Mastering The Electromagnetic Battlefield: The Interplay Of EW, SIGINT, And COMINT

By John Oncea, Editor

EW, SIGINT, and COMINT are integral components of modern military operations, each serving distinct yet interconnected roles in the electromagnetic spectrum. Understanding their differences and synergies is crucial for comprehending contemporary defense strategies.

Electronic Warfare (EW), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Communications Intelligence (COMINT) are interconnected disciplines within modern military operations, each leveraging the electromagnetic spectrum but with distinct objectives and methodologies. Combined, these three technologies form an intelligence and warfare capability that allows for a comprehensive understanding of enemy communications and the ability to collect intelligence and actively disrupt their signals through jamming or other electronic countermeasures.

Each technology brings a unique capability, starting with EW which uses the electromagnetic spectrum to sense, protect, and communicate and can disrupt, deny, or degrade enemy use of signals. It is a versatile technology, capable of being applied from air, sea, land, or space, and it can target communication, radar, or other military and civilian assets. Common examples of EW systems include anti-jam electronic protection systems, anti-radiation missiles, and digital electronic warfare systems. 

SIGINT involves intercepting signals to gather information and includes COMINT, as well as electronic intelligence (ELINT), and foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT). It can help avoid conflicts and detect criminal activities.

COMINT involves intercepting communications between people and/or groups and includes voice interception, text interception, and signaling channel interception. It can help gather information about the sender and their organization.

All three technologies are integral components of modern military operations, each serving distinct yet interconnected roles in the electromagnetic spectrum. Understanding their differences and synergies is crucial for comprehending contemporary defense strategies.

Electronic Warfare: Jamming And Spoofing

EW involves the strategic use of the electromagnetic spectrum to gain an operational advantage over adversaries. According to Lockheed Martin, it encompasses offensive and defensive measures to disrupt, deny, degrade, or deceive enemy capabilities while protecting friendly systems. Wired adds EW involves three primary components:

• Electronic Attack (EA): This involves offensive operations to disrupt or deceive adversary electronic systems, such as jamming enemy radar or communication signals.
• Electronic Protection (EP): Defensive measures designed to safeguard friendly systems from adversary EW activities, ensuring the resilience of communications and sensor operations.
• Electronic Support (ES): The detection and interception of electromagnetic emissions to provide situational awareness and threat recognition.

Recent conflicts have underscored the significance of EW. For instance, the Russia-Ukraine war has seen extensive use of EW to disrupt drone operations and communications. Both sides have employed jamming and spoofing techniques to gain an advantage, highlighting EW’s critical role in modern warfare.

Signals Intelligence: Knowing Your Enemy’s Strengths

SIGINT focuses on intercepting and analyzing electromagnetic signals to gather intelligence, the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service writes. It is divided into two primary subfields:

• Communications Intelligence (COMINT): Interception of communication signals such as radio, emails, or phone calls to understand enemy intentions and plans.
• Electronic Intelligence (ELINT): Analysis of non-communication signals like radar emissions to identify enemy capabilities and movements.

The primary objective of SIGINT is to provide insights into an adversary’s capabilities, intentions, and operations. For example, during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, both Ukrainian and Russian forces have utilized SIGINT to intercept communications, gaining valuable intelligence on enemy movements and strategies.

Communications Intelligence: Knowing Your Enemy’s Mind

A subset of SIGINT, COMINT specifically targets communication signals between individuals or units. According to the United States Marines, it aims to uncover tactical information such as enemy positions, command structures, and operational plans through content analysis and traffic monitoring. It specifically targets the interception of communication between individuals or groups – including voice communication, text messages, or data transmissions – with the goal being to extract actionable intelligence regarding an adversary’s plans, morale, or internal dynamics.

In the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, COMINT has been pivotal. Both sides have intercepted enemy communications to anticipate attacks, understand command structures, and assess the effectiveness of their operations. The interception of unencrypted communications has, at times, provided real-time intelligence, influencing tactical decisions on the battlefield.

A Sum Greater Than Its Parts

While EW, SIGINT, and COMINT all operate within the electromagnetic spectrum, their functions and objectives differ:

• Scope and Purpose:
  • EW is primarily concerned with controlling the electromagnetic spectrum to disrupt enemy operations and protect friendly assets.
  • SIGINT aims to gather intelligence through the interception of signals, providing insights into enemy capabilities and intentions.
  • COMINT focuses specifically on communication between individuals or groups, extracting detailed information from intercepted messages.
• Methods:
  • EW employs techniques like jamming, deception, and electronic shielding.
  • SIGINT utilizes interception and analysis of a wide range of electromagnetic emissions.
  • COMINT involves monitoring and decoding specific communication channels.
• Interdependence:
  • Effective EW operations often rely on intelligence gathered through SIGINT and COMINT to identify targets and assess the effectiveness of electronic attacks.
  • Conversely, SIGINT and COMINT operations can benefit from EW by creating opportunities to intercept adversary communications disrupted or rerouted due to electronic attacks.

In modern conflicts, the integration of these disciplines is evident. The Russia-Ukraine war highlights how EW is used to jam communications and drone controls, while SIGINT and COMINT provide critical intelligence on enemy operations. This synergy enhances situational awareness and operational effectiveness on the battlefield.

While Electronic Warfare, Signals Intelligence, and Communications Intelligence each have distinct roles within military operations, their integration is essential for achieving information superiority and operational success in contemporary conflicts.

A Complimentary Relationship

SIGINT often serves as a precursor to EW operations by identifying enemy signals that can be targeted for disruption or exploitation. For instance, SIGINT can locate enemy communication nodes, enabling EW to jam or deceive them.

Modern warfare increasingly integrates SIGINT, EW, and cyber capabilities into unified platforms, allowing seamless coordination between intelligence gathering and electronic attacks. This synergy enhances operational effectiveness but also introduces challenges in balancing intelligence collection with active disruption.

However, there are differences in operation focus amongst the technologies. EW is action-oriented, aiming to actively manipulate the electromagnetic spectrum for tactical advantage. In contrast, SIGINT is intelligence-focused, prioritizing the passive collection and analysis of signals to inform decision-making. In addition, EW operations risk exposing friendly forces due to the strong emissions generated by jammers or other electronic attacks. This contrasts with SIGINT’s covert nature, which relies on undetected signal interception.

While EW, SIGINT, and COMINT share a reliance on the electromagnetic spectrum, they differ significantly in their objectives and methodologies. EW focuses on active manipulation for tactical advantage; SIGINT emphasizes passive signal interception for strategic insights; COMINT narrows this focus to communication-specific intelligence gathering. Together, these disciplines form a cohesive framework for modern military operations but require careful coordination to balance their complementary roles effectively.