In Ukraine, there is an invisible battle of electromagnetic waves – electronic warfare systems fight drones, identify targets for other weapons systems and deceive guided weapons. Unfortunately, Russia has the upper hand in this war. This is why the Russian electronic warfare systems are primary targets for the Ukrainian medium and long-range weapons.
Russian electronic warfare system Krasukha. This kind of system can eliminate guided weapons and drones. Image credit: The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)
Electronic or electromagnetic warfare is the use of electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to attack enemy targets. Those are usually systems that rely on electronics.
For example, electronic warfare systems can incapacitate communications equipment, drones, cruise missiles, and manned aircraft. They can disrupt navigation, communication, and combat operations. Typically electronic warfare systems are mobile tools that jam certain frequencies.
The New York Times writes that electronic warfare has turned into a “cat-and-mouse game between Russia and Ukraine.” Brian Clark, a researcher at the Hudson Institute in Washington, told the journalists that electronic warfare has affected the fighting in Ukraine as much as weather and terrain. He said that every operation must now take into account the actions of the enemy in the electromagnetic spectrum.
This is a new dimension in modern warfare, even though electronic warfare has been around for over 100 years. As Clark emphasized, the war in Ukraine is the first conflict in modern times between two large and relatively advanced militaries that makes such an extensive use of electronic warfare.
Yuryi Momot, a former commander of the Soviet Union’s special forces and the founder of the electronic warfare company Piranha, said that Russia has a clear advantage in the field of electronic warfare in Ukraine, because their whole system is more structured.
However, Ukraine is catching up, but it will take time to reach a level where the defenders of Ukraine can cause as much trouble to their enemy as Russia is causing to them.
Meanwhile, electronic warfare systems are now the primary targets for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They must be destroyed as soon as such an opportunity presents itself, because these devices disrupt the work of Ukrainian aircraft, cruise missiles, communications and drones.
However, Yeroslav Kalinin, an expert in electronic warfare, stressed that destroying an electronic warfare system is much more difficult than destroying something like a tank, because they don’t come closer to the frontlines and have the ability to defend themselves against the longer-range weapons.
However, the defenders of Ukraine believe that the elimination of the Russian electronic warfare systems could bring a break to the war and could help Ukraine to liberate its territories quicker and with fewer casualties.
Written by Povilas M.