Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) is often described as offensive: OODA loop, kill chain, and sensor-to-effector.Defense is inherent in the “C2″ part of JADC2, but that’s not what first came to mind.
To use a football analogy, the quarterback gets the attention, but the team with the best defense — whether it’s running or passing — usually makes it to the championship.
The Large Aircraft Countermeasures System (LAIRCM) is one of Northrop Grumman’s IRCM systems and provides protection against infrared-guided missiles.It has been installed on more than 80 models.Shown above is the CH-53E installation.Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman.
In the world of electronic warfare (EW), the electromagnetic spectrum is viewed as the playing field, with tactics such as targeting and deception for offense and so-called countermeasures for defense.
The military uses the electromagnetic spectrum (essential but invisible) to detect, deceive and disrupt enemies while protecting friendly forces.Controlling the spectrum becomes increasingly important as enemies become more capable and threats become more sophisticated.
“What’s happened over the past few decades is a huge increase in processing power,” explained Brent Toland, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems’ Navigation, Targeting and Survivability Division.“This allows one to create sensors where you can have wider and wider instantaneous bandwidth, allowing for faster processing and higher perception capabilities. Also, in the JADC2 environment, this makes distributed mission solutions more Effective and more resilient.”
Northrop Grumman’s CEESIM faithfully simulates real warfare conditions, providing radio frequency (RF) simulation of multiple simultaneous transmitters connected to static/dynamic platforms.Robust simulation of these advanced, near-peer threats provides the most economical way to test and validate the effectiveness of sophisticated electronic warfare equipment.Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman.
Since the processing is all digital, the signal can be adjusted in real time at machine speed.In terms of targeting, this means that radar signals can be adjusted to make them harder to detect.In terms of countermeasures, responses can also be adjusted to better address threats.
The new reality of electronic warfare is that greater processing power makes the battlefield space increasingly dynamic.For example, both the United States and its adversaries are developing concepts of operations for a growing number of unmanned aerial systems with sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities.In response, countermeasures must be equally advanced and dynamic.
“Swarms typically perform some kind of sensor mission, such as electronic warfare,” Toland said.”When you have multiple sensors flying on different air platforms or even space platforms, you’re in an environment where you need to protect yourself from detection from multiple geometries.”
“It’s not just for air defenses. You have potential threats all around you right now. If they’re communicating with each other, the response also needs to rely on multiple platforms to help commanders assess the situation and provide effective solutions.”
Such scenarios are at the heart of JADC2, both offensively and defensively.An example of a distributed system performing a distributed electronic warfare mission is a manned Army platform with RF and infrared countermeasures working in tandem with an air-launched unmanned Army platform that also performs part of the RF countermeasure mission.This multi-ship, unmanned configuration provides commanders with multiple geometries for perception and defense, compared to when all sensors are on a single platform.
“In the Army’s multi-domain operating environment, you can easily see that they absolutely need to be around themselves to understand the threats they’re going to face,” Toland said.
This is the capability for multispectral operations and electromagnetic spectrum dominance that the Army, Navy, and Air Force all need.This requires wider bandwidth sensors with advanced processing capabilities to control a wider range of the spectrum.
To perform such multispectral operations, so-called mission-adaptive sensors must be used.Multispectral refers to the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes a range of frequencies covering visible light, infrared radiation, and radio waves.
For example, historically, targeting has been accomplished with radar and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems.Therefore, a multispectral system in the target sense will be one that can use broadband radar and multiple EO/IR sensors, such as digital color cameras and multiband infrared cameras.The system will be able to collect more data by switching back and forth between sensors using different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
LITENING is an electro-optical/infrared targeting pod capable of imaging at long distances and securely sharing data via its bi-directional plug-and-play data link.Photo of a U.S. Air National Guard Sgt.Bobby Reynolds.
Also, using the example above, multispectral does not mean that a single target sensor has combinatorial capabilities in all regions of the spectrum.Instead, it uses two or more physically distinct systems, each sensing in a specific part of the spectrum, and the data from each individual sensor is fused together to produce a more accurate image of the target.
“In terms of survivability, you’re obviously trying not to be detected or targeted. We have a long history of providing survivability in the infrared and radio frequency parts of the spectrum and have effective countermeasures for both.”
“You want to be able to detect if you’re being acquired by an adversary in either part of the spectrum and then be able to provide the appropriate counter-attack technology as needed – whether it’s RF or IR. Multispectral becomes powerful here because you rely on both and can choose Which part of the spectrum to use, and the appropriate technique to deal with the attack. You’re evaluating information from both sensors and determining which is most likely to protect you in this situation.”
Artificial intelligence (AI) plays an important role in fusing and processing data from two or more sensors for multispectral operations.AI helps refine and categorize signals, weed out signals of interest, and provide actionable recommendations on the best course of action.
The AN/APR-39E(V)2 is the next step in the evolution of the AN/APR-39, the radar warning receiver and electronic warfare suite that has protected aircraft for decades.Its smart antennas detect agile threats over a wide frequency range, so there’s nowhere to hide in the spectrum.Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman.
In a near-peer threat environment, sensors and effectors will proliferate, with many threats and signals coming from U.S. and coalition forces.Currently, known EW threats are stored in a database of mission data files that can identify their signature.When an EW threat is detected, the database is searched at machine speed for that particular signature.When a stored reference is found, appropriate countermeasure techniques will be applied.
What is certain, however, is that the United States will face unprecedented electronic warfare attacks (similar to zero-day attacks in cybersecurity).This is where AI will step in.
“In the future, as threats become more dynamic and changing, and they can no longer be classified, AI will be very helpful in identifying threats that your mission data files cannot,” Toland said.
Sensors for multispectral warfare and adaptation missions are a response to a changing world where potential adversaries have well-known advanced capabilities in electronic warfare and cyber.
“The world is changing rapidly, and our defensive posture is shifting toward near-peer competitors, raising the urgency of our adoption of these new multispectral systems to engage distributed systems and effects,” Toland said.”This is the near future of electronic warfare.”
Staying ahead in this era requires deploying next-generation capabilities and enhancing the future of electronic warfare.Northrop Grumman’s expertise in electronic warfare, cyber and electromagnetic maneuver warfare spans all domains – land, sea, air, space, cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum.The company’s multispectral, multifunctional systems provide warfighters with advantages across domains and allow for faster, more informed decisions and ultimately mission success.
Post time: May-07-2022