Research Summaries

Back Small Unmanned Aerial Systems as Electronic Warfare Countermeasures

Fiscal Year 2015
Division Graduate School of Operational & Information Sciences
Department Information Sciences
Investigator(s) Scudder, Caroline
Sponsor Space & Naval Warfare Systems Center-Pacific (Navy)
Summary With the sundown of the EA-6B Prowler and resultant Marine Corps Electronic Warfare (EW) capability gap, combined with the increased worldwide proliferation of integrated air defense systems, new methods of employing Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare (EMMW) concepts and delivering electronic warfare payloads must be developed. Navy and Marine Corps forces operating from amphibious shipping must have enabling technologies in order to gain and maintain localized air superiority in littoral regions worldwide.
This research Is investigating the feasibility of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) in electronic anti-air-defense and develops the SUAS swarm electronic warfare concept. Such swarm systems would consist of small, versatile, self-emplacing LIAS designed to carry spectrum-agile EW payloads capable of finding, targeting, and saturating enemy air defense radar systems at the time and place (geographically and spectrum-wise) of our choosing. Such payloads would be carried by UAS capable of employment from amphibious shipping in support of littoral MAGTF operations. A few dozen low-cost, autonomous UAS aircraft capable of overwhelming adversary targeting radar with EW emissions or spectrum-specific reflective material could enable Amphibious Task Force aviation forces to bypass otherwise prohibitive adversary integrated air defense systems, and gain a foothold in the battlespace for exploitation by follow-on aviation and airborne units. Effectiveness in cost, material, and personnel is always essential in the military operating environment: SUAS swarm capability can maximize these and offers development of modular and scalable payload options.
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Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal