|
The South African Electronic Warfare Association |
|
Aardvark Roost |
|
Message from the President |
|
July 2009 Expanding the Electronic Warfare (EW) Dialogue
EW is a highly specialized field about which people have a limited knowledge and therefore can unfortunately make people feel uncomfortable and intimidated by the subject.
Most people however regard EW as highly important. Secrecy is also a feature usually associated with EW.
Analyzing these “characteristics” of EW shows that more dialogue is needed to ensure we maintain a healthy and creative EW community with innovative and competitive EW systems and products.
Most people know that EW is a substantial force multiplier that has provided a winning edge in most twentieth century conflicts, even as far back as the First World War.
EW is highly technical and at the leading edge of technology. Its application in combat requires detailed understanding of both EW equipment and of the threat systems it is meant to defeat.
“Electronic combat is a deadly game of measures and countermeasures. Superior equipment is important but the combatants must use it with cunning and skill.”
It is therefore not surprising that EW is cloaked under a blanket of secrecy where the need to know principle is usually strictly applied.
Specific technical features of EW equipment and especially application software, is best kept secret. Compromising what should have been a winning edge in combat, would be extremely negligent and irresponsible. Industrial espionage to gain a competitive edge over competitors in the EW industry, is another good reason to have high levels of security.
There are also many reasons for the “widespread” ignorance about EW.
Career development courses in Defence Forces usually only touches on the very basics of EW - if at all. This is however often the only EW knowledge many personnel ever acquire.
Only limited numbers of personnel get the opportunity to serve in the relative few available EW related jobs where good knowledge and skills can be obtained through EW courses and practical experience.
Common practice in the Military throughout the world is to transfer and rotate personnel between jobs every three years. This hardly allows enough time for personnel to become real EW experts.
The secrecy associated with EW if applied too rigidly, could also have a negative impact on the EW learning process.
Tactical EW exercises are for example ideal opportunities to obtain insight into the operational application aspects of EW. Engineers and technical people in the EW industry and research establishments are however often excluded from participating due to security reasons.
As a result, many do not understand and appreciate the vital importance of these aspects when designing and developing next generation EW equipment. “How can they know if they don’t know what they don’t know!”
Countries with vibrant, healthy and innovative EW communities and EW capabilities are usually those where good interaction and dialogue between all parties concerned, exists.
Another feature that makes them successful is the effort they make to ensure that decision makers at higher levels where for example EW budgets are debated and approved, have good insight and understanding of EW matters.
As good balance between research and development, acquisition and EW infrastructure programmes are usually also present in such countries.
There are fortunately positive things happening in South Africa in his regard. One example is Company “EW days” where other people in the EW community are exposed to new developments and ideas.
Another example is the opportunities the Air Force provide for people in the industry to observe real EW engagements involving aircraft executing tactical missions during EW exercises.
The question however is whether we are doing enough and if not, why not?
As already pointed out, security reasons could if applied too rigidly, stand in the way of allowing people to gain valuable knowhow and experience that will benefit the overall EW effort of a country in the long term.
Whenever this is the case, we should seriously find solutions for the problem without compromising security.
A suggestion is to identify the really critically sensitive information that cannot be compromised. The concerned parties should then agree on a framework within which they can be fully “open” and which areas shall be excluded.
With such a framework in place and understood by all concerned, the problem is to a large degree resolved. If anyone moves beyond the agreed boundaries, it is easy and far less embarrassing to remind or to be reminded where the limits are.
Where security clearances are necessary, the trouble and cost to put it in place must also never become an excuse for not doing it.
External circumstances are however now also becoming a reason to expand the EW dialogue.
We saw in last month’s message that new technology is being developed at an ever increasing pace. This is the result of the billions that commercial companies are spending to put ever smarter more capable communication devices and electronics gadgets on the market.
It is alarming that this freely available technology is also being used to deadly effect in asymmetric conflicts and acts of terrorism around the globe.
Individual EW budgets can however not compete against the mega billions spent in developing these new devices and innovations in the commercial domain.
Sharing experiences and thoughts within the EW community will be vital to find counter measures against threats such as improvised explosives devices (IEDs).
The dialogue should probably be expanded beyond national boundaries as well. Alliances with selected partners in other countries will improve the ability to keep pace with the rate that new technologies are finding their way into new threats.
The dialogue with senior personnel to give them a better orientation and understanding of EW should also be expanded – keeping in mind that they are very busy people with often vastly different and non technical backgrounds!
Opportunities therefore need to be created to brief them about topical EW issues and expose them to EW equipment and infrastructure which is likely to make lasting and positive impressions.
One of the important roles of the AOC is to maintain and expand the EW dialogue. The Aardvark Roost is determined to assist and if necessary, take the initiative to ensure that this is also the case in South Africa. Regards Gerrie Radloff (President of the Aardvark Roost)
|
|
Home |
|
About |
|
Events |
|
News |
|
Articles |
|
President's Message |
|
Conference |
|
Links |
|
Downloads |
|
Store |
|
Careers |
|
Contact Us |