The realities of modern wars have given a powerful impetus to the development of high-tech and precision weapons, which in turn predetermined the rapid development of systems that could effectively counteract these new threats. Therefore, according to experts, today it is almost impossible to overestimate the potential of electronic warfare (EW).
What is modern electronic warfare in simple words? This is a complex of systems that conduct an "electromagnetic battle", where instead of tanks and guns there are the most complex electronics, and instead of shells and missiles there are electromagnetic waves and signals. These systems perform the functions of suppression (disruption or reduction of the effectiveness of enemy combat and support systems using interference, false targets and other methods), protection (neutralization of enemy electronic warfare, protection of objects and positions from homing weapons and technical reconnaissance equipment) and intelligence (gathering information based on interception of signals through communication channels between people, from radar stations, radio interference stations and other means). At the same time, strategic-level electronic warfare equipment covers and affects territories within a radius of hundreds to thousands of kilometers. Means of operational (operational-tactical) level – on the territory from several tens to hundreds of kilometers and tactical level – from hundreds of meters to tens of kilometers.
According to experts, the increasing role of electronic warfare in modern wars is actually due not only to the saturation of troops with the latest models of precision weapons, but also to a sharp increase in the share of supporting forces in military operations. According to Western experts, in modern operations, about two thirds of all forces involved solve the tasks of intelligence, electronic warfare, management, logistics, and so on. Thus, filling the modern battlefield with information systems simply "condemns" electronic warfare to play an extremely important role in modern and future wars.
In addition, there are several other factors that influence the increase in the importance of electronic warfare forces and means.
For example, the rapid development of technology and the computerization of military affairs lead to the creation of new combat vehicles with unique capabilities. Thus, the active and effective use of combat unmanned aerial vehicles in the Syrian Arab Republic and Libya, then in Nagorno-Karabakh, and today in Ukraine irrefutably testifies that UAVs in armed conflicts have become an integral and effective means of both reconnaissance and defeat. Moreover, the number of drones taking part in combat operations is steadily growing, and their range is expanding from high–tech complexes measuring several meters to very miniature ones, designed, among other things, for "hunting" single targets - from a tank (BMP) to a separate serviceman.
Naturally, this state of affairs requires constant improvement and the creation of new forms and methods of counteraction. And first of all, this applies to the forces and means of electronic warfare, because almost all drones suffer from the problem of ensuring the stability of radio channels through which control commands, telemetry and video signals are transmitted. Suppression of these channels leads to non-fulfillment of tasks. Therefore, electronic warfare systems are an effective, flexible and convenient means of combating UAVs.
In addition, an important factor determining the increasing importance of electronic warfare in modern wars and armed conflicts is the increase in the capabilities of the forces and means of electronic warfare themselves to influence the combat and support systems of the enemy. Modern electronic warfare systems are very versatile: they can be used to the depth of both a single combat operation and the entire theater of operations, at any time of the day, use lethal and non-lethal means of destruction, provide comprehensive protection for their respective systems and even use enemy computer networks to their advantage. In addition, electronic warfare systems can operate as part of various multi-purpose integrated systems, for example, combat control, communications, reconnaissance, fire damage, as well as reconnaissance and strike complexes.
By the way, improving the use of electronic warfare as part of reconnaissance and strike complexes and systems is one of the promising areas of military affairs.
In conclusion, we can draw an unambiguous conclusion: in modern warfare, in which a significant role is assigned to the transmission of information through the propagation of electromagnetic waves, electronic warfare equipment plays a crucial role in ensuring high combat effectiveness of means of armed struggle.
Vladimir Vuyachich
