Air, sea, and land electronic warfare (ASLEW) is waged within the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum to both attack and defend against enemy personnel and equipment. The Strategy Analytics Advanced Defense Systems (ADS) service report, “Space Communications Systems and Electronic Warfare,” predicts that space communications systems will play a strategic role as an electronic warfare force multiplier, as electronic warfare becomes increasingly integrated and net-centric.

Electronic Warfare (EW) uses the electromagnetic spectrum to attack and disable enemy sensors, data links, communications, and directed energy weapons while also denying enemy EW efforts. Unlike physical weapons, such as tanks, aircraft and ships that are specific to air, sea or land domain, EW readily lends itself to multi-domain warfare. This requires increasing use of space communications system assets for effective management.

“Ideally EW needs to be centrally planned and directed, and de-centrally executed with the various investments made by the different branches effectively applied in a coordinated fashion,” noted Asif Anwar, ADS Service Director. “To this end, there will be an increase in use of space-based assets to support airborne, naval and ground systems as part of the electromagnetic battlefield management (EMBM) strategy.”

“This strategy is already employed by the US Military. Other nations also recognize the importance of EW systems,” added Eric Higham, ADS Service Director North America. “Space communications assets will be pivotal in supporting the net-centric capabilities required for tighter integration of EW and CIW, cyber/information warfare.”