1. The US is falling behind Russia in electronic warfare capabilities, specifically in remotely scrambling enemy weapons using jamming technology.
2. Russia has invested significantly in electromagnetic innovation, ignoring international laws, and has used its electronic warfare units effectively in conflicts such as in Ukraine.
3. The US is working on developing new electronic warfare systems and technologies to counter jamming threats but is still studying the conflict in Ukraine for information on improving its capabilities.
Former US military officials have pointed out that the United States is falling behind its rivals, like Russia, in the realm of electronic warfare. Russia has shown superior capacity in remotely disrupting enemy weapons using jamming technology, particularly in its war in Ukraine. The Kremlin has invested significantly in electronic innovation while ignoring international laws to stop jamming civilian telecommunications, giving them an edge over the US in this technology.
Retired US Army lieutenant general Mike Nagata emphasized that the US needs to get more creative to regain dominance in electronic warfare, as the gap between where the US should be and where it currently stands is widening. Russia has successfully used electronic warfare units to disable precision-guided weapons provided to Ukraine by the US, altering the course of GPS-guided artillery rounds and missiles.
The US is now focused on improving its electronic warfare systems, investing in new technology to evade GPS jamming. Despite efforts to enhance capabilities and counter Russia’s advantage, experts warn against overestimating the effectiveness of potential game-changing solutions, as the other side always finds ways to develop countermeasures. Concerns have also risen over Russia’s electronic warfare units scrambling GPS systems used by civilian planes in Europe, with recent incidents impacting flights, including one carrying the UK’s defense secretary.