America may be in for a big surprise if our enemies get there first. Despite all the hype over hypersonic missiles, stealth technology and lasers, the real killer app in modern warfare may be electronic, or cognitive electronic warfare (CEW), to be precise.
As Popular Mechanics (PM) reports: “A well-placed electromagnetic pulse [EMP] in a major city or near a military base could ground aircraft, disable communications, and disrupt critical infrastructure.”
Used more extensively, EMPs created without any type of detonation could paralyze an entire military, or even society as a whole. And unlike the prior emphasis on using nukes to produce EMPs, they can now be created electronically, disguised and inserted into the U.S. covertly.
Then there are HPMs, or high-powered microwaves, that can also disrupt, damage or fry most electronic gear in the same way. (RELATED: Military-Industrial Complex Reimagining Futuristic Superweapons)
But CEW goes beyond these two forms of stealthy battlefield weapons.
They use artificial intelligence (AI) to jam signals, disrupt radar and knock drones out of the sky. Controlling the electromagnetic spectrum is as crucial to modern combat as air superiority was in the 20th century.
As Pop Mech notes:
Instead of explosions, the battlefields of tomorrow may be marked by instant blackouts, grounded aircraft, and disabled defenses, all achieved through AI-driven electronic attacks. With weapons concealment already a proven military strategy, it’s only a matter of time before EMPs and CEW systems follow the same trajectory—hidden in cargo shipments, parked on city streets, or even deployed by insurgents in unexpected locations.
Militaries worldwide see the potential of CEW and are racing to deploy it. And so might be non-state groups. Sadly, that critical EW race is currently being won by China. (RELATED: Foreign Adversary Set To Surpass US in Key Capability?)
PM notes that:
The U.S. is essentially playing catchup in competing effectively with the global development of electronic warfare, and may require “a decade or more” to catch up to potential rivals like China, according to a 2018 report by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, an independent, Washington, D.C.-based think tank specializing in defense policy and budget. The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission released a report to Congress in November 2024 that said the People’s Liberation Army had developed “substantial” electronic warfare that could “detect, target, and disrupt” the U.S. military.
But it’s not just China that could threaten the U.S. with CEW. Popular Mechanics reports that:
A 2022 Department of Homeland Security report discussed risks from terrorists using “commercially available technologies.” It called out the real possibility of insurgent groups accessing Unmanned Aircraft Systems, while also noting that technology like EMPs could pose a growing threat in the hands of such groups. Historically, insurgents and terrorist organizations have had to work with less sophisticated weaponry, relying on improvised explosive devices, known as IEDs, small arms, and guerrilla tactics. However, the barrier to entry for electronic warfare is shrinking. Unlike tanks or fighter jets, which require massive logistics and training, an EMP weapon hidden in a truck could be operated with minimal expertise.
Either way, used by a major state enemy like China, or a non-state terror group like ISIS or Hezbollah, CEW attacks would be extremely challenging to detect and identify, much less neutralize: “Because these attacks leave no explosive residue, no gunfire, and no traditional signs of an assault, they complicate response efforts.”
CEW attacks make it extremely difficult to differentiate between an act of war, a cyberattack or a simple technical malfunction.
Considering the devastating impact these electronic weapons could have on our military, its surprising the U.S. appears to be behind.
PM reports that Air Force Col. Larry Fenner Jr., commander of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, which is responsible for analyzing and providing electromagnetic spectrum technology for about 70 warfare systems to the U.S. and its allies warns that America still has a lot of work to do when it comes to deploying AI-based weapons across the air, land and sea domains.
“When it comes to [either CEW or electronic warfare in general], I just don’t see that we’re there yet,” he said.
Well, we had better get there quickly or we may be about to lose the next big war, which is likely coming soon.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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Hardening the grid, as well as developing technology to protect military hardware from EMP attack would seem to be a high priority.
It is well known that China has been and is trying to buy more and more land around in proximity to our military bases. Think of this, one electromagnetic Pulse destroyes the entire base’s electronic capabilities and renders the base about as effective as a stuffed teddy bear. NO land or property should be under the direct control of any foreign nation or military within the confines of the United States of America. In fact we should secretly be placing our own EMP satalites in orbit and monitoring others with hunter killer satalites
Can we Counter??