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At first, Ukraine noticed its GPS-guided 155mm Excalibur artillery shells suddenly started veering off target. Then rockets fired with Himars, which Kyiv once boasted had “scalpel-like” accuracy, began missing their targets. In some areas, they almost always missed. The same happened to JDAM guided bombs supplied to Ukraine’s air force by the United States. Frantic investigation eventually discovered they had all fallen victim to a new threat – Russian jamming. Moscow has quietly developed a knack for taking out some of Ukraine’s most prized missiles and rockets. It is a rare but crucial example of Russian technological advantage in a...

Rybar 🇬🇧🇺🇦 Interruptions in work with Starlink in Ukraine may be related to field tests of the Tirada electronic warfare systems , designed to suppress enemy satellite communication lines, conducted this week. RIA News Ukrainian troops are complaining about disruptions in the Starlink satellite communications system owned by American billionaire Musk, the Financial Times writes, citing sources. A senior Ukrainian government official told the publication that some of these outages resulted in "catastrophic" loss of communications and caused panic. Problems with the operation of the devices were serious in the regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, they were also observed...

The Russian Krasukha-4 mobile electronic warfare system, which can neutralize spy satellites and ground-and airborne radars and damage enemy EW, landed in Syria on Tuesday, Sept. 25 ...The Krasukha-4 is highly advanced, although not the most sophisticated EW system in the Russian arsenal ... The system can jam communications systems, disable guided missiles and aircraft, and neutralize Low-Earth Orbit spy satellites and radars (AWACS) at ranges of 150-300km, which cover northern and central Israel. The Krasukha-4 can also damage opposing EW ... Israel’s military and air force know about the Krasukha-4 but have never met it in action. However, it...

Note: The following text is a quote: Three Chinese Nationals and Two Corporations Charged with Illegally Exporting Defense Articles and Commerce Controlled Electronics Components to China and Conspiring to Violate U.S. Export Laws BOSTON, MA—Three nationals of the People’s Republic of China and two corporations were charged on October 1, 2009 in federal court with conspiring over a period of 10 years to illegally export defense articles, designated on the United States Munitions List, and Commerce controlled electronics components to end-users in China, including several Chinese military entities. Acting United States Attorney Michael K. Loucks; John J. McKenna, Special Agent...

The Australian Government is moving ahead with the conversion of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) 12 Boeing-built F-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft to the EA-18G model, dubbed Growlers, under a refit programme. Australia's Defence Minister Stephen Smith and Defence Materiel Minister Jason Clare said in a joint statement that more than $19m will be spent for the purchase of lead item electronic equipment. The long lead item electronic equipment for the conversion include electronic systems, antennas and high frequency modulation receivers that will be procured through the US Foreign Military Sales route. The Government has already formally delivered a...

The U.S. Navy has received from Boeing the first aircraft under a multi-year procurement contract meant to cut purchase costs. The aircraft delivered was an EA-18G Growler, which is based at U.S. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington state. The Boeing EA-18G Growler delivers full-spectrum airborne electronic attack capability with the targeting and self-defense capabilities derived from the F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet. The United States was purchasing 58 of the aircraft under the multi-year contract as well as 66 F/A-18E/Fs. It modified the 2010 contract, however, to acquire 24 more F/A-18s. Through the Multiple-year Procurement III contract, the...

With a recent contract award from Northrop Grumman to provide electronic support measures (ESM) on the B-2 Spirit bomber, BAE Systems will be providing electronic warfare on all three U.S. Air Force low-observable platforms, including the F-22 and F-35 fighters, according to the company. The new ESM system will replace the original Lockheed Martin AN/APR-50 defensive management system on the 20 B-2s. The ESM system works in conjunction with the radar warning receiver to detect and alert aircrew to electronic threats. Although it says it was selected “in a competitive bid process over the incumbent and industry’s top electronic warfare...

For the last four months, a detachment of five new American EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft have been operating in Iraq. Exactly what they are doing there is classified. The EA-18Gs are replacing the aging EA-6Bs that now provide electronic protection against enemy radars and missiles for navy and air force aircraft. The air force retired their EF-111 electronic warfare aircraft in 1994, on the assurance that the navy would get the EA-18G into service before the EA-6Bs died of old age. The older 27 ton EA-6B carries a crew of four, while the highly automated 29 ton EA-18G has only...

When Hornets Growl The new, supersonic face of e-warfare. By D.C. Agle Air & Space Magazine, March 01, 2011 No soft underbelly here: The EA-18G Growler hauls missiles, fuel tanks, and electronic warfare pods. Ted Carlson/Fotodynamics Two hours north of Seattle, Washington, at the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the entrance to Puget Sound is guarded by a citadel dedicated to the aerial mastery and manipulation of one of the universe’s fundamental particles—the electron. The site, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, was originally envisioned as little more than a waypoint for patrol aircraft scanning the Sound...

While the U.S. Navy has continued to make improvements to its F/A-18 electronic attack variant — the EA-18G Growler — the service has yet to prove the aircraft is suitable for operations, says a recent report by the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E). At the same time, DOT&E notes another Navy electronic warfare aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler, is suitable, despite testing limitations faced by the program. DOT&E notes “suitability problems” that were identified during Growler testing in 2008. The Navy conducted Verification of Correction of Deficiencies (VCD) testing on the EA-18G from September 2009 to January 2010...

