Electronic Warfare in the Air Domain: Russia vs Ukraine

Summary

The script delves into the strategic use of electronic warfare (EW) by Russia, tracing its roots to the Soviet era and examining its application in conflicts involving Ukraine. It highlights the initial success in establishing air superiority and the challenges faced due to uncoordinated EW efforts that hindered their ground operations. The discussion emphasizes the importance of EW in modern warfare, its interplay with space-based systems, and the need for Western militaries to prioritize it, given its invisible yet decisive impact on situational awareness and force connectivity.

Takeaways

• 🇷🇺 Russian military doctrine emphasizes electronic warfare (EW) to neutralize one-third of an enemy's combat force, impacting the remaining two-thirds.
• 📚 The history of EW in the Soviet Union and its legacy is significant, influencing both Russian and Ukrainian military strategies.
• 🔄 Russia has a long-standing enthusiasm for EW, with its first use traced back to the early 20th century during the Russo-Japanese War.
• 🛡 EW was integral to Russia's initial attack on Ukraine, aiming to blind defenses and interfere with command and control.
• ✈️ Russian EW efforts were partly successful in limiting Ukrainian air force capabilities but were also uncoordinated, affecting their own operations.
• 📵 Russian forces faced issues with command and control due to reliance on civilian communication devices, which were vulnerable to jamming.
• 🎯 Ukrainian forces exploited Russian weaknesses in EW, eavesdropping and jamming their communications, and using direction finding for targeting.
• 🚀 Anti-radiation missiles were used by Russia to attack Ukrainian radars, contributing to the suppression of air defenses.
• 🛬 Despite initial success, Russia failed to completely destroy Ukrainian air defenses, which adapted and continued to operate.
• 🔒 Russia has reportedly targeted and attempted to decrypt Ukrainian and NATO communications, with varying degrees of success.
• 🤖 The conflict has seen a shift in EW focus from strategic to more operational and tactical levels, with an emphasis on creating temporary permissive environments for air strikes.
• 📡 EW's role in jamming or spoofing radar and communications continues to be crucial, highlighting the ongoing invisible conflict over the electromagnetic spectrum.

Q & A

What is the simple Russian military principle mentioned in the script regarding electronic warfare?

The principle states that if you can trick, jam, or use electronic warfare to affect one-third of an opposing force, the remaining two-thirds will cease to be militarily effective.

How does the script describe the history of electronic warfare in Russia and its relation to Ukraine?

The script mentions that Russia has a long history of electronic warfare dating back to before the Soviet Union, and this history is important because the Ukrainian military legacy is also tied to the Soviet Union, suggesting a shared knowledge base and tactical innovation in electronic warfare.

What was the initial Russian strategy involving electronic warfare during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine?

The initial strategy involved using electronic warfare to blind Ukrainian defenses and interfere with their command and control as part of an offensive counter air operation (OCA) to destroy the Ukrainian Air Force and suppress air defenses.

How did Russia's use of electronic warfare affect Ukrainian fixed radar installations and air defenses?

Several Ukrainian fixed radar installations were destroyed, and air defenses, including fighter aircraft, had to disperse, limiting their ability to react to the Russian attack.

What were some of the issues with Russia's electronic warfare efforts during the initial invasion?

The script points out that Russian electronic warfare efforts were uncoordinated and sometimes interfered with their own ground operations, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces exploited.

How did the Ukrainian Armed Forces exploit weaknesses in Russia's electronic warfare?

The Ukrainian Armed Forces exploited these weaknesses by eavesdropping on unencrypted transmissions, jamming communications, and performing targeting for long-range weapons using direction-finding techniques.

What shift occurred in Russia's electronic warfare operations after the initial invasion period?

The script indicates a shift from strategic goals to more operational and tactical ones, with Russia relying on standoff attacks and using electronic warfare to support air strikes and create temporary permissive environments.

What is the significance of electronic warfare in the context of UAV operations?

Electronic warfare has been used to target UAV operations, contributing to mounting UAV losses, and it is reported that both Russia and Ukraine have had success in jamming key systems related to UAVs.

How has the conflict between Russia and Ukraine influenced the understanding of electronic warfare's role in modern warfare?

The conflict has highlighted electronic warfare as an integral part of warfare, emphasizing the need for Western militaries to prioritize it and consider its impact on areas such as space and navigation.

What are the main takeaways from the Russian-Ukrainian War regarding electronic warfare?

The main takeaways include the integral role of electronic warfare in modern conflict, the connection between electronic warfare and space, and the importance of situational awareness and force cohesion in the context of electronic warfare.

What is the significance of the book 'Tang assault' mentioned in the script?

The book 'Tang assault' is a faithful translation of a Soviet combat manual for armored and mechanized warfare, providing insight into Soviet tank warfare tactics that may influence current fighting methods in the Russian-Ukrainian War.