A Game-changer in Electronic Warfare?

In a major technological leap, a team of scientists from China have claimed a ground-breaking electronic warfare weapon that could reshape the dynamics of future military operations. If true, this could be bad news for China’s potential adversaries.

Electronic warfare (EW) is the strategic use of the electromagnetic spectrum or related tactics against an enemy in a military conflict. Electronic warfare aims to deny the opponent access to the electromagnetic spectrum while ensuring unrestricted access to friendly forces. EW consists of three major subdivisions: electronic attack (EA), electronic protection (EP) and electronic warfare support (ES). EW activities include infrared and radio frequency counter-measures, radio jamming, radar jamming, deception, and electronic counter-measures. It can be used to provide intelligence or combat power. Electronic attacks may deny an adversary's ability to communicate, navigate, gather intelligence or locate targets on the battlefield.

Background

The innovative weapon, detailed in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, is designed to launch multiple focused beams of electromagnetic waves from a single antenna. This technology enables the simultaneous targeting of objects in air, water or on the ground, potentially disrupting their operations.

The report claimed that laboratory tests on a miniaturised version of the weapon have yielded impressive results and demonstrated its ability to operate at high power and emit electromagnetic waves across a broad frequency range. Notably, the weapon can effectively counter anti-jamming techniques, including sophisticated measures like frequency hopping, which provides a significant advantage in electronic warfare.

The US-China contestation has economic, geo-strategic and military aspects to it. The military part of the competition is playing out in the Asia-Pacific region. This competition has been accompanied by military accommodations and innovations by both nations. Once lagging technologically behind the United States, China has drawn alongside, if not moved ahead, in certain niche areas. The biggest development is that China has reached a stage where it no longer does reverse engineering but is now developing its own technology.

Analysis

The United States has led the world in the sphere of EW, with companies like Northrop Grumman leading the pack. These include Naval Airborne Electronic Warfare and Airborne Electronic Attack Systems. In the air, Northrop Grumman electronic warfare systems help ensure strike aircraft can reach their targets and return home safely, rendering them immune to enemy radar and SAMs. This gave the U.S. a clear advantage over all its potential adversaries, including Russia and China.

With the development of this EW system by China, this will no longer be the case. The playing field between Beijing and Washington has been equalised to a certain extent in this arena. American defence forces will now have to watch their backs regarding the security of their electronic systems and the integrity of their electronic communications. Only the basic design of the weapon has been put forward in a research paper. However, the actual weapon system has not yet been officially inaugurated by the Chinese military. There could still be some serious surprises ahead here that China can pull out from a hat.

There are rumours afloat whether China has been entirely honest about its success in a miracle EW system; after all, it has been a client of Israel for a long time for building up its EW capabilities, and the relationship has reportedly been very profitable for Israeli companies involved. Therefore, a linkage with Israeli technology cannot be denied. As per experts, the design of the Chinese electronic weapon mimics the abilities of a comparable Israeli system, the Israeli Scorpius-SP pod. For the U.S., this could be yet another fall wherein a close ally has allowed leakage of critical technology to a potential adversary state. This is the risk of privatising the high-tech military industry, where corporate interests may subsume national security concerns. A vigilant government must step in and draw the line, as the U.S. is now doing, once the horse has bolted out of the stable.

It is a well-recorded assertion that China has obtained technology from the West overtly and covertly; its visiting students and scientists doing most of the pilfering.

Electronic weapons are no longer non-kinetic defensive weapon systems that they were deemed in the past. In our increasingly hyper-connected world, everything is linked up. No sector of an economy can be looked at in isolation. At the same time, no country can be an island. In this context, if the communication system of a country is successfully attacked then this could have severe consequences. The whole economy of a country could collapse. Not even a bullet has to be fired in the entire process. Once all electronic communications are jammed, a country becomes totally paralysed. Its entire framework of national defence becomes openly vulnerable to attack. Critical installations become a huge strategic risk. Communication with allies and the rest of the world also becomes threatened. There is no backup to fall upon.

No international mechanism exists for the control of the use of electronic weapons. As a result, they can be used in any way in which a country deems it to be acceptable. The apparent impacts of electronic weapons are not eye-catching. But they are still devastating in nature.

This electronic weapon advantage will give China an added boost in its expansionist endeavours in the Indo-Pacific region. Chinese ships can now sail more stealthily than ever before. Detecting them will become that much more difficult for the American security establishment even with the most sophisticated satellite from high above. More worryingly, discerning Chinese intentions in an earlier time frame will become difficult for intelligence analysts and could blindside major powers.