The Military Race for Integrated Cyber, Space, EW, Signals Intelligence, and Communications Capability for Information Dominance

Rajesh Uppal 5 days ago Cyber & IW, Electronics & EW, Strategy, Policy & Governance Comments Off on The Military Race for Integrated Cyber, Space, EW, Signals Intelligence, and Communications Capability for Information Dominance 3,935 Views

Modern warfare is no longer confined to physical battlegrounds. The domains of cyberspace, outer space, electronic warfare (EW), signals intelligence, and communications have emerged as critical arenas for achieving information dominance. These integrated capabilities form the backbone of a nation’s strategic military edge, where victory often hinges on the ability to gather, process, and act on information faster than adversaries. This article explores the military race to achieve supremacy across these interconnected domains and the implications for global security.

Electromangnetic Spectrum Control and Electromagnetic Dominance

The electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) is defined in Joint Publication (JP 1-02) as the “range of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation from zero to infinity” (U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, 2010b). A more detailed explanation of the EMS encompasses a series of frequencies, from the lowest to the highest, corresponding to different types of electromagnetic radiation such as radio waves (used for commercial radio, television, microwaves, radar), infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays. As the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation shortens, the frequency increases, leading to higher energy waves.

The military utilizes the entire spectrum to support intelligence and military operations, with almost every modern weapons system—airplanes, satellites, tanks, ships, and radios—depending on the EMS to function. These applications can be integrated to provide comprehensive military capabilities, such as command and control, as well as electronic warfare. The EMS acts as a crucial link, connecting various military systems and enabling coordinated operations. As military forces become increasingly dependent on electromagnetic technologies, the spectrum has grown to represent not only a vital resource but also a strategic domain that must be controlled, defended, and exploited.

Integrated Communication Systems: Seamless communication is the linchpin of modern military operations. Advanced communication networks, including secure satellite links and quantum encryption technologies, ensure the secure and rapid exchange of information. These systems enable commanders to make informed decisions and coordinate operations across multiple domains, even in contested environments.

This growing reliance on the EMS is directly driving progress in both electromagnetic warfare (EW) and electronic warfare (EW). As modern military systems such as radar, satellite communications, and wireless networks become more sophisticated, the spectrum’s role in facilitating operations has expanded. Simultaneously, the threat of adversaries using the same spectrum to disrupt or deny these systems has led to a rapid evolution in EW technologies. In turn, military forces are advancing their capabilities to both protect and control the spectrum, ensuring that they maintain dominance in increasingly contested environments.

Military communication and information systems, particularly wireless connections, rely on the EMS for operations. This includes radar systems, navigation equipment, and the associated control computers. These systems span the spectrum, from very low-frequency radio waves used to communicate with submarines underwater, to microwaves supporting continuous datalinks between aircraft, to lasers in the infrared and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum used to disrupt satellite sensors and neutralize drones. In addition to radar, modern militaries employ light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems to enhance their situational awareness, offering detailed images of the battlespace by identifying both friendly and enemy forces.

Furthermore, modern military operations leverage both traditional and emerging communication technologies. While radio and microwave frequencies are still widely used, emerging technologies are utilizing lasers to transmit light, instead of radio waves, between antennas for advanced communication solutions. This evolution in communication technology is helping military forces keep pace with adversaries who are also seeking to gain control over the EMS for their own military advantage. Consequently, nations are heavily investing in developing new capabilities for both offensive and defensive electronic warfare, further increasing the demand for spectrum dominance.

Electronic warfare (EW) plays a significant role in military operations by using directed radiofrequency energy to manipulate, control, or destroy an adversary’s ability to utilize the electromagnetic spectrum. EW encompasses a broad range of actions involving electromagnetic spectrum control, attacking the enemy, or preventing adversary operations in the spectrum. The primary goal of EW is to deny the enemy access to the spectrum, ensuring unimpeded use by friendly forces. EW can be conducted from various domains, including air, sea, land, and space, and can target a wide array of assets such as communication systems, radar, and personnel. As the threat of electromagnetic disruption grows, military forces are continuously developing more advanced EW technologies to safeguard their systems and disrupt the capabilities of potential adversaries.

EW is divided into three categories: electronic support (ES), electronic attack (EA), and electronic protection (EP). Electronic Attack (EA) focuses on disrupting or deceiving enemy systems through jamming, deception, and the use of anti-radiation missiles (ARM), electromagnetic pulses (EMP), and directed energy weapons (DEWs). Electronic Support (ES) includes actions designed to gather real-time intelligence, such as Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) and Communication Intelligence (COMINT), to support immediate decisions for EA, EP, or other tactical operations.

