In recent news, the evolution of technology has taken a front and center position especially in regards to artificial intelligence and machine learning. However, in terms of the military, a very specific area that has been lacking in both news and advances is an area that Russia currently has an overwhelming edge in over America.
That technology is called “electronic warfare”. Machines and weapons that have electronically inherent capabilities for both offensive and defensive purposes. “Electronic warfare” (henceforth EW) is a medium of warfare that utilizes the electromagnetic spectrum as we know it. Raytheon describes EW as “[using] focused energy, usually radio waves or laser light, to confuse or disable an enemy’s electronics. It can also involve listening —collecting an enemy’s radio signals or sensing the radar of an incoming missile.”
In fact, the utilization of the electromagnetic spectrum as an instrument of warfare has been used for quite awhile now. EW has been used since World War 2: radar jammers, spoofed radio transmissions (fake radio reports), and navigational radar support systems. Such electronic systems have evolved over time as technology gets better, stronger, more portable, etc.
However, in recent years due to Moore’s Law and the importance of 21st century technologies on the modern battlefield, EW has been making a strong rising, albeit quietly.
Much of the focus in terms of electronics is “modernization”: many countries, both the United States, her allies, and China and Russia all use older forms of technology. Only very, very recently have the military’s across the globe been upgrading their technologies. The United States’ nuclear arsenal has been running on old floppy disks: most of our nuclear capabilities are all ran on ” system is still running on an IBM Series/1 Computer, which is a 1970s computing system, and written in assembly language code.” China in its quest to be coming one of the foremost hegemons in the global sphere, are researching quantum computing (hacking, intelligence), hypersonic missiles, and electromagnetic rail guns.
Regardless, much of the worry and uneasiness in Russia’s technological evolution is that the United States is lagging behind. Though companies such as Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and others are quite literally the only companies in the world who have access (and the research/development) to the cutting edge tech of tomorrow, Russia has already deployed their own versions on the battlefield of today.
The Russian military has been offering a substantial amount of military support to the Assad regime in Syria, one of which are EW technologies. During President Trump’s early administration days, the US launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at an air base in Syria called al Shayrat. It is presumed that this particular air base that launched the aircraft that dropped chemical weapons on a town (Khan Shaykhun).
US media and defense department media all reported that a majority (nearly all) of the Tomahawks that were launched hit their targets. “58 or 59 of the cruise missiles launched severely degraded or destroyed their targets”. The base had lost the capabilities to rearm or refuel aircraft as well have some of their aircraft damaged or entirely destroyed. Independent analysis from other organizations as well as nations also placed the strikes were highly effective.
However, Russian media begged to differ. Russian media had stated that the April missile attacks were less effective than they were reported to of been. Reason being: the Rychag-AV, an EM jammer that has the ability to thwart the effectiveness of missiles and other weaponry. It has been called one of the worlds most powerful EM jammers today. On the attack on the air base , sources from Russia had said that only “23 Tomahawks reached their targets ; the remaining 36 flew off course”
Its reach and capability is seemingly unrivaled: Russian military reports that the jamming capabilities of the Rychag-AV can reach upwards of 400 kilometers (248 miles). The results of using the Rychag-AV in combat are that it disrupts the navigational computing of the cruise missile and makes it not reach its target. It can make the cruise missile go astray and land elsewhere by affecting it with heavy electronic countermeasures ; the internal mechanisms of the cruise missile will get “confused” and climb higher so it can readjust positioning (thereby allowing it to be shot down by air defenses).
Of course, to rely on “Russian media” in its attempts to say that their weaponry more than satisfactorily took down a reasonably large swath of American cruise missiles is simply absurd. Nevertheless, the potency of EW technologies that Russia currently has is not to be trifled with.
Just last year in October, the Russian military organized the first ever EW specialists unit that has its aims in destroying enemy drones/UAVs. The systems this unit would use is based on the Krasukha jammer: its ability is to disrupt the signals from the fliers of drones/UAVs, thereby allowing it to be shot down or captured. US drone operators are not worried however: it took Iran four entire years to take down one Predator drone (2011 RQ-170 downing). And Russia is stressing that this is simply just the beginning, and this unit will soon not be a unique one of a kind.
But this should not ease the concerns of the United States: Ukraine faced EW units that were conducting missions that disrupted the country’s government or assisted separatist in the region. “[…]Small electronic warfare units have previously crossed the border to jam the Kiev government’s communications or enhance the fire control of the separatists’ artillery, before pulling back to their own territory shortly after”. This was a quote by Roger McDermott at a Center for Strategic and International Studies organized speaker presentation.
McDermott, a senior research fellow in war studies at King’s College London, has given a very in depth overview of Russia’s EW capabilities, and they are disturbing. McDermott comments how Russian military forces are now currently integrating their conventional military units with EW units: 150 to 180 non conscript soldiers who plan, engage, and execute EW related missions in Crimea and Ukraine.
“Strategic Thinking” is the name of the game for the Russian military now, and it integrates elements of EW. McDermott explains this as C4ISR: Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. McDermott also explains that NATO does not have this sort of structure nor does it include EW in its exercises.
Russia in early January faced an unknown swarm of enemy drones on their headquarters in Syria at Hmeimin air base, as well as at the Russian naval base at Tartus. McDermott pipes up explaining why Russia is brimming with confidence: ” “One of the reasons the Russian armed forces… are booming with confidence at this point is because they’re gaining such operational experience.”
And this is true beyond measure: from making their own unique EW units, their experiences in Syria, and their technological advances with their EW systems Russia should most definitely be confident in their abilities right now.
What does this mean? This means the US is not taking EW seriously: Russia is. The long slumber of the Russian bear is now over: its hibernation is done. Coming this Spring, Russia will want to most definitely make its mark on the map in regards to EW, and it may come closer than the US military may think…..
SOURCES USED IN THE MAKING OF THIS ARTICLE
https://qz.com/1205789/chinas-military-technology/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_electronic_warfare_equipment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_warfare
https://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/ew
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/electronic-warfare.html
https://sputniknews.com/military/201803201062718631-syria-russian-helicopter-rychag-jammer/
https://news.usni.org/2018/01/30/russian-operations-exercises-have-integrated-electronic-warfare
https://breakingdefense.com/2018/02/electronic-warfare-trumps-cyber-for-deterring-russia/
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