Every year on September 12, the Armed Forces of Ukraine celebrate the Day of Electronic Warfare Specialists. In today's environment, conducting a ground, air or sea operation without the use of electronic warfare is unthinkable. Electronic warfare has become an integral element of the warfare system. Find out what tasks and operations are performed by electronic warfare specialists and why it is important

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Electronic warfare (EW) specialists play an extremely important role in modern military operations. They are true masters of the electronic spectrum and have a huge impact on the outcome of combat operations. 

We will tell you what electronic warfare specialists do, why it is important and what goals are set for the Armed Forces of Ukraine's electronic warfare units.

Electronic warfare units in Ukraine 

Electronic warfare units are units that specialize in protecting strategic command and control systems of troops and weapons from deliberate enemy interference. 

They also provide measures to disrupt the functioning of the enemy's strategic command and control systems. 

In July 2021, a new school was opened to train qualified electronic warfare and electronic intelligence specialists. 

With the beginning of the large-scale russian invasion in 2022, a special mobile electronic warfare group was deployed to counter UAVs. 

What is electronic warfare? 

The requirements for a modern army are growing every year, and this requires the Armed Forces of Ukraine to find new ways to combat complex and advanced enemy systems. 

Electronic warfare specialists are responsible for managing electronic systems and understand the complexities and dangers of modern enemy radar and communications equipment. Ukrainian specialists have become a vital link in ensuring the security of military operations.

"Our weapons are not bullets or shells, they cannot be seen or recorded. The enemy's defeat cannot be noticed by conventional means and human eyes. We evaluate our work only by its results. Therefore, our specialists must know all types of enemy military tactics. If we take certain measures against russian UAVs or certain types of communication, and the enemy behaves the same way as in normal conditions, it means that we have not achieved our goals and we need to continue working with certain adjustments," said Colonel Ivan Pavlenko, a fighter in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

He added: "If an enemy commander or fighter does not receive certain orders, or a piece of equipment goes off course, behaves unusually or fails to fulfill its mission, then our work was successful." 

Challenges facing electronic warfare specialists

Electronic warfare is conducted using the electromagnetic spectrum.  The main "combat units" are infrared sensors, radars and radio equipment. 

All of them are used to detect enemy vehicles and personnel, protect against them, and maintain communication between their own units. 

One of the main tasks of electronic warfare is to create interference so that the enemy cannot use communication signals between combat units or equipment and their operators. 

The advantage of electronic warfare systems is that they can operate from land, sea, air and even space. Depending on the mission, electronic warfare technologies can provide an army with electronic attack, defense, and support for combat operations. 

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Electronic defense against such enemy attacks 

Systems for countering enemy electronic warfare usually consist of a series of directed infrared countermeasures. 

These are anti-missile systems of one type or another, whose task is to protect aircraft from infrared-guided missiles and radar-guided anti-aircraft weapons. 

Engineers are constantly improving these systems. For example, two years ago, Israel Aerospace Industries introduced a new electronic warfare system called Scorpius. 

This system is capable of jamming radars and communications of ships, UAVs, and missiles at various distances and simultaneously disabling air and sea electronics. 

The importance of electronic warfare specialists

Electronic warfare specialists play an extremely important role in ensuring the national security and defense of Ukraine. 

Their significance in modern military conflicts and defense operations cannot be overestimated, as everything depends on them:

- Ensuring the security of military operations: Electronic warfare systems help to avoid enemy fire and minimize losses.

- Reducing the effectiveness of enemy fire: Electronic warfare specialists can significantly limit the enemy's ability to use their communication and radar systems.

- Support for special operations: They play an important role in special operations by providing communications and protection against enemy radar systems.

- Infrastructure modernization: Electronic warfare specialists contribute to the development and modernization of electronic systems, making the Armed Forces of Ukraine more competitive at the international level.

Current issues of electronic warfare

Modern electronic warfare forces are based on ground, air, and electronic warfare units that are part of an army formation or a branch of the armed forces. 

The role of electronic warfare forces in modern wars and military conflicts continues to grow. The development and adoption by many states of modern high-precision, high-tech weapons has led to the emergence of new objects of warfare. 

The use of anti-radar missiles significantly reduces the survivability of modern electronic means based on active radar. The widespread use of satellite-based reconnaissance and navigation systems requires their neutralization, including by electronic warfare. 

The current approach to the development of electronic warfare means and systems takes into account further changes in the systematization of electronic warfare, and, as in the past, not only responds to changes in the electronic situation, but also clearly identifies the existence of trends for the future improvement of these means and systems. 

Thus, the importance of studying the problems associated with the decline in the effectiveness of modern electronic warfare systems and means is an important and urgent issue of the present. 

The Ukrainian army has always counted on strong and experienced specialists who are ready to enter into battle, not only physically but also intellectually. 

Among these important specialists, whose service is usually hidden from the general public, the electronic warfare specialist is one of the key actors ensuring the effective work of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On this special day, we express our gratitude to electronic warfare specialists for their invaluable contribution to the security of our country. Your dedication and professionalism deserve gratitude and attention. May your work always be successful, and may you be healthy and safe. 

Glory to Ukraine!

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