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E Electro Magnetic Spectrum Operation (EMSO)

The Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) is a (physical) domain which, from which and through which all military, military-supported and asymmetric missions are performed.

Actions in the EMS can have digital, kinetic and human effects and consequences. After air, land, sea and space, the Electromagnetic Spectrum has become a key domain and enabler for cyber warfare and space activities too. The capability to master the spectrum and to achieve spectrum superiority will lead to the domination of all domains of warfare, including cyberspace.

Military strategists, defence planners, and the men and women of the armed forces face a much more complex task than ever before in deciding how to imagine, prepare for and execute future conflicts while protecting and optimizing access to the EMS.

Therefore, future warfare in 21st century will see the electromagnetic spectrum as a contested and congested resource for which silent battles will be conducted. A novel discipline, named Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO), is growing, aiming identify, organize and disseminate concepts of operations, User requirements, doctrine, resources, materiel and technologies which will enable Electromagnetic Spectrum Dominance in peace time, crisis and conflict.

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Electro Magnetic Spectrum Operation (EMSO)

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

Daniela Pistoia

Elettronica Chief Scientist

Alberto L. Sangiovanni-Vincentelli

Edgar L. and Harold Buttner Chair at EECS Department, UC Berkeley

Antonino Amoroso

Managing Director of Amoroso and Associates, LLC, MA (US)

Alfonso Farina

Fellow of IEEE, IET, EURASIP

Andrea Pompili

Chief Scientist Officer, CY4Gate

SEE THE COMPLETE LIST OF AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

SEE THE EMSOPEDIA EDITORIAL BOARD & SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

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Passive Direction Finding [DF] Techniques – Phase Comparison

Most all people of the EW community consider Phase comparison the best performer between DF Techniques. For its intrinsic high performance is mainly used in ESM/ELINT type Receivers. It is based on the comparison of signal phases evaluated on two (or more) receiving channels at the same time (requires phase synchronisation). It strongly depends on:

Distance between antenna phase centres
Phase unbalances between Rx channels
Installation (due to impact of nearby reflections)
Requires calibration/phase matching of channels but is relatively little pattern dependent

Communication intelligence (COMINT)

COMINT and ELINT are part of SIGINT (SIGnal INTelligence), COMINT is the Communication Intelligence section.

Reception and interception of Communication signals (COMMS) is generally divided in two operational activities:

CESM (Communication Electronic Support Measures) that is dedicated to signal interception and location and has a tactical application (very similar to the RESM on the Radar signals side), and
COMINT (COMmunication INTelligence) that is dedicated to signal interception and analysis and has a strategic application (very similar to the ELINT on the Radar signals side).

COMINT systems have the task of "gathering of intelligence by intercepting wired or radio communications" in order to support real-time decision-making. It is unique among intelligence collection assets for its ability to reveal the intercepted source’s posture, activity and intent, thanks to the access of data and voice content. Systems able to early detect and locate potential threats are required for the highly automated interception and exploitation of growing density, diversity and complexity of communications calls.

Defensive Electronic Attack

Defensive Electronic Attack is part of Electronic Attack (EA) and is exploited to protecting the defended platform “against lethal attacks by denying enemy use of the electromagnetic spectrum to guide or trigger weapons”. Defensive Electronic Attack Mission is intended to perform Smart Electromagnetic Neutralization and/or Degradation of the use of the Electro Magnetic Spectrum (EMS) to enemy forces for the protection of self-platform. Delivering non-kinetic EW effects across the EMS (countermeasures) is key for operations in the EM battlespace and for the survivability of the platform and of the crew.

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