multilateration, multistatic surveillance, and reconnaissance systems for military and civil air traffic management. The civil portfolio includes the ERIS family (ERIS-ATM, ERIS-A, ERIS-COMMS, ERIS-DART), the next-generation NEO platform, MSS-5 surface surveillance, and WAM/ADS-B/PRM technology solutions. The military portfolio is anchored by the VERA-NG passive ESM system with proprietary fingerprinting and camouflage capabilities, complemented by PLESS, EW-EDMT, LAPDIS, MIPS, and the EW-SIM training simulator. MASTERCARE provides ongoing maintenance and support for deployed systems.
Product overview
ERA a.s. is a leading company in multilateration, multistatic surveillance, and reconnaissance technology. The company develops, manufactures, and implements mission-critical systems for military and civil purposes. The civil aviation portfolio centers on the ERIS family (ERIS-ATM, ERIS-A, ERIS-COMMS, ERIS-DART), the next-generation NEO platform, and MSS-5 surface surveillance, all leveraging WAM (Wide Area Multilateration), MLAT, and ADS-B technologies. The military portfolio features the VERA-NG passive ESM system with fingerprinting and camouflage capabilities, complemented by PLESS, EW-EDMT, LAPDIS, MIPS, and EW-SIM simulation tools. The company has deployed over 160 installations in 70 countries across 5 continents since 1995, with 65 years of tradition and experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- VERA-NG Passive Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system for military reconnaissance and surveillance. Features proprietary "fingerprinting" enhanced signal analysis and "camouflage" capability that allows the system to detect and track aircraft without emitting signals that reveal its own position. Targeted at defense and government military customers.
- WAM (Wide Area Multilateration) Wide Area Multilateration system providing airspace surveillance using multiple ground stations and time difference of arrival (TDOA) calculations. Features built-in redundancy through distributed MLAT architecture to deliver high availability for civil air traffic management customers.
- ERIS-ATM Air traffic management solution within the ERIS family of civil aviation products for air navigation service providers.
- ERIS-A Civil aviation surveillance product within the ERIS family for air traffic management applications.
- ERIS-COMMS Communication system for both air traffic management and military applications within the ERIS family.
- ERIS-DART Air traffic management product within the ERIS family for civil aviation surveillance.
- MSS-5 Multilateration surface surveillance system for airport ground movement tracking and vehicle tracking at airports.
- NEO Next-generation surveillance platform representing ERA's advanced civil aviation surveillance technology offering.
- MASTERCARE Ongoing maintenance and support service for ERA's civil aviation products, supporting 24/7 operations of deployed surveillance systems.
- PLESS Military security and electronic warfare surveillance product for defense applications.
- EW-EDMT Electronic Warfare Electronic Duty Maintainability Tool used by military operators for ESM system sustainment.
- LAPDIS Military surveillance and reconnaissance system for defense customers.
- MIPS Military intelligence and processing system for defense surveillance and reconnaissance operations.
- EW-SIM (VERA-NG Simulator) Simulator and training system for the VERA-NG electronic warfare platform, supporting EW operator training.
- 3R Versatile surveillance system offered for both civil air traffic management and military applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- 65 years of tradition and experience
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Era
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Era technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Era partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- AirbuscoreERA and Airbus have integrated passive sensor data for next-generation air defence applications. This partnership combines ERA's passive surveillance technology with Airbus's air defence systems.
- PANSA (Poland)majorERA and PANSA signed contract to install WAM System covering airspace in South Poland. Strategic customer and technology partnership for civil air traffic management.
- Czech Republic Ministry of DefencemajorERA was cited as a potential technology and capacity-building partner for Nigerian Air Force in areas including aerospace engineering, counter-drone systems, and cybersecurity, as part of Czech Republic defence cooperation.
- German Partners (ILA Berlin)coreERA exhibited passive surveillance solutions at ILA Berlin in cooperation with German partners, demonstrating collaborative GTM approach in the German market.
- ERA R-SYS (Slovak Subsidiary)coreERA R-SYS is ERA's Slovak subsidiary and became the first Slovak company to obtain EASA DPO Certification for ATM/ANS, expanding ERA's regulatory capabilities.
- LVNL (Netherlands)majorERA delivered MSS system for North Sea helicopter traffic coverage to oil platforms for LVNL (Netherlands air navigation service provider).
