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.

Outlines

00:00

🇷🇺 Russian Electronic Warfare Principles and Tactics

This paragraph discusses the historical and ongoing significance of electronic warfare (EW) in Russian military strategy. It highlights the Russian principle of affecting one-third of an enemy's force through EW to render the rest ineffective. The paragraph traces the origins of Russian EW back to the Soviet Union and notes its integration with ground forces. It also touches on the initial stages of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, where EW was used to blind Ukrainian defenses and interfere with command and control. The paragraph concludes by pointing out the uncoordinated nature of Russian EW efforts, which sometimes interfered with their own operations and were exploited by the Ukrainian forces.

05:00

🚀 Evolution of Russian EW Strategy and Its Impact

The second paragraph delves into the evolution of Russia's EW strategy from the initial invasion phase to the subsequent period. It contrasts Russia's initial success in establishing air superiority through an EW-assisted offensive counter air operation with the ground offensive's less successful outcome. The paragraph notes that while Russia maintained a stronger air position, it shifted its focus from strategic to more operational and tactical EW efforts. It also mentions Russia's targeting of navigational systems like Starlink and the interception of Ukrainian communications. The paragraph ends with a brief mention of a new publication related to Soviet combat tactics, suggesting a connection between historical and current military approaches.

10:02

📡 The Importance of Electronic Warfare in Modern Conflicts

The final paragraph emphasizes the integral role of EW in modern warfare, drawing lessons from the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. It points out that EW was previously a backbench issue for Western militaries but has now come to the forefront due to the demonstrated threats. The paragraph also discusses the connection between EW and space, particularly the reliance on satellites for communication and navigation, and the potential vulnerabilities this presents. It concludes by stressing the invisibility of successful EW and its critical role in providing situational awareness and operational advantages, thereby influencing tactical, operational, and strategic outcomes.

Keywords

💡Electronic Warfare (EW)

Electronic Warfare refers to the use of electromagnetic spectrum to control the information domain and disrupt the enemy's use of the same. It is integral to modern military strategy and plays a central role in the video's theme. The script discusses Russia's historical use of EW, its integration with ground forces, and its application during the invasion of Ukraine to blind defenses and interfere with command and control.

💡Offensive Counter Air (OCA)

Offensive Counter Air is a military doctrine focused on destroying enemy aircraft and air defenses to establish air superiority. The script mentions Russia's use of EW as part of an OCA campaign during the initial invasion of Ukraine, aiming to destroy the Ukrainian Air Force and suppress air defenses.

💡Jamming

Jamming in the context of EW is the act of disrupting the enemy's electronic signals to impair their communication or radar systems. The script describes Russian efforts to jam Ukrainian radars and radio communications as part of their EW strategy.

💡Anti-Radiation Missiles

Anti-Radiation Missiles are designed to home in on the electromagnetic emissions of enemy radars and destroy them. The script notes the use of these missiles by Russia to target Ukrainian radars on the ground as part of their EW efforts.

💡Soviet Union

The Soviet Union, or USSR, refers to the historical socialist state that existed from 1922 to 1991. The script discusses the Soviet Union's history of EW development, which influences both Russian and Ukrainian military tactics, including their use of EW.

💡Deconfliction

Deconfliction in military terms is the process of coordinating activities to avoid interference with friendly forces. The script points out that Russia's failure to deconflict EW activities led to unintentional jamming of their own forces, which the Ukrainian military exploited.

💡Command and Control (C2)

Command and Control refers to the exercise of authority and direction by a commander over military forces in the context of operations. The script highlights the Russian strategy to interfere with Ukrainian C2 systems using EW to limit their ability to respond effectively to the attack.

💡Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones, are aircraft without a human pilot aboard. The script discusses the impact of EW on UAV operations, with Russia targeting Ukrainian UAVs and Ukraine reportedly jamming key Russian systems.

💡Direction Finding

Direction Finding is the process of locating a source of a signal, often used for intelligence gathering. The script mentions Ukrainian EW forces using direction finding techniques to exploit weaknesses in Russian communications.

💡Situational Awareness

Situational Awareness is the ability to understand what is happening in the environment around you. The script emphasizes the importance of EW in maintaining situational awareness and gaining an operational advantage over the enemy.

💡Multi-Domain Operations

Multi-Domain Operations refer to military strategies that integrate capabilities across multiple domains such as air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace. The script suggests that mastery of EW can provide a significant advantage in multi-domain operations by enhancing connectivity and force cohesion.

Highlights

Russia follows a simple military principle of electronic warfare (EW) to neutralize one-third of an opposing force.

Russian EW history dates back to the Soviet Union and influences Ukrainian military tactics.

Russians are known for their enthusiasm in using EW, with a history of first-ever EW use in the Russo-Japanese War.

EW is integrated with ground forces to trick, jam, or neutralize enemy capabilities.

Russia's initial attack in 2022 used EW to blind Ukrainian defenses and interfere with command and control.

