The future of electronic warfare : an invisible enemy that sows chaos

The sophistication of offensive weapons changes the rules of the game in armed conflicts

Electromagnetic or electronic warfare, also known by its acronym in English EW (Electronic Warfare) is defined as the set of military actions that use electromagnetic energy, from radio waves to gamma rays, to attack an enemy and seize control. radiation control. His practice dates back to World War II. On the ground, GPS signals can be interfered with, crucial when it comes to knowing the situation in a combat zone, both from the enemy and from the troops themselves, and drone technology can also be inhibited, preventing them from receiving the signals to that they can fly.

And this ‘invisible threat’, which is on the rise and puts all countries on alert, can be especially destructive in space, rendering enemy satellites useless. So far there are not many defensive arguments to stop all threats. The United States is increasingly interested in having a rapid response capacity and monitoring the space around the Moon, a strategic point for the placement of satellites. They have done all this because there is an arms race with satellites capable of destroying other satellites with weapons that blind the enemy”, that is, they manipulate these infrastructures until they are completely useless.
Electronic warfare in space is defined by spy satellites for observing, listening or intercepting signals.

Blindly
Whether on the ground or in space, the main characteristic of this type of technology makes it difficult to know the author of the attack and its location.

It does not have the visual or emotional impact of the explosions caused by missiles, rockets or artillery shells, because it is limited to passing through walls and walls. But its effects are devastating.

In September of last year, Russia carried out a large strategic military training exercise, where electromagnetic warfare was put into practice. And China intends to have a cannon with electromagnetic energy on its ships by 2025.
They are mostly voice, radio, radar and microwave transmissions, over which orders, data or images flow. And the idea is to sow chaos and disrupt the chain of command. Other countries, in addition to the United States or Russia, as is the case with China, intend to have by 2025, according to the Chinese media Global Times, a cannon with electromagnetic energy on their ships.

Israel also announced in November 2021 that the state defense contractor IsraelAerospace Industries (IAI, demonstration video), has developed the Scorpius family of weapons, which sends focused beams that interfere with electromagnetic spectra and create a protective field against attack.

It is a real but intangible force. It does not have the visual and emotional impact of the explosions caused by missiles, rockets, bombs and artillery shells, nor the havoc of machine gun and rifle bullets. And it does not destroy buildings or civil and military infrastructure, nor does it cause fatalities and injuries because it is limited to passing through walls and walls. But its effects are devastating.

In the military lexicon it is electronic warfare or EW ‒Electronic Warfare‒, which goes unnoticed by the layman because it develops on invisible waves that do not destroy anything palpable. That is why it does not attract the attention of the graphic reporters and special envoys of newspapers and magazines, much less of the cameras of the television networks.

However, contemporary armed conflicts are also waged in the domain of signals and codes that travel through the immaterial electromagnetic spectrum, so it is convenient to know what EW is and what it is for. In essence, electronic warfare is the set of military actions that use electromagnetic energy – from radio waves to gamma rays – to attack an enemy and gain control of their radiation.

They are mostly voice, radio, radar and microwave transmissions, on which information, intelligence, data, images flow and orders and reports are issued. Due to its effects of disrupting the chain of command and control, everything that surrounds the EW systems bears the seal of top secret.