Electronic Warfare: Rethinking the Importance of Its Role In Military Operations
Abstract
Today, a majority of the information shared or denied on the battlefield traverses the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS); thus control of the electro-magnetic spectrum has become essential to modern warfare. Electronic Warfare (EW) plays a critical role in dominating the EMS, but the current mindset regarding EW is characterized by misperception, misunderstanding, and mismanagement, resulting in EW being devalued and its resources misused. This thesis will argue how the current EW mindset impacts decisions made from DoD down to the tactical unit. At the DoD level there is a lack of effective joint organizational structure, advocacy, and strategy. Devalued and lacking advocacy, EW fails to earn resource investment today and into the foreseeable future. The services frustrate the lack of unified infrastructure and strategy by approaching EW from service oriented perspectives as opposed to a joint EW approach. At the operational level, commanders allow the current EW mindset to impact the manner in which the structure and populate their supporting EW organizations which results in ineffective EW operational employment and inaccurate force requirements. The entirety of these circumstances perpetuates the current EW mindset. A review of current and recent planning for employment of Airborne Electronic Warfare assets in PACOM and CENTCOMs areas of operation support the argument. The desired outcome is the recognition of the importance of the EMS and EWs role. That will occur when the EW mindset changes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 10, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1010558
Entities
People
- George Lambert
Organizations
- National Defense University