Iraj Abid
Electronic Warfare (EW) is becoming central to modern military campaigns. Dedicated EW platforms and strategies are increasingly employed on the battlefield to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS). The Russia-Ukraine conflict provides a clear example of this trend.
According to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Russian forces have deployed GPS and radio-link jammers after every 10 km along the frontline. Russian EW systems, such as Zhitel and Borisoglebsk-2, have forced Ukrainian military units to use World War I-style field telephones for secure communications.
Ukraine has also expanded its own domestic production of EW equipment. Constant electromagnetic contestation through GPS jamming, communications disruption, and electronic attacks is reshaping the employment of drones, precision munitions, and Command and Control (C2) systems in the Ukrainian theatre. The overall effect has been constrained air superiority and a more attritional style of warfare.
Unprovoked military attack by nuclear armed Indian on nuclear armed Pakistan in May 2025 further demonstrated the centrality of EW in a geographically confined, high-intensity, and rapidly escalating conflict. In the Four-Day War, EW functioned as a decisive force multiplier. According to the press briefing by PAF Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed, during the war, owing to modern aircraft, superior pilot training, and effective employment of EW, the PAF was able to shoot down seven Indian aircraft, including four Dassault Rafale, on the night of 6-7 May.
According to the details provided in the briefing, Pakistan’s EW operations disrupted Indian aircraft communications and degraded radar performance, severely constraining the IAF’s ability to identify and engage targets. PAF was also able to breach the opponent’s electronic protection measures and intercept the communications of Indian pilots. Essentially, Pakistan’s EW capabilities rendered India’s fighter jets including 4.5-generation aircraft operationally impaired. Consequently, as admitted by Indian Chief of Defence Forces General Anil Chauhan the entire IAF was grounded.
NATO defines EW as “military action that exploits electromagnetic energy to provide situational awareness and create offensive and defensive effects.” Not long ago, EW was a niche, highly classified technology considered secondary to firepower and platforms.
As militaries moved toward more integrated systems, secure communications, satellite navigation, precision-guided munitions and C2 networks, EW evolved into a major operational function rather than a support system. Today, the EMS is considered as vital as land, sea, air, space and cyberspace domains. Its employment is therefore essential for battlefield domination.
The strategic centrality of EW is shaped by heavy reliance of today’s militaries on radiofrequency (RF) communications, radar systems, satellite-based navigation and data-linked operational structures. These technologies function through continuous data exchange among sensors, shooters, and decision-makers. Uninterrupted access to the EMS is essential for effective military operations. Unlike traditional kinetic weapons that physically destroy military assets, EW disrupts the EMS, which may lead to operational breakdowns that can be as destructive as physical obliteration.
Owing to its strategic salience, global powers are investing sizeable resources in EW capabilities. Investments are expanding beyond jammers and intercept platforms to include resilient communications, alternative navigation methods, AI-powered signal processing, and integration of space-based assets. According to the EW Market report, the global EW market was valued at approximately USD 15.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach about USD 35.1 billion by 2033. The US accounted for around 45% of global EW investment between 2021 and 2023, while Russia and China accounted for about 14% and 13%, respectively.
The US has long been a leader in EW due to its advanced technological base and integration of EW across air, land, sea, cyber and space domains. However, China’s rapid EW modernisation is increasingly closing this gap. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s Integrated Network and Electronic Warfare (INEW) doctrine merges cyber, space-based intelligence and EW into a unified operational strategy.
China fields a constellation of Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) Satellites that analyse global signal emissions in real time, enabling precise coordination of EW operations. Beijing is heavily investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop “cognitive EW” that would autonomously classify and counter hostile signals in contested electromagnetic environments.
An advanced EW technique is being developed to generate an “electromagnetic calm” within a heavily jammed EMS. This capability would enable PLA to disrupt the adversary’s communications and navigation systems while sparing friendly networks. As a countermeasure, the US is focusing on developing distributed EW architectures, AI-assisted spectrum management, and joint-force exercises simulating real electronic combat conditions.
Modern wars are inherently multi-domain, where integrated systems have acquired significance alongside traditional platforms. Along with modern weapons, decisive advantage depends on situational awareness – the ability to collect, process, and act upon real-time battlefield information. This is achieved through a “system-of-systems” architecture that links platforms, sensors, C2 nodes, and datalinks into a resilient operational network.
EW targets this architecture by intercepting, disrupting, or degrading the adversary’s sensor-to-shooter cycle while safeguarding one’s own networks and assets. In the Four-Day War initiated by India, Pakistan successfully disrupted India’s situational awareness while protecting its own EW infrastructure.
Indian defence analyst Pravin Sawhney acknowledged this by noting that the Pakistani military enjoyed comprehensive visibility across the battlefield during the war. He underscored that datalink integration and EW capabilities were decisive factors in Pakistan’s success in the Four-Day War, and failure of Operation Sindoor.
Pakistan’s victory in the Four-Day War has generated significant international interest in its battle-tested military technology and equipment. Since the May conflict, Islamabad has concluded major defence export contracts with multiple states, with deals worth over USD 10 billion.
The Ukraine conflict and the Four-Day War underscore a broader strategic lesson. As warfare becomes more data-driven and automated, EW is becoming indispensable to military operations. In future conflicts, the role of EW will become even more significant. Developments in AI and Machine Learning will supercharge EW strategies. Investment in EW capabilities is therefore essential.
Iraj Abid is a Research Officer at the Center for International Strategic Studies Sindh, Karachi