- OMNIPOL a.s.coreOMNIPOL a.s. is the parent company of ERA a.s., providing strategic oversight and ownership of the surveillance technology business.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Era competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- L3Harris Technologies: US defense and civil aerospace contractor with major surveillance, electronic warfare, and air traffic management product lines. Comparable to ERA across both military EW/surveillance and civil ATM domains, although skewed toward US/FMS markets.
- Hensoldt AG: German defense electronics specialist (formerly Airbus DS Electronics) focused on sensors, radar, and EW. Closely comparable to ERA's military portfolio (passive ESM, EW, reconnaissance) with a similar specialization in defense sensors rather than full prime-contractor scope.
- Raytheon Technologies (RTX): US defense prime with major radar, EW, and air traffic management product lines (e.g., Raytheon Intelligence & Space, Collins Aerospace ATM). Overlaps with ERA in surveillance and EW capabilities but operates at vastly different scale and primarily through US/FMS channels.
- Thales: Global defense and aerospace prime with major air traffic management (Thales Air Systems) and air defence/surveillance business units. Compares to ERA as a much larger incumbent offering overlapping surveillance, radar, and EW capabilities but as part of a much broader portfolio rather than specializing in passive MLAT/ESM.
- Leonardo S.p.A. Italian aerospace, defense, and security major with substantial air traffic management (Leonardo ATC) and electronic warfare/radar systems business. Overlaps with ERA in military radar, ATM surveillance, and EW, but operates at much larger scale across multiple platform categories.
- Northrop Grumman: US defense prime with extensive ISR, electronic warfare, and air defence radar capabilities. Comparable to ERA's military surveillance and EW portfolio at the lower end of Northrop's domain where passive detection and identification systems are sold to allied militaries.
- Indra Sistemas: Spanish IT and defense company with significant air traffic management (Indra ATM) and defense electronics businesses. Provides overlapping WAM, primary radar, and surveillance capabilities to civil and military customers across Europe and Latin America, comparable to ERA's customer base.
- Saab AB: Swedish defense and security company with air traffic management (Saab Air Traffic Management, formerly Combitech ATM) and electronic warfare/surveillance divisions. Directly comparable to ERA in providing MLAT/WAM-style surveillance to ANSP customers and military electronic warfare systems.
Direct peers
- Rohde & Schwarz: German specialist in electronic warfare, signals intelligence, and secure communications. Closely comparable to ERA's military VERA-NG passive ESM and EW portfolio with deep expertise in signal analysis and electronic support measures for defense customers.
- Frequentis AG: Austrian specialist in air traffic management voice/data communications and control center solutions. Targets the same civil ANSP customer base as ERA and frequently partners in end-to-end ATM deployments, making it a natural complementary rather than direct head-to-head competitor in surveillance hardware.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Era social profiles
Digital presenceEra compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Era financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Era leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Era subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Era funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Era M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Era
What does Era do?
ERA a.s. develops, manufactures, and implements multilateration, multistatic surveillance, and reconnaissance systems for military and civil air traffic management. The civil portfolio includes the ERIS family (ERIS-ATM, ERIS-A, ERIS-COMMS, ERIS-DART), the next-generation NEO platform, MSS-5 surface surveillance, and WAM/ADS-B/PRM technology solutions. The military portfolio is anchored by the VERA-NG passive ESM system with proprietary fingerprinting and camouflage capabilities, complemented by PLESS, EW-EDMT, LAPDIS, MIPS, and the EW-SIM training simulator. MASTERCARE provides ongoing maintenance and support for deployed systems.
Is Era a public or private company?
Era is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Era founded?
Era was founded in 1961. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Era based?
Era is headquartered in Reston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Era make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Surveillance Systems Sales are the primary driver. The others are installation and Implementation Services and maintenance and Support Services.
Who are Era's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are L3Harris Technologies, Hensoldt AG, Raytheon Technologies (RTX), Thales, Leonardo S.p.A., Northrop Grumman, Indra Sistemas and Saab AB. Direct peers are Rohde & Schwarz and Frequentis AG.
Does Era have an API?
No public API is recorded for Era.
What industry is Era in?
Era's product category is Air Traffic Surveillance Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAGAF, IFF/Identification, Beaconing & Cooperative Surveillance Systems. Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.