Summer Myatt
Electronic warfare threats are intensifying across the globe — for the past year, EW tactics have been heavily deployed in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Early on in the conflict, Russian forces jammed and disrupted Ukraine’s radars and communications systems. In late December 2022, Russian troops used EW to disable 90 percent of Ukraine’s drones, according to Forbes.
This display of EW on the battlefield has provided a glimpse into what the future of warfare may look like and has prompted U.S. military leaders to take a closer look at their offensive and defensive EW capabilities.
How is the U.S. protecting itself against EW? Learn more about EW and its impacts on national security during the ExecutiveBiz Electronic Warfare Forum on Jan. 19. The U.S. Army’s Lt. Gen. Maria Gervais is scheduled to keynote. Register here.
What is Electronic Warfare?
Electronic warfare is the term used to describe any action involving the use of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum to attack an adversary, obstruct adversarial assaults or gain control of the spectrum.
Many of the world’s and the United States’ weapons systems, communications systems, radars and other military and civilian systems rely on the electromagnetic spectrum to operate, so using EW to detect, disrupt, deceive and deny these systems of access to the EM spectrum can be extremely detrimental.
How Are U.S. Military Leaders Responding?
Across the Department of Defense, leaders have taken notice of the rise of EW on the battlefield, and they’re pushing EW capabilities to the forefront of their priorities.
Outlining the urgency of the threat, Kenneth Bray, associate deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for the U.S. Air Force, said, “Our adversaries in the electromagnetic spectrum are preparing themselves to use that against us because they see that we rely on it very heavily to connect ourselves, and they do not want us connected.”
“They know that we are the primary power on the planet when it comes to command and control of doing battle management, and that we have an ability to shift forces to where the problem is because we do this well. We need that spectrum. We cannot give it up,” he added during a GovCon Wire panel discussion.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, a Wash100 Award winner, is already treating electronic warfare as one of his operational imperatives, although it has not been formally listed as one, according to Bray.
Bray said Secretary Kendall is preparing his staff for electromagnetic operations across the spectrum. “He especially wants us to be offensive,” Bray said. “That’s the very first thing he has our staff working on. What are the things we can do to be offensive, to shape the battle the way we want it, instead of being reactive to an enemy that is trying to get inside of our decision cycle?”
Bray’s office has given Secretary Kendall their first interim review on EW recommendations, they’ll be delivering another review this month, and the final report will be delivered in February, Bray said.
On the Army side of the DOD, Under Secretary Gabe Camarillo is similarly ramping up the Army’s focus on EW.
“There is a need for continued investment, we do have programs in place that are looking at both mounted and dismounted EW capabilities that are progressing very, very well. But I think there continues to be some areas where there are gaps and I think we need to stay ahead of the threat curve. That is something that I am very concerned about,” Camarillo shared at an Association of the U.S. Army event.
Camarillo said the Army is working now on fielding EW and electronic protection capabilities that are more tailored to threats from China and other global competitors.
Join the ExecutiveBiz Electronic Warfare Forum on Jan. 19 to hear from top military leaders on what’s being done to protect the nation against EW attacks. Click here to register.