As part of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) strategy to maintain dominance in the electromagnetic spectrum, a 2014 report emphasized the growing need to quickly gather, analyze, and share information, as well as control a larger number of automated Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets. The DoD’s Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy, released in October 2020, stressed that freedom of action in the EMS is essential for success in operations across all domains. As part of this strategy, the U.S. military aims to ensure EMS superiority, prioritizing, resourcing, and governing its operations in the spectrum to mitigate vulnerabilities, especially in the face of adversaries like Russia, who have developed sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities.

Electronic Warfare and Signals Intelligence

EW capabilities have advanced significantly, enabling forces to jam, deceive, and exploit enemy communication and radar systems. Signals intelligence complements EW by intercepting and analyzing adversaries’ transmissions, providing actionable insights into their strategies and operations. Together, these capabilities enhance situational awareness and tactical superiority on the battlefield.

Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities are vital for identifying adversary positions and understanding their communication and radar frequencies. SIGINT allows military personnel to characterize the signals they are targeting, which aids in developing strategies to jam enemy communications and radar systems. Additionally, SIGINT supports battle damage assessments and provides crucial information for real-time targeting by fusing intelligence from multiple sources. As noted by Louise Doyon, director of Multi-domain Weapons Systems, combining EW, SIGINT, and imagery enhances operational effectiveness at both strategic and tactical levels.

The military also employs techniques to protect its forces from SIGINT-based attacks. Low-observable weapons systems are designed to minimize their electromagnetic signatures, such as radar returns or radio emissions, making them less detectable. These techniques can include reducing radar signatures, using narrow radio beams to limit detection, and suppressing electromagnetic emissions altogether. As military systems become increasingly reliant on the spectrum, the importance of these protective measures grows, especially in contested and hostile environments where adversaries are likely to employ EW to disrupt or degrade military operations.

Cyber Operations and Warfare

Cyberspace operations, recognized as the fifth domain of warfare, have also become integral to military strategy. Cyber warfare involves the use of cyberattacks to damage or disrupt another nation’s information systems, such as through viruses or denial-of-service attacks. As the DoD continues to integrate cyberspace and EMS into its operational strategies, there is ongoing discussion about making the electromagnetic spectrum the sixth domain of warfare. Cyberspace operations are categorized into three primary functions: offensive cyberspace operations (OCO), defensive cyberspace operations (DCO), and Department of Defense information network operations, further expanding the scope of military operations in the EMS.

Cyber capabilities have become pivotal in modern conflicts. Offensive and defensive cyber operations target critical infrastructure, communication networks, and intelligence systems, often determining the outcome of engagements without physical confrontation. Militaries are investing heavily in advanced cybersecurity measures, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to identify, predict, and mitigate cyber threats in real-time.

Space as a Strategic Frontier

Space has emerged as a contested domain, with satellites playing a crucial role in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and communications. Nations are developing anti-satellite weapons and space-based EW systems to disrupt adversaries’ space assets. The race for dominance in this domain has led to increased collaboration between defense and private industries to ensure resilient and secure space infrastructure.

The Convergence of Domains

The convergence of cyber, space, EW, signals intelligence, and communications has transformed the military landscape. Cyber operations now influence space-based systems, while EW tactics disrupt communication networks and signals intelligence efforts. Space, once a separate operational domain, now integrates with terrestrial and cyber operations to provide real-time intelligence and enhanced connectivity. This interconnected approach enables militaries to exploit the full spectrum of information warfare, ensuring precision and effectiveness in decision-making.

Convergence of Cyberspace Operations and Electronic Warfare

The Cyber and Electromagnetic Environment (CEME) pervades all aspects of military operations across every domain. In order to exploit this environment to the fullest advantage, a more integrated approach is essential. Traditionally, cyber and electronic warfare (EW) were seen as separate entities, each with its own organization, doctrine, and strategy. However, as technology has evolved and military operations have become increasingly dependent on the electromagnetic spectrum, the convergence of these two domains has become a critical focus.

The National Military Strategy for Cyberspace Operations of the United States defines cyberspace as “a domain characterized by the use of electronics and the electromagnetic spectrum to store, modify, and exchange data via networked systems and associated physical infrastructures.” This definition highlights the deep interconnectedness between cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS). Military forces rely heavily on the EMS to coordinate operations, use air and ground sensors to detect the enemy, and communicate via radios, while simultaneously using electronic jammers to disrupt enemy radars and communications. The most significant feature of cyberspace is its reliance on the EMS for networked communications and its integral connection to the operational capabilities of modern military forces.

