KRISTIAN RAMOS
The war in Ukraine has further reinforced a growing US military information age are of emphasis, given the impactful extend to cyber and electronic warfare tactics being employed.
The use of cyber and EW techniques, some of which go back to 2014 for Russia, highlights the Pentagon and US Army's doctrinal adjustment to the dawn of the computer age in recent decades. This transition from a 20-year focus on counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Iraq to conventional large-scale combat operations with near-peer threats has revealed that certain doctrines need of revision. The Department of Defense (DoD) has been intently focused on integrating these variables into plans and training exercises. Spearheading this is the DoD-established US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM). USCYBERCOM is the dedicated combatant command responsible for defending against and conducting cyber warfare operations across all military branches. These operations can target enemy communications, command and control systems, and critical infrastructure, crippling an adversary's ability to wage war. With an equally focused mission on defending against cyber threats, they work to protect critical infrastructure, military systems, and sensitive information from cyberattacks.
Each branch of the military maintains a unique electronic warfare capabilities toolbox. The Army, for example, has begun to focus on jamming resistance, with the goal of enabling sustained operations in a degraded EW environment. The Army’s preoccupation with cyber capabilities is reflected by its decision to update FM 3-12, the doctrinal guide for cyber operations and electromagnetic warfare, in August 2021, superseding the previous version from 2017. As more sophisticated technology is integrated into equipment to help soldiers “Shoot, Move, and Communicate”, the ability to counteract attacks on these systems is vital to maintain an advantage on the battlefield. Lockheed Martin has been tapped to develop next-generation equipment to operate specifically in contested environments, including the Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team (TLS-BCT) and Multi-Function Electronic Warfare-Air Large (MFEW-AL), allowing large ground units to have access to Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and EW & cyberspace capability. In September, the Army awarded a contract to Mastodon Design, a CACI subsidiary, to develop a manpack version of the TLS-BCT that extends this functionality to squad and platoon-level units. These systems are in various stages of development, with testing and fielding of the TLS-BCT coming in 2024.
The Air Force has announced that it has received the first EC-37B Electronic Warfare Aircraft, which is replacing the soon-to-be retired EC-130H Aircraft. While the mission will be the same-- namely, to disrupt enemy command and control communications, perform offensive counter-information operations, and suppress enemy air defenses-- the approach will be different from its EC-130 predecessor. A team effort with contractors BAE systems and L3 Harris, the new EC-37B will be built on a Gulfstream G550 platform allowing almost twice the flight ceiling and speed. The EC-37B’s increased capabilities will enable it to perform a greater range of operations for the United States and its allies.
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