Electronic warfare posted for John Kettler

[aka_tom_w]

Reading this made me think of John's comments about how easy it would be to make and set off and EMP bomb. (electro-magnetic pulse device.) Looks like they are having serious problems with Jammers for IED's and radio coms.

The jammers, which block signals that detonate improvised explosive devices (IEDs), have become so powerful they can "cause the loss of all communications" for U.S. troops, a Pentagon solicitation to contractors says. It calls for information on devices that will allow troops to use jammers and radios at the same time.

snip

The Army has ramped up efforts to deal with electronic communication and warfare. Since Jan. 1, each Army battalion headed to combat has been required to have an electronic warfare operator, said Col. Laurie Moe Buckhout, chief of Army electronic warfare. Rendering IEDs harmless by an electronic signal will be one of the operator's responsibilities, Buckhout said.

The Army has put electronic warfare on par with learning to fire a weapon or administer first aid.

Army electronic warfare operators disrupt enemy communication, ensure U.S and coalition troops can talk to one another and prevent the enemy from knowing what friendly forces are doing, Buckhout said. A large portion of their responsibilities will be dealing with IEDs.

Posted 1/22/2007 10:31 PM ET

web page USA Today

[John Kettler]

aka_tom-w,

Nice find! Thus, the shooters are now faced with a variant of the problem long faced by their intel bretheren. "Is it better to listen in or jam?" You can't do both at once.

In this case, it's apparently "Do we operate mission electronics normally or protect ourselves from IEDs?"

Regards,

John Kettler