The US Special Operations Command is seeking information on drone tech that takes down ground-based enemy electronic warfare systems.
The Counter-Electronic Countermeasure Seeker should be capable of detecting, identifying, and targeting EW systems preying on “GPS, command data link, communications frequencies, and counter-battery radars,” the solicitation notice stated.
It should fit on class I (up to 20 pounds or 9 kilograms) and class II (55 pounds or 25 kilograms) drones as an additional sensor or as a seeker on small, guided munitions.
How They Will Hunt
“The CONOP (Concept of Operations) is to send multiple small weaponized [unmanned aerial systems] to penetrate electronic countermeasure operational environments and loiter,” the command explained.
“They would conduct a preplanned autonomous attack on active emitters. Location, type of signal and jam to signal ratio, etc., would determine threat identity to prevent fratricide.”
Pressing Necessity
The requirement underlines the command’s shifting priorities away from decades of counter-terrorism operations.
It coincides with Russia’s electronic warfare deployment in the Ukraine war that blunted the accuracy of US guided munitions such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition.
It even thwarted the initial edge rocket artillery like the HIMARS provided to the Ukrainians, forcing them to look for workarounds.
“The current conflict has shown the tactical and operational impact of enhanced ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) and long‐range precision strike capabilities,” the command said in the document, referring to the Russia-Ukraine war.
“The resulting requirement for dispersion complicates command, control, and logistics which are further degraded by electronic attack on communication and navigation systems.”
“GPS and command link jamming degrades ISR and precision munition capabilities needed for attack in depth against command, control, and logistics centers. While this affects both sides it favors the side that can employ mass without regard for casualties.”