Cyberspace cannot function without access to the electromagnetic spectrum. Without it, millions of info-communication technologies (ICTs), including radios, computers, and sensors, would be rendered useless. The spectrum enables the communication and functionality of these devices, which, in turn, are increasingly networked and interdependent. As standalone devices like unmanned sensors, jammers, and radio-controlled improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are also becoming networked, the distinction between cyberspace and EW continues to blur. The convergence of these domains is now a defining feature of modern military operations, where electronic and cyber capabilities are interwoven into a unified operational environment.

Both cyberspace and EW play essential roles in the broader context of information warfare, which encompasses actions taken to achieve information superiority. Information warfare involves affecting adversary information systems and defending one’s own, impacting decision-making and operational effectiveness. Both cyberspace operations (CO) and electronic warfare (EW) aim to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum by transmitting, disrupting, or denying the flow of information. Historically, they were components of a broader information operations (IO) campaign, with psychological operations, military deception, and operations security forming the other pillars. As warfare increasingly becomes information-centric, the convergence of CO and EW serves as a critical enabler in gaining an advantage within the information environment (IE) — the aggregate of social, cultural, cognitive, technical, and physical factors that influence adversary actions.

The information environment is made up of three interrelated dimensions: physical, informational, and cognitive. In 2010, cyberspace was officially designated as a global warfighting domain within the IE. The electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace are central to the physical and informational dimensions, as they facilitate communication, surveillance, and coordination during operations. Both CO and EW are crucial in controlling the flow of information, either by disrupting adversary communications or by protecting friendly networks. As such, both are closely related and integrated in modern military strategies.

One of the key areas of convergence is the technical synergy between CO and EW capabilities. While CO focuses on using software and cyber tools to disrupt or deny access to enemy computer networks, EW relies on physical means like radio jamming and spectrum manipulation to disrupt enemy communications. These two domains often complement each other, with CO providing effects through software (e.g., denial-of-service attacks) and EW using electromagnetic effects to deny access to critical communications infrastructure.

The most tangible example of this convergence occurs when forces transmit computer code into adversary networks. This could be done via radio transmissions over closed wireless networks, enabling forces to compromise systems even without direct internet connectivity. If an adversary operates a closed wired network, military forces can infiltrate it, plant malware, and monitor transmissions. In such scenarios, the traditional distinctions between EW and cyberspace operations fade, as both tools are used to achieve the same objective — disrupting or gaining control over enemy information systems.

Moreover, CO and EW are increasingly affecting space operations. Satellites are a critical component of modern military operations, controlled by ground stations that rely on computers to manage their positioning and onboard systems. Radio communications transmit commands to satellites, making them vulnerable to both cyber and EW attacks. Cyber operations could involve sending malicious code to disrupt satellite functions or gain control over satellite systems, while EW might employ jamming to prevent satellites from receiving commands or sharing information. The ability to exploit both cyber and electronic warfare capabilities against satellite networks is a growing concern for military planners.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of the Internet of Things (IoT), cyberspace is becoming more ubiquitous, with billions of IoT devices expected to be operational by 2025. While IoT offers significant advantages in military operations, it also presents new vulnerabilities. IoT devices introduce new attack vectors for adversaries to exploit, ranging from physical attacks on infrastructure to malware and radiofrequency jamming. These vulnerabilities highlight the increasingly important role of both CO and EW in protecting military infrastructure and communications.

Adversaries are also recognizing the value of integrated EW-cyber capabilities. A prime example is the Russian Orlan-10 UAV, which has been used to inject propaganda SMS messages by impersonating cell towers and hijacking communication channels. This technology demonstrates how platforms can be easily adapted to disrupt IoT devices, networks, and communication systems, blurring the line between electronic warfare and cyberspace operations.

As military forces rely more heavily on the electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace to coordinate and execute operations, the convergence of these domains will continue to reshape modern warfare. The integration of cyberspace operations and electronic warfare into a cohesive operational strategy is not just beneficial but essential for gaining and maintaining superiority in the increasingly complex and interdependent battlespace.

