The Underrated Role of Electronic Warfare in Air Combat

Introduction

In modern air combat, the ability to detect, track, and eliminate enemy aircraft has evolved beyond traditional dogfighting. While stealth, speed, and weaponry remain critical, electronic warfare (EW) has emerged as an equally decisive factor. Nations investing in advanced EW capabilities can gain a significant edge by disrupting enemy communications, radar, and missile systems.

What is Electronic Warfare?

Electronic Warfare refers to the use of electromagnetic spectrum to disrupt, deceive, or disable enemy forces while protecting friendly assets. It is typically divided into three categories:

• Electronic Attack (EA): Jamming, deception, and spoofing to disable enemy radars and communications.
• Electronic Protection (EP): Defenses against jamming and EW threats to maintain operational capability.
• Electronic Support (ES): Gathering intelligence and tracking enemy signals for strategic advantages.

How EW Shapes Modern Air Combat

With the rise of Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat, EW plays a crucial role in determining the success of air engagements. Advanced fighter jets now rely on Electronic Warfare Suites (EWS) to gain superiority in the electromagnetic domain. Some of the key EW tactics include:

1. Radar Jamming & Spoofing

Fighter aircraft use jamming pods like the AN/ALQ-99 (used by the EA-18G Growler) or the Khibiny ECM system on Russian Su-35s to emit electromagnetic signals that blind enemy radars. Additionally, DRFM (Digital Radio Frequency Memory) jammers can spoof enemy radars, creating false targets or delaying missile lock-ons. The Khibiny-M ECM system, operational on Russian aircraft since the 2010s, has been actively upgraded to counter modern Western radars.

2. Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD)

Aircraft like the EA-18G Growler and Su-34 specialize in suppressing enemy radar systems by launching anti-radiation missiles (ARMs) like the AGM-88 HARM. These missiles home in on enemy radars, forcing them to shut down or be destroyed. Russia employs Kh-31P and Kh-58UShK missiles for similar SEAD roles, integrating them into its Su-34 and Su-30 aircraft.

3. Disrupting Missile Guidance & BVR Combat

In BVR combat, aircraft rely on Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars and data links to guide missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM or the PL-15. However, EW systems can jam or spoof these guidance signals, rendering missiles ineffective. Modern EW suites such as the SPECTRA system on Rafale or the Praetorian system on Eurofighter Typhoon are designed specifically to defeat BVR threats. Russia’s Krasukha-4 EW system, deployed since 2014, is known to disrupt airborne radars and even interfere with AWACS aircraft.

4. Cyber-Electronic Warfare: The Next Evolution

Modern warfare is integrating cyberwarfare with EW, allowing hackers to disrupt enemy networks, disable GPS guidance, or even take control of drones. This hybrid warfare approach is expected to play a greater role in future conflicts.

EW in Recent Conflicts

1. Russia-Ukraine War

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has showcased the importance of EW, with both sides using jamming and spoofing to disable drones, disrupt communications, and interfere with missile guidance systems. Russia has used Krasukha-4 and Borisoglebsk-2 EW systems to jam Ukrainian drones and HIMARS GPS-guided rockets. The Zhitel R-330Zh system, in service since the 2010s, has been actively used to disrupt Starlink terminals and NATO communications relays.

2. Armenia-Azerbaijan War

Azerbaijan’s use of Turkish TB2 drones equipped with jamming-resistant systems proved crucial in neutralizing Armenian air defenses.

3. Syrian Conflict

Russia deployed Krasukha EW systems in Syria, effectively jamming Western drones and fighter jets operating in the region. Reports indicate that since 2015, these systems have been used to disrupt NATO aircraft surveillance near Russian bases.

EW Systems of Major Air Forces

United States

• AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (Used on EA-18G Growler since 2009)
• Next-Generation Jammer (NGJ-MB) (Operational testing began in 2021, replacing ALQ-99)
• BriteCloud Active Decoy (Used on F-35s and Typhoons to defeat missile threats)

Russia

• Khibiny ECM System (Operational since the late 2000s on Su-34 and Su-35)
• Krasukha-4 Mobile EW System (Deployed since 2014, used in Ukraine and Syria)
• Borisoglebsk-2 EW System (Used for battlefield electronic attack since 2013)

China

• DWL-002 Passive Radar System (Acquired by Pakistan in 2019 for counter-stealth operations)
• J-16D Electronic Warfare Fighter (Commissioned into the PLAAF in 2022, comparable to EA-18G Growler)
• Hongjian-26 (HJ-26) Anti-Radiation Missile (Developed for SEAD operations against enemy radars)

India

• Shakti EW System (Deployed on naval and airborne platforms since 2019)
• DRDO’s DARE EW Suite (Developed for Su-30MKI and Tejas Mk1A, undergoing trials since 2020)
• Netra AEW&C (Operational since 2017, providing airborne early warning and electronic intelligence)

Pakistan

• DWL-002 Passive Radar (Acquired from China in 2019 to detect stealth aircraft like Rafale and F-35)
• J-10C EW Suite (Derived from the J-16D, acquired in 2022 with Chinese support)
• Falco XN Drone (Used for electronic reconnaissance, acquired from Italy in the late 2010s)

Conclusion

As modern warfare becomes increasingly dependent on technology, Electronic Warfare has become as crucial as firepower and stealth. The ability to disrupt enemy radars, missiles, and communications can determine the outcome of aerial battles. For nations like India and Pakistan, investing in EW will be key to maintaining air superiority in future conflicts. Whoever dominates the electromagnetic spectrum will dominate the skies.