Contemporary electronic countermeasures.

The contemporary stage of development of the Armed Forces in the leading states demonstrates concentration of the main efforts on improving radio communications systems as one of the most important components to provide informational superiority in combat waged by the Army units. The experience gained by the armies of the developed countries and the achieved technological level enable them to start equipping their forces with the latest informational systems ("tactical Internet") and radio means in the near future. These systems will improve the level of informational security of combat operations by increasing additional quantities and efficiency of the provided information together with realizing network access to databases of collective usage at all levels of command. At the same time, much attention is paid to the development of the informational security of the tactical level, in order to reduce as much as possible a cycle of direct control in the conditions of rapidly changing tactical and radio-electronical situation.

The analysis of the experience of war conflicts and military exercises reveals the fact that in the conditions of the persistent development of the radio communications system the required efficiency of its electronic countermeasures (ECM) can't be achieved by employment of only ground-based ECM systems which are in service at present time. To our mind it can be explained by the peculiarities of the character of a contemporary combined arms combat and the perspectives of its changes; by the drastic increase of a number of different radio electronic communications systems at the tactical level of control; by technical imperfections, which are typical of ground-based ECM systems.

The drastic increase of space parameters of combat actions in the tactical zone (with the advent of such terms as "a far (distant) contactless combat," "an expanded field of combat" (1)) requires the expansion of the depth of radio suppression of the enemy radio electronic communications systems (RECS). Meanwhile a focal character of waging a combined arms combat, deep mutual penetration into combat formations of fighting parties, frequent transition from one kind of combat actions to others create very complicated conditions for efficient employment of all kinds of materiel, and first of all ground-based systems of electronic countermeasures.

Introduction of such systems of radio communications as cellular (trunking), EPLRS into service with modern armies along with limited range and data carrier capacities of the electronic countermeasures systems which are in service with the Army make it necessary to transfer to selective (of functional subsystems) and selected (by objects) method of suppressing radio communications systems. Moreover the ground-based systems of electronic countermeasures are characterized by the following imperfections of technical nature: a limited range of radio suppression (depending on the terrain); limits of high fast action modes and low efficiency of radio blanketing of jam-proof modes, for instance, programmed retuning of the operating frequency (PROF); considerable time losses to transport and detect radio electronic defense; considerable complication of conditions of electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) for radio electronic systems of friendly forces with active radio electronic countermeasures taken by the enemy.

The analysis of a number of military hostilities which have taken place for the last decades, proves that under these circumstances the improvement of radio suppression efficiency can be acquired first of all by transferring jamming facilities to the enemy territory and secondly by developing methods of combined employment of electronic countermeasures systems with various bases.

At present time unmanned air vehicles (UAV) are considered to be the most promising carriers of electronic countermeasures systems. They are capable of jamming radio communications facilities in hostile territory. In our opinion the employment of UAV to perform electronic countermeasures missions can also increase the efficiency of employing units equipped with ground-based systems of electronic countermeasures. (2)

The results of efficiency evaluation of combat employment of ground-based systems of radio communications blanketing demonstrate their following advantages: the capacity of detecting and selective blanketing of the enemy electronic countermeasures systems, high level of efficiency during the accomplishment of radio electronic countermeasures; successful radio suppression of narrow band (low speed) types of transmission. Meanwhile in comparison with ground-based electronic countermeasures systems UAV-ECM are capable of: increasing the depth of radio suppression, as well as effecting a big number of electronic countermeasures systems including those which are characterized by a good level of jam-proof features. At the same time, UAV-ECM demonstrate a high level of maneuverability while the deflecting mode of radio blanketing excludes the necessity of detecting and tracking operating frequencies of ECM systems.

But in our opinion the main imperfections of UAV-ECM can be described as follows: the dependence on weather conditions; the necessity to employ a big number of UAV-ECM when effecting the objects dispersed in the space; a strict observance of distance of UAV-ECM employment zone to provide electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC).

When a combined arms combat considers advantages and imperfections of different kinds of radio electronic countermeasures, it provides a fundamental possibility to search and realize effective ways of electronic countermeasures warfare with combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems to suppress perspective radio communications means of the enemy.

Fundamentally, there are the following main ways of combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems: time diversion as well as zone separation, ECM object separation, suppressed radio electronic system frequency and mode separation.

The combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM system at the base of joint actions in time is the most urgent to compensate losses of ECM efficiency and to provide ECM continuity during transportation of ground-based ECM systems in combat. In order to provide continuity and required suppression efficiency a combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems can be carried out both with the aim of radio blanketing of the main objects during simultaneous transportation of all ground-based ECM systems and compensating the losses of data carrier capacity of the ground-based systems during their echelon transportation.