Russian EW was successful in destroying Ukrainian radar installations and limiting air defense reactions.

EW efforts by Russia were uncoordinated, sometimes interfering with their own operations.

Ukrainian forces exploited Russian EW weaknesses by eavesdropping and jamming communications.

Russian EW shifted from strategic to operational and tactical goals after the initial invasion period.

Russia uses EW to support air strikes and create temporary permissive environments.

Ukraine has had success in jamming key Russian systems and capturing high-value EW assets.

EW's success is often invisible, making it difficult to assess its impact on operations.

EW is integral to modern warfare, influencing situational awareness, force cohesion, and battlespace shaping.

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict highlights the importance of dominating the electromagnetic spectrum.

EW's role in space and its connection to navigation and communication systems is emphasized.

The war exemplifies the need for EW and space considerations in modern military strategy.

The transcript discusses the launch of a new publication on Soviet combat manual for armored and mechanized warfare.

The importance of EW in establishing air superiority and its impact on tactical, operational, and strategic levels is underscored.

Transcripts

they follow a very simple Russian

military principle which says if you ATT

trick onethird of an opposing force uh

if you jam one third of an opposing

force or use electronic warfare then the

remaining third of that combat force

will cease to become militarily

affected Russia has a long history of

electronic warfare that dates to before

the Soviet Union but especially it took

off in the USSR the history of ew in the

Soviet Union is important not only

because it shapes the Russian approach

but because of course the Ukrainian

military Legacy is also tied to the

Soviet Union so we can expect them to

have with of course changes and tactical

Innovation just like on the Russian side

across time and space a similar knowhow

and a way of framing ew in operations

Russians particularly are enthusiastic

you users of electronic warfare they

always have been they're credited with

the first ever use of electronic warfare

during the Russo Japanese war in the

early 20th century and they place place

a very high emphasis on integrating

electronic warfare with their ground

forces units and they do this because

they follow a very simple Russian

military principle which says if you ATT

trick onethird of an opposing force uh

if you jam onethird of an opposing Force

so use electronic warfare then the

remaining third of that combat force

will cease to become militarily affected

now this doesn't matter in Russian

military thinking whether it's a squad

of say five troops platoon of 10 troops

or whether it's a core or an army the

principle Remains the Same so Russia's

been using Ew with varying degrees of

success alongside its land forces not

only since the 2022 Invasion began but

also since the first invasion of Ukraine

in

2014 for this one it serves to make a

quick timeline into ew operations in

Ukraine there is no clear delimitation

between different periods except for one

and that's the main shift in ew

operations after the initial Invasion so

let's contrast an initial period of

invasion in 2022 with the period that

followed and then zoom out to talk about

the wider experiences and the Lessons

Learned at the NATO level remember of

course that with every week and month we

know more and more about what happened

in the past months of the war so this

video sums up the situation based on

present information the initial Russian

attack saw a lot of Russian ew activity

to Blind Ukrainian defenses and

interfere with their command and control

as part of an offensive counter a

operation OCA to then destroy the

Ukrainian Air Force and suppress

Ukrainian air defenses in this they were

successful several Ukrainian fixed radar

installations were destroyed and air

defenses at fighter aircraft had to

quickly disperse which limited their

ability to react to the Russian attack

Russia has been using electronic warfare

as an integral part of its air campaign

against the Ukrainian Air Force part of

that Dimension includes the use of

electronic warfare and electronic

warfare has been used by the Russians um

primarily to try and jam Ukrainian

Radars to try and jam Ukrainian radio

communications as part of that OCA

effort now not strictly electronic

warfare but I would argue it falls

within the ew remit the Russians have

also been using anti-radiation missiles

anti- radar missiles um which they're

launching from their aircraft and

they're trying to attack Ukrainian uh

Radars on the ground with that and the

reason being for that is to try and

reduce the effectiveness of the

Ukrainian air defense system ultimately

Russia was on successful in achieving

their goal of destroying the Ukrainian

Air Force and Ukrainian air defenses it

also appears that Russian ew efforts

were uncoordinated and interfering with

their own ground operation and this was

exploited by the Ukrainian Armed Forces

weaknesses in command and control

compounded Russia's inability to gain

control of the air a lack of planning

and preparedness coupled with

procurement and encryption key

distribution issues forced many units to

use civilian handheld radios and mobile

phones instead of cure Jam resistant

tactical radios Additionally the failure

to deconflict ew activities with the

rest of their operations led to

unintentional jamming of their own

forces Ukrainian ew forces exploited

these weaknesses by eavesdropping on

Russia's unencrypted Transmissions

jamming their Communications and

Performing targeting for long-range

weapons using Direction finding

techniques the most important takeaway

from this initial period is that in the

air domain the Russian Russian Aerospace

forces the vks followed the rule book

and made an allout effort to establish

air superiority through an ew assisted

OCA campaign and they could have turned

that air superiority then into Air

Supremacy allowing tvk to strike

Ukrainian positions with impunity for a

