By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR
While the Army release a press liberate Aug. 2, together with officials answered some of my follow-up questions, they were understandably unwilling to especial the capabilities or fifty-fifty the exact issue of the Electronic Warfare Tactical Vehicles (EWTVs). What is clear, though, is that the EWTVs are a minor but meaning pace towards rebuilding the Army’s disbanded capability to laid on enemy communications, the electronic linchpin of modern warfare. The Army’s high-priority Rapid Equipping Force (REF) coordinates the endeavor alongside Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER), Army Test & Evaluation Command (ATEC), Training & Doctrine Command (TRADOC) capability managers (who write official requirements), together with multiple plan offices. (The EWTV endeavor precedes the Army’s creation of Cross-Functional Teams to streamline acquisition, but the coordinated approach is similar). REF officials told me the Pb contractor for the EW gear is SRC Inc. together with the “base system” installed on the vehicle is SRC Inc.’s CREW Duke, alongside unspecified modifications.
An MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected) truck torn apart yesteryear an IED (Improvised Explosive Device)
What tin Duke do? Widely deployed inwards the Army together with Marine Corps, Duke began life every bit a low-power, short-range jammerto proceed radio-controlled roadside bombs from going off. (CREW is a nested acronym for Counter-RCIED (Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device) Electronic Warfare). But Duke evolved into a much to a greater extent than sophisticated systemcapable of detecting together with disrupting a broad gain of signals, from cellphones to the command links for enemy drones, every bit tested inwards the articulation Black Dart experiments. The modified Duke installed on the EWTV is specifically built to “sense together with jam enemy communications together with networks,” non only drones or IEDS, together with it tin make thence “across a broad spectrum of frequencies together with alongside myriad waveforms at meaning power.” Specifically, it tin abide by together with analyze radio-frequency signals (a business office known every bit electronic support, ES), together with thence transmit its ain RF signal to disrupt together with deceive the enemy (electronic attack, EA).
It’s worth noting that when EW systems become from passive listening to active jamming, their signal tends to demonstrate upwards brightly on the enemy‘s EW sensors, which tin essay to triangulate their location for airstrikes or artillery barrages. That’s a large component division of the argue the Army wants “precision” electronic warfare that transmits only plenty might at only the correct frequency inwards only the correct management to unopen the enemy down, rather than broadcasting a high-power signal that’s easily detectable on multiple frequencies. (The other argue is such brute-force blasting tends to unopen downward friendly radios together with radars too). The ultimate precision technique is to job a low-power EW signal every bit a carrier for a cyber attack, hacking into the enemy network rather than overpowering its transmissions, together with the Army is inwards fact merging its cyber together with EW branches.
But fifty-fifty alongside precision electronic warfare, jamming from 1 house for a long fourth dimension is by together with large an invitation for enemy fire, thence EW systems demand to live mobile. (Even together with thence friendly forces by together with large don’t hang out besides unopen when enemy artillery is inwards range). That brings us to the TV component division of EWTV, the Tactical Vehicle.
Russian Krasukha-2 electronic warfare organization alongside dish deployed. The organization was reportedly used inwards Syria.
Platforms & Tactics
SRC’s electronic warfare kit is installed on a four-wheel crusade MaxxPro Dash, 1 of the multiple types of MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected) armored trucks bought for the state of war inwards Iraq. That’s a frontline vehicle for counterinsurgency but to a greater extent than of a supporting instrumentalist inwards a dandy might war, where heavier 8×8 Strykers, tracked Bradley variants, together with M1 Abrams tanks would live inwards the forefront. Since the unspecified “operational requirement” the EWTV was built to come across is almost sure Russian EW inwards Europe, the vehicle is in all probability intended to describe upwards good curt of the firing occupation together with jam enemy systems from a distance of a few miles at the really least. That’s a large divergence from most of the EW equipment deployed inwards Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan together with Iraq, which was either mobile but short-ranged — similar the original CREW — or higher-powered but static, emplaced on Forward Operating Bases that would live easy targets for Russian or Chinese-style missiles together with artillery.
Russian Borisoglebsk-2 long-range EW organization alongside antenna mast deployed.
The size of the MaxxPro Dash also puts an upper restrict on the sheer might of the sensors together with jammers aboard. (Although, again, the Army’s to a greater extent than interested inwards precision than raw power). While MRAPs are by together with large roomier than tracked troop carriers similar the M2 Bradley — the MaxxPro Dash tin accept a 10,000-pound payload — they’re silent significantly smaller than the tractor-trailer-sized systems inwards job alongside many Russian EW units, which cause got ranges inwards the hundreds of miles. The antennas installed on the EWTV are also a lot smaller than the large dishes together with retractable masts on the Russian heavy-duty systems, over again suggesting lower might together with shorter range. Yes, Moore’s Law together with precision jamming techniques allow yous make to a greater extent than alongside a smaller slice of kit than inwards the past, but at some scream for the laws of physics restrict your reach. UPDATED I asked CNA’s Sam Bendett, 1 of my favorite experts inwards Russian high-tech systems, how the Electronic Warfare Tactical Vehicle stacked upwards against the Russian EW arsenal. “Mobility is cardinal inwards EW, (and) Russian forces cause got a broad multifariousness of wheeled EW systems that could deploy inwards every bit petty every bit xv minutes,” he told me. “Russia has at to the lowest degree v dissimilar truck-mounted EW systems already that cause got been used extensively inwards Syria, every bit good every bit inwards a multifariousness of domestic together with international drills together with exercises.”
“The American EWTV is a definitive pace inwards the correct direction, though at this scream for the US capability is behind Russia’s,” Bendett said. “This truck needs to ‘bulk up’ to come across the challenges presented yesteryear the constantly-evolving Russian EW capabilities together with technologies.”
So the EWTV is yesteryear no agency the solution to the Army’s electronic warfare shortfalls. The “several” EWTVs forthwith inwards their in conclusion testing for FORSCOM are non necessarily fifty-fifty the prototypes for something that volition live afterwards mass-produced.
For 1 thing, the Army ultimately wants to integrate Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) together with electronic warfare into a unmarried platform, since both missions involve detecting together with analyzing enemy signals. The EWTV, however, “is non capable of SIGINT.”
The mass-produced solution may non fifty-fifty live on an MRAP truck. While the Army told me that “the Army REF is non considering other platforms for the EWTV at this time,” after experimenting alongside the EWTV, they may good determine they demand a larger platform to deport higher-powered equipment, a improve armored platform to deport equipment closer to the front end line, or both. (The novel turretless utility variant of the M2 Bradley, the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, is 1 possible option).
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