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The Electronic Battlefield Discussion Board
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Subject: Air Force and Navy Electronic Warfare/Air Battlefield Management
tom    3/24/2007 3:16:43 PM
I have been researching the current and future state of U.S. Air Force Electronic Warfare and I am very surprised at its condition. The Air Force does not currently possess escort jammers but must rely on the Navy EA6B Prowlers. As for stand-off jammers, they are trying to turn the B-52 into a stand-off jammer. At the same time the E-3 AWACS platforms are getting old and I haven't seen any attempt to modernize them. Israel is building AWACS platforms with the new AESA radar technology.

The Navy on the other hand is modernizing their AWACS platform (I haven't seen whether they are incorporating AESA radar technology) and they are procuring their new EA-18 Growlers for escort jamming. They will rely on the Air Force for stand-off jamming or go without it.

Why is the Air Force so deficient in electronic warfare and battlefield air management? One possible reason is they are so focused on the F-22 and F-35 that everything else is dropped. That is the scary answer. I have been reading about the F-22 technology and it is turning into a one-man AWACS platform that is much closer to the action than an AWACS platform can ever be. I wonder if they are slowly moving to this type of battle management plan essentially using their F-22/F-35 to manage the air battlefield. Is electronic warfare also to be handled by the F-22/F-35 fighters? Is their AESA radar able to handle escort jamming duties?

Are there other technologies out their that the Air Force is developing either as a Black project or possibly Space Based Radar that would eliminate the need for an airborne AWACS platform? Do they believe that their stealth technology will be able to withstand AESA technology being applied to SAMS?

It appears to me that the US Navy has a plan to handle these vital air warfare duties while the Air Force is dropping the ball. The only other answer is the Air Force is essentially leap frogging this technology and going to entirely different direction.

I would love to hear other perspectives.
 
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scuttlebut steve       3/25/2007 10:52:53 PM
they are working on a replacement aircraft to replace the E-3.  look up the E-10mc2a.
 
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tom    E-10   3/27/2007 12:10:45 PM
My understanding is that the E-10 was cancelled (relatively recently I might add).  Another option that I didn't mention is to use an UAV as a battle management platform with one of the new AESA radars.  This wouldn't put men in any harms way I would think you would want humans in the loop as early as possible.
 
 
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