Military Race Cyber electromagnetic operations, integrating cyber, electronic warfare, SIGINT and communications

A new race has emerged among countries to integrate cyber and electronic warfare. The aim is to control the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum – the term given to the range of EM radiation, from radio waves to gamma-rays. The essential cyber electromagnetic activity is to integrate and synchronise the functions and capabilities of cyberspace operations, electronic warfare, and spectrum management operations to produce complementary and reinforcing eﬀects. The uncoordinated activities may result in conﬂicts and mutual interference between them and with other entities that use the electromagnetic spectrum.

Cyber electromagnetic activities consist of: cyberspace operations; electronic warfare and spectrum management operations. “Spectrum management operations are the interrelated functions of spectrum management, frequency assignment, host-nation coordination, and policy that enable the planning, management, and execution of operations within the electromagnetic operational environment during all phases of military operations.” The fundamental aim of the cyber electromagnetic operations is to ensure use of the friendly networked electronic info-communications systems and the processes in them, and to detect, reduce and degrade the adversary’s similar capabilities. These operations can be oﬀensive and defensive.

“Russia has demonstrated joint electronic warfare and cyber capabilities in Syria, where a swarm of 13 UAVs in January of 2017 attempting to strike Russian combat headquarters at Khmeimim Air Base was jointly disabled by electronic countermeasures and anti-aircraft missiles,” Sam Cohen, a Master’s student in defence and strategic studies at Missouri State University and a former Asia-Pacific security risk analyst at Horizon Intelligence. Cohen writes. “Seven of the unmanned aircraft were engaged by the Pantsir air-defense missile system while the remaining six were likely brought down from some sort of command disruption, which could have been anything ranging from a cyber attack overriding external controls to the jamming of GPS uplinks to interfere with navigation systems.”

US Army says it is taking several steps to integrate what until recently has been thought of as distinct military disciplines: electronic warfare, military intelligence, signals and cyber. The observable results over the coming year, officials said, will be more common equipment, changes to the way the Army trains and educates its soldiers and a new infusion of electronic warfare capabilities into its brigades. DoD’s Joint Requirements Oversight Council signed off on a new program in Dec 2017, the Terrestrial Layer Intelligence System (TLIS), which officials say will combine the Army’s needs for ground-based electronic attack and military intelligence into a single platform. The system is set for initial prototyping during 2018. Morrison said it came about only after the Army’s EW and intelligence communities decided that they needed to collaborate.

Australia’s further want to integrate communications with EW and Cyber. The Cyber and Electronic Warfare Division (CEWD) of DSTO brings together all four areas of cyber, EW, SIGINT and communications. DSTO cyber science and technology plan “Cyber 2020 Vision”says, “There is a growing relationship between cyber, electronic warfare, signals intelligence and communications. This is being driven by common technologies and challenges, but most importantly by the evolution of military capabilities to networked, distributed cyber-physical systems whose functionality and performance is defined in software rather than hardware. The challenges in protecting and countering these complex systems-of-systems require the development of new concepts that will leverage all four areas of cyber, EW, SIGINT and communications.”

China wants to integrate EW, Communications, Cyber with Space, this shall give advantage of global effect. Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) new Strategic Support Force (SSF) is a critical force for dominance in the space, cyber, and electromagnetic domains. In its design, the SSF is intended to be optimized for future warfare, in which the PLA anticipates such “strategic frontiers” as space, cyberspace, and the electromagnetic domain will be vital to victory, while unmanned, “intelligentized,” and stealthy weapons systems take on an increasingly prominent role. According to its commander, Gao Jin, the SSF will “protect the high frontiers and new frontiers of national security,” while seeking to “seize the strategic commanding heights of future military competition.” Through its integration of space, cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities, the SSF may be uniquely able to take advantage of cross-domain synergies resulting from the inherent interrelatedness and technological convergence of operations in these domains.

US military experts recognised the force multiplier role of the common cyber and electromagnetic domain and the synchronised information technical activities within it. Based on this idea, a new operational concept was developed in the FM 3-38 Cyber electromagnetic activities doctrine, which was issued in February 2014.“Cyber electromagnetic activities are activities leveraged to seize, retain, and exploit an advantage over adversaries and enemies in both cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum, while simultaneously denying and degrading adversary and enemy use of the same and protecting the mission command system.”

US Navy vision also says, “We will conduct operations in and through cyberspace, the electromagnetic spectrum, and space to ensure Navy and Joint freedom of action and decision superiority while denying the same to our adversaries.” This is essential for addressing the critical challenges we face globally as a Navy, especially from state and non-state actors who can complicate the ability of naval forces to move into a theater (anti-access) and maneuver within the theater (area-denial).