Australia is integrating three new operational elements into its advanced, network-centric military — a squadron of Wedgetail command and control aircraft, the first two squadrons of F/A-18F Super Hornets and the Vigilare theater surveillance integration system — all designed as the backbone of a small, highly responsive force. However, this cutting-edge force was envisioned somewhat differently only five years ago. The Wedgetail had a 2006 delivery date and F-35 Joint Strike Fighters were slated to replace the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) classic F-18 Hornets as soon as they were available. Instead, the Wedgetail’s radar was set back by a...

Electronic devices dominate modern combat. Warfighters depend on access to the electromagnetic spectrum to communicate with friendly forces, track enemy movements, navigate in the fog of war, collect intelligence, and perform many other vital functions. Electronic warfare is the military specialty concerned with denying enemy forces use of the spectrum while assuring that friendly forces have unfettered access. Airborne jammers are essential to the successful conduct of most electronic warfare missions. Jammers are used to prevent enemy radars and communications devices from functioning effectively by dominating the frequencies in which such systems operate. This is accomplished by either overpowering the...

Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air National Guard are modifying a KC-135 air refueling aircraft for testing of an infrared anti-missile system. Comprehensive ground testing of the company's Guardian system began Jan. 12. Follow-on flight testing is to begin Wednesday. The company said the Operational Utility Evaluation is scheduled for completion in mid-March. Northrop Grumman's Guardian system incorporates the company's AN/AAQ-24(V) infrared countermeasures defensive aid system in a pod-based configuration. The AN/AAQ-24 is installed on more than 500 fixed- and rotary-wing platforms for the U.S. military and others. It's designed to protect aircraft from advanced man-portable ground-to-air missiles and consists...

Pakistani officials have inspected the first of four Chinese ZDK-03 AWACS (Air Warning And Control System) aircraft. The aircraft was recently completed, and will enter service in a few months. These aircraft were ordered two years ago, for nearly $300 million each. Pakistan is also buying similar aircraft from Sweden. China has been developing its own AWACS for a decade, ever since the U.S. forced Israel to back off selling China the Phalcon AWACS (which used some American technology). China then bought some AWACS from Russia, while hustling to develop their own. The Chinese Air Force was not happy with...

Two airborne electronic attack aircraft, EA-18G "Growler," recently began validation with Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center's newest training department, the Airborne Electronic Attack Weapons School (AEAWS) Nov. 12. NSAWC's AEAWS department will provide training to the fleets electronic attack squadrons with the techniques, tactics and procedures to ensure aviation superiority in the electronic attack and air-to-air arena. "NSAWC has been working closely with Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Wash., and Commander Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC) toward the goal of establishing a training center here in Fallon since 2006," said Cmdr. Peter Fey. "Commander Chris Bieber spearheaded most of...

For the last five years, South Korean intelligence has been trying to get their hands on North Korea's new GPS jammer. The South Korean recently revealed that they had evidence that these jammers were now mounted on North Korean electronic warfare vehicles. These jammers are used to spoil the aim of GPS guided bombs and missiles, and are believed to have a range of 50-100 kilometers. South Korea believes the jammer technology was obtained from Russia. The U.S., NATO, Israel and several Middle Eastern nations (friendly to the U.S.) are big users of GPS guided weapons. The North Korean device...

Airbus Military has begun bench testing systems for a signals intelligence variant of the A320, as part of a drive to expand its offering of military derivatives of Airbus commercial platforms. Equipment is being tested at one of the company's facilities near Madrid under a self-funded feasibility study, says Miguel-Angel Morell, senior vice-president engineering and technology. He confirms that applications being tested "are electronic,communications and signals intelligence". Senior vice-president commercial Antonio Rodriguez-Barberán says: "We have initiated preliminary conversations with some potential customers with regard to an application of this type. We will do this with the same philosophy as our...

The US Navy has awarded Raytheon an $89.5 million contract to produce ALR-67(V)3 digital radar warning receivers for the Super Hornet fighter aircraft. Under the contract, Raytheon will provide a total of 681 ALR-67(V)3 systems including spares to the US Naval Air Systems Command and global customers, the company said. This is the 12th full rate production lot awarded to Raytheon as part of an original contract that began in the late 1980s, it said. Deliveries of the system will begin in January 2012 and are expected to be completed by December 2012, Raytheon said. The ALR-67(V)3 is an airborne...

With the size of the F-22 stealth fighter force capped, U.S. Air Force officials are going to muscle up the service’s air dominance force via Air National Guard F-15C Golden Eagles upgraded with advanced, long-range radars. Because of the larger size of the Boeing F-15s’ radar and the aircraft’s greater flight endurance, they also will serve as “stand-in” electronic warfare jamming and attack aircraft as part of the Air Force’s composite air dominance force that also includes stealthy Lockheed Martin F-22s stationed at Langley AFB, Va. Each fighter type will shoulder 50% of the air dominance mission now that the...

In 2018, the U.S. Navy hopes to take a major step toward fielding a cyber-attack system on a tactically survivable, fighter-size aircraft. Although researchers are cautious about discussing their cyberwarfare and electronic attack projects, one company states that it is "developing a weapon system that can deliver cyber-effects through free space into an aperture." That opaque explanation refers to a cyber-weapon, sized for a tactical aircraft or UAV, that can create a long-range data stream -- most likely from an active, electronically scanned array (AESA) emitter. The emitter will function both as radar and the source of these uniquely tailored...