APRIL 15, 2024 – Intelligence can be viewed as a golden thread woven through the fabric of strategic decision-making. As conflicts unfold outside of traditional fronts – land, sea, and air – the value of intelligence has only grown more pronounced. The emergence of electronic warfare within the electromagnetic spectrum highlights its critical role.
Electronic warfare capabilities enable the degradation of an adversary’s communication platforms and protect friendly communication infrastructures. This battlespace greatly depends on technology; therefore, the never-ending challenge is how to innovate and adapt new technologies to stay ahead of adversaries and emerging threats. U.S. Marines within 3rd Radio Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, recognize their roles within this evolving space.
“[In the past], we primarily focused on looking for individuals who intended to harm [friendly forces]; identifying those individuals and bringing about a targeting solution. The battlespace has evolved, we are not looking for individuals anymore, we are looking for much bigger, much more capable assets,” said Lt. Col. Gary A. Keefer, the commanding officer of 3rd RADBN, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group.
During exercise Corvus Dawn 24 the operators of 3rd RADBN rehearsed EW tactics to control or manipulate the electromagnetic spectrum in preparation to hinder adversary communication assets and aid allied forces. Three common EW tactics were consistently actioned. Firstly, electronic attacks were used to disrupt or destroy the electronic systems of an adversary. These attacks sought to degrade the simulated adversary’s electronic infrastructure, causing a breakdown of their ability to communicate and coordinate battle plans. Secondly, electronic protection defended friendly electronic systems from potential enemy exploitation. This involved using encryptions and specialized shielding to maintain the functionality of communication and sensory platforms. Lastly, electronic support involved collecting and analyzing electromagnetic emissions as intelligence to support friendly components.
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) fell under this tactic, helping commanders gain insight into the simulated adversary’s positions, capabilities, and plans. SIGINT operators intercepted communication signals and identified the adversary’s electronic signatures. Marines of 3rd RADBN focused on their proficiency to collect and analyze SIGINT reports as their main method of dominating the invisible battlespace fought on the electromagnetic spectrum.
For intelligence operations, SIGINT allowed friendly forces to exploit information pertaining to the adversary’s activities, intentions, and capabilities. There were two primary components in SIGINT: communications and electronic intelligence. Communication intelligence’s main objective was to intercept and analyze the opposing force’s communication lines. This included gathering intelligence through intercepted messages, emails, phone calls, and any other means of communication. SIGINT operators could gain insight into intentions, battle plans, and relationships by actively monitoring these lines of communication.
However, electronic intelligence’s main objective was to gather data on non-communication signals and electronic signatures from adversary forces’ electronic devices. The information gathered with electronic intelligence provided commanders with information on the adversaries’ movements, capabilities, and electronic characteristics of their assets.
“3rd RADBN enables ground force commanders to make decisions based on the electromagnetic spectrum by sensing and making sense of that spectrum to derive intelligence,” said Sgt. David Stevens, an intelligence surveillance reconnaissance system engineer with 3rd RADBN, III MIG.
SIGINT provided information that could be exploited to weaken the enemy’s plans and deny their advances. EW operators played a critical role in protecting friendly lines of communication while deteriorating hostile forces’ transmissions, thus prepared to sway the ever-evolving battlespace in their favor. In an era where the value of information rivals that of precious metals like gold, the capabilities of SIGINT and EW were continuously tested and honed, as demonstrated in exercises such as CD 24.
Exercise CD24 sharpened 3rd RADBN’s ability to provide technical information-related capabilities to III MEF and the joint and multi-national force throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Story by Cpl. Bridgette Rodriguez
III MEF Information Group