China’s Strategic Support Force (SSF) PLA’s integrated space, cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities

China’s Strategic Support Force (SSF) represents a transformative approach to military operations, integrating space, cyber, and electronic warfare into a cohesive capability. Established to achieve “leapfrog development” and advance military innovation under President Xi Jinping’s directive, the SSF consolidates these domains to contest what China considers the “new commanding heights of strategic competition.” By unifying the Aerospace Systems Department and the Cyber Systems Department, the SSF oversees the PLA’s space-based C4ISR systems and information warfare capabilities. This enables coordinated operations that span electronic countermeasures, cyber attack and defense, psychological warfare, and strategic intelligence support.

A key focus of the SSF lies in its emphasis on the electromagnetic spectrum and network integration. Chinese military doctrine prioritizes targeting adversaries’ decision-makers, critical infrastructure, and military systems through “networked electromagnetic warfare” and “integrated network and electronic warfare.”

These operations aim to paralyze enemy systems, disrupt decision-making processes, and influence broader strategic outcomes. ” The “soft” exploitation of the electromagnetic spectrum, according to Chinese writers, enables the People’s Liberation Army to “paralyze” or “hijack” the adversary’s systems to achieve a holistic objective of influencing enemy decision-makers. And, by definition, this may be used in conjunction with other political, diplomatic, economic, science and technology, or cultural tools that are non-military in nature.

Anticipating a fast-paced future battlefield, China also appears poised to apply advanced technology such as AI and machine learning to the task of strengthening its electronic warfare capabilities. By leveraging advanced technologies like AI, big data analytics, and deep learning, the SSF seeks to enhance its disruptive and destructive capabilities in the electromagnetic and cyber domains.

The SSF also integrates space into its electronic and cyber warfare strategies. Space-based assets are used for operations such as satellite datalinks and spoofing, enhancing the effectiveness of coordinated attacks on adversaries’ networked systems. The PLA views space as a critical domain for achieving superiority, with space-based systems enabling real-time intelligence, reconnaissance, and operational support for the PLA’s five theater commands. This “information umbrella” supports joint operations, enhancing battlefield awareness and synchronization.

Chinese military theorists highlight the SSF’s role in “informatized warfare,” which requires seamless integration across the intelligence cycle. This includes early warning, information transmission, processing, and distribution, as well as strike guidance and post-strike evaluation. The SSF’s capability to manage the entire “information chain” underscores its strategic importance in modern warfare, enabling the PLA to achieve dominance across multiple dimensions of conflict.

The SSF exemplifies the PLA’s broader shift toward integrated, technology-driven warfare. Its ability to combine space, cyber, and electronic capabilities into a unified force reflects China’s ambition to reshape the future battlefield. By capitalizing on technological advancements and aligning its doctrinal strategies, the SSF positions China as a formidable actor in the domains of space and cyberspace, potentially altering the global military balance.

Australia DSTO’s Cyber-EW Continuum

Australia’s Defense Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) has significantly advanced its capabilities in integrated operations through its Cyber and Electronic Warfare Division (CEWD). This division combines the domains of Cyber, Electronic Warfare (EW), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Communications under a unified strategic framework known as the Cyber-EW Continuum. By recognizing the interconnected nature of these domains, CEWD has redefined the approach to modern defense technologies and tactics.

The Cyber-EW Continuum emphasizes the blurred boundaries between cyber, EW, SIGINT, and communications, focusing on developing techniques and countermeasures that transcend individual areas. This includes creating hybrid strategies that combine capabilities from multiple domains to produce an overall countermeasure effect. For instance, leveraging communications infrastructure to deploy EW techniques highlights the seamless integration the CEWD is pursuing. These capabilities not only enhance defensive measures but also allow for the development of situational awareness tools that can characterize and respond to evolving threats in real time.

Dr. Jackie Craig, Chief of the Cyber and Electronic Warfare Division, underscores the shared characteristics of cyber and EW domains. Both areas prioritize the development of situational awareness to detect and identify threats, defensive mechanisms to neutralize adversarial actions, and offensive effectors to shape the battlespace and disrupt enemy operations. This shared focus enables CEWD to harness the synergies between these domains, ensuring a coordinated and adaptive response to the increasingly complex modern threat landscape.

