Definition: (DOD) Any military action involving the use of
electromagnetic and directed energy to control the electromagnetic spectrum or
to attack the enemy. Also called EW. The three major subdivisions within
electronic warfare are: electronic attack, electronic protection, and electronic
warfare support. a. electronic attack. That division of electronic warfare
involving the use of electromagnetic, directed energy, or antiradiation weapons
to attack personnel, facilities, or equipment with the intent of degrading,
neutralizing, or destroying enemy combat capability. Also called EA. EA
includes: 1) actions taken to prevent or reduce an enemy's effective use of the
electromagnetic spectrum, such as jamming and electromagnetic deception, and 2)
employment of weapons that use either electromagnetic or directed energy as
their primary destructive mechanism (lasers, radio frequency weapons, particle
beams). b. electronic protection. That division of electronic warfare involving
actions taken to protect personnel, facilities, and equipment from any effects
of friendly or enemy employment of electronic warfare that degrade, neutralize,
or destroy friendly combat capability. Also called EP. c. electronic warfare
support. That division of electronic warfare involving actions tasked by, or
under direct control of, an operational commander to search for, intercept,
identify, and locate sources of intentional and unintentional radiated
electromagnetic energy for the purpose of immediate threat recognition. Thus,
electronic warfare support provides information required for immediate decisions
involving electronic warfare operations and other tactical actions such as
threat avoidance, targeting, and homing. Also called ES. Electronic warfare
support data can be used to produce signals intelligence, both communications
intelligence, and electronics intelligence. See also command and control
warfare; communications intelligence; directed energy; directed-energy device;
directed-energy warfare; directed-energy weapon; electromagnetic compatibility;
electromagnetic deception; electromagnetic hardening; electromagnetic jamming;
electromagnetic spectrum; electronics intelligence; frequency deconfliction;
signals intelligence; spectrum management; suppression of enemy air defenses.
