US DOD developing Cyber and electromagnetic battle management tool for mission planning for Joint Cyber and electromagnetic operations

Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack of an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly unimpeded access to, the EM spectrum. EW can be applied from air, sea, land, and space by manned and unmanned systems, and can target humans, communications, radar, or other assets. Russia has demonstrated high sophistication in the electromagnetic spectrum as evidenced in operations in Eastern Ukraine, causing much concern for members of the defense and academic community.

With the emergence of electromagnetic spectrum operations and electronic warfare playing a much larger role in conflicts going forward, the Army is fielding a new Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT) to provide commanders both greater understanding and awareness of the spectrum for better planning and decision making.

Raytheon is the main contractor for EWPMT and this year delivered Capability Drop II. “For the first time, electromagnetic spectrum operators can plan electronic warfare and control the battlefield spectrum in one standard tool,” Frank Pietryka, director of electronic warfare systems at Raytheon’s Space and Airborne Systems business stated at the time.

“What EWPMT does is it allows me to plan and manage the spectrum and give [the commander] multiple courses of action in a live GUI (graphical user interface). It gives him a graphical user interface on the picture of electronic warfare,” said Waters. “There’s no tool out there currently that can give him the ability to provide electronic attacks and electronic support capability.”

Countries are now engaged in new race to control the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum by integrating cyber and electronic warfare.  Traditionally Cyber and electronic warfare were distinct entities. Cyber warfare involves the actions by a nation-state or international organization to attack and attempt to damage another nation’s computers or information networks through, for example, computer viruses or denial-of-service attacks.

Raytheon Company’s Cyber and Electromagnetic Battle Management tool is the only electronic warfare planning and management tool to demonstrate interoperability with not only third-party software, but an entire system with completely different architecture.