The division’s integration of advanced technologies, including AI, machine learning, and data analytics, further enhances its ability to innovate within the Cyber-EW Continuum. These technologies enable predictive threat analysis, real-time adaptation of countermeasures, and enhanced signal characterization. As a result, CEWD is not only addressing traditional defense challenges but is also preparing for emerging threats in highly contested electronic and cyber environments.

By aligning its science and technology programs with the Cyber-EW Continuum, CEWD is positioning itself as a global leader in integrated defense strategies. This approach not only strengthens Australia’s national defense capabilities but also contributes to the development of cutting-edge technologies and methodologies that can be shared with allies, enhancing collective security in an era of rapidly evolving threats.

US Army’s Integrated C4ISR for Cyberspace and Electronic Warfare Capabilities

The U.S. Army is advancing its strategy to integrate cyberspace and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through a unified approach under the Cyber-Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) framework. This integration is part of a broader Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) effort designed to synchronize operations across the electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace.

Unified Doctrinal Framework

The U.S. Army’s FM 3-12 “Cyberspace and Electronic Warfare Operations” and FM 3-38 “Cyber Electromagnetic Activities” provide tactical guidance for integrating cyber and EW operations. These documents emphasize leveraging the electromagnetic spectrum as a shared domain to enable faster responses and reduce vulnerabilities. The disbandment of the standalone EW division and its incorporation into a unified cyber directorate reflects the Army’s commitment to seamlessly integrate these domains. The new directorate oversees operations that seize and exploit the electromagnetic spectrum while denying adversary capabilities.

Integrated Cyber and Electronic Warfare (ICE) Program

The Integrated Cyber and Electronic Warfare (ICE) program, led by CERDEC (Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center), focuses on combining cyber and EW capabilities into an integrated system. The program aims to create common data contexts and control mechanisms, enabling rapid deployment of battlefield solutions and enhancing situational awareness for commanders. To support this vision, the Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT) provides commanders with real-time visualization and management of the electromagnetic operational environment. This tool integrates CEMA functions, enabling automated planning and coordination to optimize EW systems and achieve superior battlefield outcomes.

Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT):

Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division recently tested software designed for automating CEMA planning and synchronization. Tools like the EWPMT utilize modeling and simulation to enhance battlefield positioning of EW systems.

Collaboration with Industry

Meanwhile, Spectranetix, Inc. has developed the CMOSS (C4ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards) Family-of-Systems under a $28.7 million project. This software-defined radio system aligns with the Army’s standards to enhance EW, offensive cyber, and SIGINT missions.

Realistic Training Scenarios:

The Army is also investing in realistic training scenarios, such as exercises like “Cyber Blitz,” which simulate real-world conditions to test concepts for integrating cyber and EW capabilities. Units such as the 25th Infantry Division and 7th Signal Command Cyber Protection Brigade participate in these efforts to refine tactics and improve operational efficiency.

The U.S. Army’s modernized approach to cyberspace and EW capabilities through integrated C4ISR strategies, cutting-edge tools, and programs like ICE ensures it remains adaptable to emerging threats. By aligning cyber and EW operations, the Army is better equipped to maintain superiority in both cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum.

US Army’s integrated EW and signals intelligence system

The U.S. Army’s integrated Electronic Warfare (EW) and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) system, known as the Terrestrial Layer System (TLS), represents a significant evolution in cyber electromagnetic activities (CEMA) capabilities. Announced in December 2018 under the Department of Defense’s (DoD) $982 million R4 indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, TLS integrates the functionalities of the previous Multi-Functional Electronic Warfare Ground and Dismounted (MFEW) system with advancements in SIGINT operations. This integration reflects the Army’s push toward convergence across EW, SIGINT, and cyber domains to achieve technological and operational superiority.

TLS is designed to be a modular, adaptable, and software-defined system that provides tactical formations with enhanced operational capabilities. Unlike the standalone MFEW system, TLS merges signals intelligence, electronic warfare, and cyber tools into a unified framework, fostering improved situational awareness and operational flexibility. Army officials acknowledged that the objectives of the MFEW program overlapped significantly with SIGINT efforts, prompting a decision to consolidate the two initiatives. This approach ensures a streamlined development process while addressing evolving threats.

The Army’s vision for TLS is underpinned by six pivotal factors: closing urgent capability gaps in Europe and other theaters; rapid prototyping over three years; the convergence of EW, SIGINT, cyber, and space capabilities; leveraging national intelligence assets and cutting-edge software technologies; a national defense strategy prioritizing near-peer competition; and approval for an expanded EW force structure. These priorities were outlined in a 2019 industry briefing and reflect the Army’s emphasis on leveraging innovation for competitive advantage.

