Arlington, VA | January 31, 2022 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies announces a new entry in its Forum Paper series, Drip Feeding Improvements in EMSO Will Not Work by Maj Gen Ken Israel, USAF (Ret.).
Spectrum superiority is critical to multi-domain and multi-functional capabilities and operations. From gray zone conflicts to nuclear conflagration, the ability to control and dominate the spectrum will likely determine the outcome of future conflicts. Our electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) policy ultimately rests on the twin foundations of purpose: a skilled EMSO trained force and superior, fielded technological capabilities infused with adequate resourcing. If you want to achieve spectrum superiority, the speed of information must exceed the speed of engagement.
While the United States is taking an incremental approach to improving EMSO capabilities, Russia and China have fully committed to improving their spectrum superiority capabilities. At the same time that the United States is in the bureaucratic process of taking action on its FY 2021 EMSO Superiority Strategy Implementation Plan, the Russians are rapidly deploying highly mobile, proven electronic warfare (EW) sets of capabilities that more than offset our EMSO initiatives. They have the upper hand with deployed EMSO capabilities on the Ukraine border.
Overarching U.S. weakness in this domain is the lack of commitment to a robust EMSO integrated infrastructure. Maj Gen Israel asserts we must do better, spotlighting six specific actions to achieve spectrum superiority awareness and resolve.
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