from wikipidia:
Electronic warfare (EW) is the use of the electromagnetic spectrum
to effectively deny the use of this medium by an adversary, while
optimizing its use by friendly forces. Electronic warfare has three
main components: electronic support, electronic attack, and
electronic protection.
Electronic support (ES) is the passive use of the electromagnetic
spectrum to gain intelligence about other parties on the
battlefield in order to find, identify, locate and intercept
potential threats or targets. This intelligence, known as ELINT,
might be used directly by fire-control systems for artillery or air
strike orders, for mobilization of friendly forces to a specific
location or objective on the battlefield, or as the basis of
electronic attack or electronic protection actions.
Because ES is conducted passively, it can be performed without the
target observing any electronic activities. ES's strategic
counterpart, SIGINT, is continuously performed by most of the
world's countries in order to gain intelligence derived from other
parties' electronic equipment and tactics.
An older term for ES is electronic support measures (ESM).
Electronic attack (EA) is the active or passive use of the
electromagnetic spectrum to deny its use by an adversary.
Active EA includes such activities as jamming, deception, active
cancellation, and EMP use.
Passive EA includes such activities as the use of chaff, towed
decoys, balloons, radar reflectors, winged decoys, and
stealth.
EA operations can be detected by an adversary due to their active
transmissions. Many modern EA techniques are considered to be
highly classified.
An older term for EA is electronic countermeasures (ECM).
Electronic protection (EP) includes all activities related to
making enemy EA activities less successful by means of protecting
friendly personnel, facilities, equipment or objectives. EP can
also be implemented to prevent friendly forces from being affected
by their own EA.
Active EP includes such activities as technical modifications to
radio equipment (such as frequency-hopping spread spectrum).
Passive EP includes such activities as the education of operators
(enforcing strict discipline) and modified battlefield tactics or
operations.
Older terms for EP include electronic protective measures (EPM) and
electronic counter countermeasures (ECCM).
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following the retirement of EF111 Raven, the USAF is using the
EA-6B in joint operations with the Navy to close the
suddenly-critical electronic warfare gap.
Other newer development is an electronic attack version of the
F/A-18F, the EA-18G Growler which will in turn replace the Navy's
EA-6B Prowler. An F/A-18F "F-1" was re-fitted with ALQ-99
electronic-warfare system...
SGP seems to have quite complete range of fighters but no EW
planes. Is there a need for us to have such planes?