In its turn the increased effectiveness of radio blanketing during combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems in the effected zone is achieved by using UAV-ECM to suppress objects, which are energy-proof for jamming by the ground-based systems, and hence, by decreasing a number of objects assigned for blanketing by ground-based ECM systems. Thus, ground-based ECM systems are provided with favorable energy conditions for maximum realization of their potential carrier capacity.

It is important to stress that the combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems according to the effected zones will help to solve complicated tasks caused by growing space parameters of a contemporary and future combined arms combat.

Along with objects completely inaccessible for blanketing by ground-based ECM systems (due to frequency range, operating mode) UAV-ECM can be assigned to suppress zones where objects requiring great energy consumption of ground-based ECM systems, are located. On one hand, it will allow to decrease a number of ECM objects assigned to ground-based ECM systems for suppression, on the other, it will increase a quantity of radio communications lines simultaneously suppressed by every jamming station. The preliminary analysis shows that thus the carrier capacity of ground-based ECM systems will grow by 30 to 50 percent. Besides, the required height of antenna extension of ground-based jamming stations will be reduced, and as a result their mobility and survivability will increase (approximately the period of folding and deploying will be reduced by 20 to 30 percent).

The method of a combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems with separation of their blanketing effects on ECM objects is considered to be a particular case of zone separation and is carried out during focal jamming radio communications systems. At this point it is necessary to point out that realization of focal jamming is possible in the conditions when the coordinates of potential ECM objects are known.

The idea of a combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems with frequency range separation is that the whole range of operating frequencies of communications means (the enemy ECM objects) is divided into noninterlaced zones assigned to both UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems. As a result it will reduce a number of frequency bands assigned to every ECM means. Consequently, the realization of this method will permit UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems to raise spectral density of jamming and, as a result, to increase the zone of suppression. The achieved effect can partly or totally compensate a reduced number of objects which is caused by narrowing frequency range assigned to UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems.

As far as the operation of a ground-based ECM system is concerned, the discussed method will help to reduce a number of objects assigned to it for suppression, which in its turn will increase the effectiveness of the employment of such systems.

To our mind, the combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems with non-interlacing frequency ranges will provide more reasonable selection of barraging zones by UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems.

The described method of the combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems with separation of effected objects by their operating modes is based on the implementation of various qualities of barraging (frequency) jamming produced by UAV-ECM systems and targeted (frequency) jamming produced by ground-based ECM systems. The concept of this separation is to permit ground-based ECM systems to effect radio communications means which use traditional modes of operation with narrow band signals and capable of changing over to alternative frequencies under the influence of jamming. Meanwhile UAV-ECM systems are assigned to suppress communications means, which use jamming-proof modes of operation, mainly programmed retuning of the operating frequency.

The necessity of introduction of this method of employment is caused by the fact that ground-based ECM systems which use targeted (by frequency) jamming demonstrate low efficiency when effecting perspective communications means of the enemy which operate in jamming-proof modes. Thus, slow programmed retuning of the operating frequency (PROF) reduces the carrier capacity of the ECM system because in the mode of targeted (by frequency) jamming every station provides blanketing of not more than one line of radio communications. Rapid programmed retuning of the operating frequency (PROF) with the approach of the time of the signal radiation in the same frequency to the time of radio waves propagation in traces makes radio reconnaissance and targeted radio suppression impossible at all. At the same time, the change-over of the suppressed communications means of the enemy from traditional operating modes to the modes with programmed retuning of the operating frequency (PROF) does not impact the efficiency of UAV-ECM systems which create barraging (by frequency) jamming. Moreover in those cases when this changeover causes expansion of the bandwidth of a receiving device of the enemy communications means, the efficiency of barraging jamming increases again.

Thus, the described above methods of combined employment of UAV-ECM and ground-based ECM systems in combat may be implemented in various combinations depending on developing situation of radio suppression of the enemy communications means at the tactical level of control and provide considerable increase of the efficiency of electronic countermeasures. Effective methods of combined employment can be selected on the basis of coordination of preliminary planned operations with further consideration of conditions for jamming in combat.

NOTES:

1. I.N. Vorobyov, "Taktika obshchevoiskovogo boia," Voennaia mysl', Special Issue, 2004, p. 28.

2. V. Kabanov, S. Kobrusev, "Preimushchestva bespilotnykh aviatsionnykh kompleksov," Military Parade, No. 4, 2002, pp. 20-21.

Col. V.A. BALYBIN

Candidate of Technical Sciences

Col. Yu.E. DONSKOV (Ret.)

Doctor of Military Sciences

Capt. I.V. LINNIK