Technology

Trends in Elec ronic Warfare

The demand for EW systems will be driven by rapid technological advancements, focus on Directed Energy Weapons and the growing need for electronic protection capabilities

By Air M

rsh l Anil Chopr (Retd)

Electronic Warfare (EW) is any action involving the EW systems will also become a lot smarter. Dan Kilfoyle, use of the Electro-Magnetic (EM) spectrum or directing energy Technical Director for EW systems with Raytheon Space and to control or attack an enemy or impede enemy use of EM specAirborne Systems, expects future systems will be looking at trum. The purpose of EW is to deny the opponent the advantage more complex data sets, including in the context of signals. of and ensure friendly unimpeded access to the EM spectrum. EW can be applied from air, sea, land, and space by manned MAJOR DRIVING FACTOR: GLOBAL EW MARKET and unmanned systems, and can target humans, communicaAs per a Global Newswire report of December 10, 2019, increastions, radar or other assets, military and civilian. ing transnational and regional instability is a major driving facTRENDS IN MILITARY EW $25.813 billion in 2018, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.58 Modern warfare has made impressive strides in the areas of per cent from 2019 to 2026. The increasing rate of electronic, communications, radar and surveillance. Military Signal Intellicyber, and optical domains will require a perceptible shift in gence (SIGINT) platforms are trying to cover the spectrum from war-fighting techniques. Since the avenues of technological HF to Ka band, sometimes over an enormous dynamic range. advancement in these fields are limitless, new generations of All efforts are on for improving EW technologies through means equipment will emerge at a rapid rate. The challenge would be such as machine learning. While cognitive EW is a work in progto integrate these into the physical domain of war-fighting and ress, the miniaturisation and density of electronics components achieve the desired effect on the adversary. The relatively new continue to increase. If cooling technology keeps up, this will field of Quantum Computing has the potential of creating a new drive Radio Frequency (RF) system functional consolidation and generation of satellites. enhance sensor performance.

The future will see multi-spectral, multi-mode and multiGLOBAL EW MARKET 2020-2030 function capability, said Chris Rappa, Product Line Director The demand for EW systems will be driven by rapid technofor RF, EW and Advanced Electronics with BAE Systems’ FAST logical advancements, focus on Directed Energy Weapons and Labs Research and Development organisation. Active Electronithe growing need for electronic protection capabilities in milically Scanned Arrays (AESAs) are already multi-mode but over taries. There is greater emphasis on information superiority a narrow band, he said. The aim is to build large or small totally and situational awareness - a major factor driving spending in digital arrays, where the electronics behind every element in this sector. the array, is digital and can be controlled in every aspect at As per a May 28, 2020 report in Business Wire, a Berkshire the element level. A decade Hathaway company, the EW from now, Rappa expects to see very large, all-digital, The F-35 joint strike fighter can also perform EW miss ions market is witnessing greater demand from airborne platprecisely controlled arrays forms leading to sustained that are multi-function, investment in the airborne multi-mode and capable of EW segment. There are learning to be cooperative increasing investments by or disruptive as required. most militaries in EW manHe expects they will be agement systems, electronic highly flexible, capable of jamming systems and other SIGINT, Electronic Support counter-measure systems. Measures (ESM), Electronic Attack (EA), Radar positionINCREASED US EW ing, Navigation and Timing ATTENTION (PNT) and communications, The US Defence Department all from one array and one plans to boost investment in box, cognitively and adaptor for the growth of the EW market. This market, which was tively controlled. Continued on page 29...