Key design principles for TLS include expeditionary capabilities to support maneuver units, modular open architectures, and a software-defined framework enabling the rapid integration of new signal libraries. Automated machine learning capabilities are also being incorporated to reduce soldier workload, ensuring that the system remains agile and responsive to dynamic battlefield conditions.

In March 2019, the Army awarded Northrop Grumman a $982 million contract to advance CEMA capabilities through research and development, integration, testing, and performance verification. The contract also supports laboratory demonstrations and cybersecurity enhancements, ensuring the robustness of the TLS system against emerging threats.

The Army plans to deploy TLS on brigade combat team armored combat vehicles, marking a major step forward in integrating EW and SIGINT systems into frontline operations. Under the updated force design, every brigade combat team will include an EW platoon and a SIGINT network support team. These formations will operate the TLS-Brigade Combat Team (TLS-BCT) platform, mounted on Stryker armored combat vehicles. Companies such as Lockheed Martin and Digital Receiver Technology are developing prototypes for this new system, which fills a longstanding gap in brigade-level electronic attack assets.

The U.S. Army’s efforts align with broader trends across the U.S. military. For example, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is expanding its electronic countermeasures capabilities to include the integration of high-powered electromagnetic (HPEM) directed energy weapons with cyber warfare and traditional EW. This holistic approach reflects the growing need for integrated multi-domain solutions to counter sophisticated adversaries.

In summary, the TLS program underscores the Army’s commitment to staying ahead of near-peer competitors by leveraging cutting-edge technology to integrate EW, SIGINT, and cyber capabilities. Its modular, agile design ensures adaptability to evolving threats, while its deployment on armored vehicles enhances the tactical edge of brigade combat teams. These advancements position the Army to dominate across the electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace in future conflicts.

The Multi-Function Electronic Warfare Air Large (MFEW): Revolutionizing Army Aviation and Maneuver Support

The Multi-Function Electronic Warfare Air Large (MFEW-Air Large) program represents a transformative leap in Army aviation and maneuver support, equipping forces with cutting-edge electronic warfare (EW) capabilities. Designed for integration with rotary-wing and unmanned aerial systems, the MFEW-Air Large system provides a versatile platform for electronic attack, electronic support, and cyber operations. By leveraging advanced sensors and software-defined technologies, it offers unparalleled situational awareness and precision targeting, enabling the Army to disrupt adversary communications, neutralize electronic threats, and exploit critical vulnerabilities in contested environments. This integrated capability not only strengthens the Army’s ability to operate in electromagnetic spectrums but also enhances the survivability and effectiveness of maneuver forces on the battlefield.

At its core, the MFEW-Air Large system is a force multiplier that embodies modularity, scalability, and adaptability. The system’s open architecture ensures it can accommodate emerging threats and integrate seamlessly with other Army and joint-force systems. Its ability to operate across multiple domains, including air, ground, and cyber, makes it an essential tool for multi-domain operations, allowing forces to respond to complex challenges with agility and precision. As part of the broader modernization efforts in Army electronic warfare, MFEW-Air Large empowers commanders with real-time intelligence and electronic attack options, ensuring dominance in increasingly congested and contested operational theaters.

US Navy’s Integrated EM-Cyber environment

The U.S. Navy has increasingly prioritized the electromagnetic (EM) and cyber domains as core components of modern warfighting, unifying critical disciplines such as Information Warfare, Intelligence, Information Professional, Meteorology, Oceanography, and Space Operations under the “Information Dominance” Corps. This strategic approach underscores the Navy’s recognition of the convergence between traditional electronic warfare (EW) and cyber operations, where adversaries are integrating techniques like jamming with sophisticated cyberattacks and signals intelligence (SIGINT). Vice Adm. Mike Gilday, Commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet, emphasizes that the future demands an integrated mindset. “We can’t just singularly think about fighting in cyberspace, the RF spectrum, or collecting with SIGINT,” he asserts. Instead, the Navy must organize these disciplines holistically at both tactical and operational levels to remain effective against emerging threats.

