Russia's 'invisible weapons' challenge the Ukrainian army.
Electronic warfare (EW) has emerged as an effective countermeasure against the widespread use of inexpensive unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the Russian and Ukrainian militaries in combat.
UAV operators in the skies over Ukraine frequently face invisible barriers that cause them to lose control of their equipment due to signal disconnections. In the conflict in Ukraine, electronic warfare (EW) not only jams and disrupts UAV operations, but also impacts conventional weapons.
Speaking to Business Insider, Ukraine's Typhoon UAV task force stated that the "invisible war against EW" makes UAV conflict far more complex for those operating the devices.
EW is involved in many combat operations in the electromagnetic field. For example, devices that jam radio frequencies with noise, block signals, and disrupt GPS systems. Therefore, EW is an effective countermeasure against the inexpensive UAVs used by Russia and Ukraine in combat.
However, UAV technology is also constantly developing, with the recent emergence of fiber optic-controlled UAVs used by the Russian military. These UAVs can maintain stable connections in actively operating EW environments.
In fact, electronic warfare (EW) not only affects the operation of UAVs, but also the precision weapons that the West and the US are transferring to Ukraine. US officials describe Russian EW as an emerging challenge that requires new solutions to counter, not only in the conflict in Ukraine, but also in future conflicts.
For its part, Ukraine's Typhoon unit stated that the fight against EW plays a "crucial role in modern warfare." EW also forces Ukrainian UAV units to do more before deploying attack or reconnaissance UAVs. Furthermore, Ukraine is developing its own EW technologies to counter Russian UAVs and missiles.
Typhoon revealed that the unit's UAV operators "need to constantly analyze and adapt to the frontline electronic environment, detecting gaps in the coverage of the enemy's jamming systems to adjust the UAVs accordingly." In addition to adapting to Russian jamming systems, Ukraine also locates and destroys enemy EW deployment sites.
In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, jamming proved to be one of the most effective methods for neutralizing UAVs. Increased jamming in specific areas of the front lines hindered many UAVs from reaching their intended targets.
In the Ukrainian army, each brigade has its own UAV operating division focused on detecting, jamming, and disrupting Russian command, communication, and electronic warfare (EW) systems.
Typhoon stated that the unit's UAV operators are involved in signal analysis, changing UAV operating frequencies, and deploying countermeasures. These are "essential invisible components" for successful UAV control.
Established in 2024, Typhoon is a prominent unit in Ukraine's efforts to expand the development and use of UAVs. Typhoon states that countering EW is an ongoing process, sometimes requiring new strategies.
"This remains a challenge, as the adversary continues to analyze UAV frequencies and upgrade its jamming technology to adapt," Typhoon concluded.
