3 Pillars of EW - Electronic Protect

Electronic Protection Electronic Protection (EP), sometimes called Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM), along with Electronic Attack (EA) and Electronic Support (ES) constitute the triad of major subgroups of Electronic Warfare. Radar EP techniques include (1) reduction of side lobe jamming through auxiliary antennas and processing; (2) reduce deceptive jamming through special processing circuits and modulations; and (3) reduce jamming using special operating modes.

EP is the method used to combat hostile EA by either making equipment EA-resistant or by using techniques to nullify jamming. Against jamming systems, most commonly used method is frequency agility. Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) and Low Probability of Detection (LPD) techniques are employed as well as sidelobe control including adaptive antenna technology.

A number of Anti-Radiation Missiles ARM’s have been developed and are deployed. The ARM is passive so that it cannot be detected by ES systems, and normally locks on to the sidelobes of the radar. Main countermeasures against ARM are low sidelobes, frequency agility, and the use of decoy transmitters.

Radar EP includes such countermeasures as improved antenna directivity, minimized sidelobes, maximize skin return power, use of coherent waveforms, optimized processing gain, and discrimination against signals in sidelobes. EP techniques which protect radar against jamming include ultra-low side lobe, side lobe canceller, side lobe blanker, anti cross pol, mono-pulse, pulse compression, pulse Doppler, leading edge tracking, anti AGC jamming, burn through modes, frequency agility, and PRF jitter. Communications EP protects against communications jamming and prevents detection and location by hostile ES systems.

Communications EP includes spread spectrum techniques, error detection, and encryption. Spread spectrum makes signals LPI and reduces jamming effectiveness. This approach includes frequency hopping, direct sequence spread spectrum, and hybrid spread spectrum.

This third session in the 3-part series covers the importance of Electronic Protect. Be sure to register for Parts 1 and 2 covering Electronic Attack (EA) and Electronic Support (ES), respectively.

Speaker and Presenter Information

Dr. Clayton Stewart has over 40 years of experience across the spectrum of research direction, line management, program management, system engineering, engineering education, flight operations, and R&D. He has had extensive involvement as Technical Director, Principal Investigator, Operation Manager, Director of Research, Program Manager, Associate Professor, Chief Scientist, Member of the Technical Staff, and Aircrew Member. Previously (2007-2013) he was Technical Director, US Office of Naval Research Global, in London where he directed 50 engineers and scientists deployed globally. Before that (1994-2007) he was Corporate VP/General Manager SAIC, $120M/yr R&D operation; 500 technical and administrative staff. From 1990 to 1994 he was Associate Professor Electrical and Computer Engineering/Associate Director, Center of Excellence in Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence at George Mason University. From 1987 to 1990 he was at ARCO Power Technologies, Inc., as Program Manager Artificial Ionospheric Mirror OTH Radar Program. He was Member of the Technical Staff: Sperry Corporation, Chief Scientist Signal Processing (1984-1987); Director Tactical Systems USAF Studies & Analyses, Pentagon. (1982-1984); and US Air Force Academy Associate Professor of EE, Director of Research. (1978-1982). He earned his PhDEE (1978) at the Air Force Institute of Technology. Aircrew member (EWO) in USAF 1965-1974. Dr. Stewart currently works at University College London in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering as a Visiting Professor where he teaches short courses on cyber security, C4ISR, and Electronic Warfare..