This shift requires dismantling traditional stovepiped structures within command organizations and establishing multidisciplinary cells composed of experts in communications, cyber, EW, and intelligence. These cells are envisioned to operate cohesively across planning horizons, enabling a synchronized response to complex EM-Cyber challenges. Complementing this approach, the Marine Corps has developed doctrine and organizational frameworks to embed cyber-electronic warfare coordination cells across its Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs). According to Col. Gregory Breazile, these cells are integral to modern operations and are supported by evolving military operational specialties that incorporate EW and unmanned vehicle capabilities. Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, former Chief of Naval Operations, captures the essence of this transformation: “The EM-Cyber environment is now so fundamental to military operations and our national interests that it must be treated as a warfighting domain on par with – or perhaps more important than – land, sea, air, and space.” This recognition underscores the Navy’s commitment to securing dominance in the increasingly contested and interconnected electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace.

US Airforce demonstrates integrated EW and Cyber Capabilities

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities by integrating them with cyber operations, effectively creating tools that not only disrupt enemy transmissions but also penetrate adversary computer networks. This shift is exemplified by modifications to the EC-130 Compass Call aircraft, traditionally used for jamming enemy communications. Now, this platform can infiltrate networks, including those deliberately “air-gapped” from the internet for enhanced security. Maj. Gen. Burke Wilson highlighted this capability at an Air Force Association conference, stating, “The focus over the last couple of years — and it’s really gained momentum over the last year — is integrating air, space, and cyberspace capabilities into the fight.” This innovation represents a significant step toward leveraging cyberspace as a pivotal domain in modern warfare.

In a groundbreaking demonstration in 2014, the 90th Information Operations Squadron (IOS) showcased the potential of air-integrated cyber operations. Cyberspace operators from JBSA-Lackland employed a cyber payload through an airborne Compass Call aircraft, successfully targeting a range in California. This marked the first time such operations were openly practiced, illustrating the Air Force’s commitment to integrating cyber effects into its arsenal. Lt. Col. David Stone, the 90th IOS commander, noted, “Ultimately, it provides a chance to replace kinetic munitions with cyber payloads.” This innovation offers combatant commanders operational flexibility and new ways to neutralize targets.

Capt. Brian Belongia, cyber-attack flight commander at the 90th IOS, emphasized the modular and adaptable nature of these cyber tools, which can be tailored across platforms and wavelengths to meet diverse mission requirements. “We are using tools we already have to deliver packages in innovative ways,” Belongia stated. These advancements underscore the Air Force’s commitment to evolving its capabilities to meet future combat challenges, blending traditional EW with cutting-edge cyber warfare to maintain strategic and operational superiority.

In September 2022, LIG Nex1, a prominent South Korean defense contractor, was selected as part of a consortium for a state-backed project to develop advanced cyber electronic warfare technologies. This initiative, led by the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT), aims to enhance South Korea’s defense capabilities through “soft-kill” operations. These operations are designed to remotely paralyze adversarial weapon systems, including North Korean missiles and communication networks, during both wartime and peacetime. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has further highlighted the strategic importance of such technologies in modern warfare.

The LIG Nex1 consortium, chosen as the preferred bidder, will focus on creating systems that leverage wireless communication to neutralize weaponry from a distance. A significant aspect of this development is its application to the next generation of naval electronic equipment. South Korea is prioritizing the enhancement of naval systems to effectively counter electromagnetic threats, such as anti-ship guided missiles and radar systems. By integrating cyber electronic warfare capabilities, LIG Nex1 aims to fortify the country’s maritime defense infrastructure, ensuring it remains resilient against evolving electromagnetic and cyber threats.

Challenges and Opportunities

The integration of these capabilities presents both challenges and opportunities. Technological advancements require significant investment and innovation, while the complexity of interconnected systems demands robust cybersecurity and resilience against emerging threats. However, the strategic advantages of achieving information dominance are unparalleled, offering the ability to outmaneuver adversaries and maintain a tactical edge.

Global Implications

The pursuit of integrated capabilities has global implications, as nations strive to secure their interests in an increasingly multipolar world. Alliances and partnerships play a critical role in sharing resources, technology, and intelligence to counter common threats. At the same time, the risk of escalation in cyber and space conflicts underscores the need for international norms and agreements to prevent catastrophic outcomes.

Conclusion

The race for integrated cyber, space, EW, signals intelligence, and communications capabilities underscores the evolving nature of warfare in the information age. By leveraging these interconnected domains, militaries aim to achieve information dominance, ensuring operational superiority in the face of emerging challenges. As technology continues to advance, the importance of innovation, collaboration, and resilience will only grow, shaping the future of global security.

The EC-130H Compass Call is normally used to jam enemy radars and communications. However, in recent years it has been used to transmit computer code to wireless devices using radio frequencies