few days they succeeded and this success

contrast sharply with the ground

offensive however ultimately they did

not destroy the vast majority of

Ukrainian aircraft and air defenses

which dispersed reset and took up the f

and this sets up the next

phase throughout 2002 and in 2003 Russia

remains in a stronger position in the

air at least on paper it appears unable

or unwilling to press disadvantage

Russia appears to conduct successful ew

on a tactical and operational level but

it does not mount a similar ew effort as

in the initial weeks of the invasion

instead the airb has shifted from

strategic goals to operational and

tactical ones and Russia relies on

standoff attacks and where possible it

uses ew of course to support air strikes

in order to create a temporary

permissive environment in which then the

Ukrainian communication systems its

radar and also its uavs are targeted for

this Russia uses ground and Airbase

systems with ew Russia has targeted

navigational systems starlink and is

reported to have intercepted and

decrypted Ukrainian Communications it is

presently unknown how widespread or

comprehensive this success is

additionally Russia started to Target

UAV operations with ew quite early on

contributing to mounting UAV losses

there are also reported incidents that

Russia attempted to jam NATO ISR

aircrafts or intelligence surveillance

and reconnaissance aircraft that flew

over the black C at the same time it is

reported that Ukraine had similar

success but much less is known about

their ew efforts because most reports

that we get in the west are focusing on

Russia alone the introduction of Russian

Counter UAV systems appears to influence

Ukrainian UAV operations though again

this is not something that is that often

reported on it is however reported that

Ukraine had success in jaming key

Russian systems such as A50 and aox

table aircraft and they have also

destroyed some key ew aircraft on the

ground crucially too some Russian ew

systems appear to have been captured

Ukraine has captured several high value

Russian ew assets during the conflict

and is reported to have handed these

over to Allied Nations for technical

intelligence purposes ew remains

important in jamming or spoofing radar

and Communications as well as tapping

into radio communications of the

opposing side it remains unclear how

extensive or successful these efforts

are but given that ew is continuously

used and adapts to threats like uavs

this invisible conflict over the

electromagnetic spectrum is here to

stay and this brings us to what

experiences and lessons we can currently

draw from the Russian Ukrainian War

regarding ew before we jump into that a

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book on the stuga and the is-2 now let's

talk about the main takeaways I'll be

focusing on ew as a whole rather than

the smaller tactical issues so that we

don't get lost in the detail first off

ew is an integral part of warfare yeah

Russia's initial success clearly shows

the dangers of ew This is not one of

those obvious lessons if you talk to

people in NATO and different Air Forces

and read what they write before the war

and now they will straight out say and

admit that ew for a long time was a

backbench issue Western militaries

enjoyed connectivity permissive

operational environments and very

limited adversary capabilities in the ew

domain since the Cold War ended and and

the last time the the West let's say

really had to worry about all of this

was during the cold of War maybe Co in

Kosovo as well but in those operations

it wasn't really Irrelevant in the end

but that is more than 20 years ago

second ew and space now this is new

couple of people I know in the space

domain will have face fed right now I'm

got to get some angry messages what I

want to say is that the Russian

Ukrainian war is a contemporary example

of why we need to think more about ew

and space now those two things have

already been connected for a long time

but you know our navigation or

communication systems depend on it like

think about a task force in the Pacific

what does it rely on for communication

and navigation well satellites lose the

satellites to jamming or have them fed

even with the wrong data like wrong

positional data or even metrological

data and then Houston we you've got a

problem and this links to my third point

this is the age-old problem of ew we

don't see ew's success yeah ew is

slippery it is in constant flocks it is

a game of chess as somebody once told me

without rules that does not advertise

success because that could actually

sabotage future operations but crucially

it doesn't go boom and boom is important

because we can see boom take UAV

operations in Ukraine we can see the

kinetic application

no one shows that 95 out of 100 cases

uavs are used for reconnaissance and

Fire Control because that just doesn't

do well on social media ew has the same

problem when it works it's invisible

when it doesn't work it's invisible or

another example when there is a choice

between a set of high output antennas

receivers transmitters that are all

installed in some ungainly looking

Caravan or we can have a new tank or

aircraft where will our eyes

go it's probably not going to be the

Caravan but that's just my guess when it

comes down to it however we need

navigational data we need situational

data we need communication and we need

to make sure that the adversary doesn't

have it the side that dominates ew is

going to be one step ahead it operates

with an advantage in situational

awareness Force cohesion connectivity

battles space shaping multi-domain

operations and all the other buzzwords

you can think about and yes that site

will reap the benefits on the Tactical

operational and strategic level big

thank you here to patrons and channel

members for your support remember also

that book sale that is currently going

on with a hefty discount on all our

Books available for sale at the moment

and also thank you to Andrew and Bernard

cast from military history visualized

for their fire support on this video I

hope all of you have a great one and see

you in the sky