The Electromagnetic Spectrum: A Critical Component of Military Superiority

Dec 1, 2020 | Your Source

The electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) is the range of radiation frequencies used to transmit information wirelessly. This includes information transmitted by cell phones, satellite communication, hand-held radios, and GPS, among others. It is indispensable to those in the transportation and logistics fields, and is especially critical to the Department of Defense (DOD).

So important is EMS, in fact, that DOD recently released its Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy. The purpose of the strategy is to align DOD EMS activities with the objectives of the 2017 National Security Strategy (NSS), the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS), and national economic and technology policy goals. The strategy addresses how DOD will:

  1. Develop superior EMS capabilities
  2. Evolve to an agile, fully integrated EMS infrastructure
  3. Pursue total force EMS readiness
  4. Secure enduring partnerships for EMS advantage
  5. Establish effective EMS governance to support strategic and operational objectives

EMS superiority is a leading indicator and fundamental component of achieving superiority in air, land, sea, space, or cyberspace. Investment in these five areas will speed decision-quality information to the warfighter, establish effective electromagnetic battle management (EMBM), enable EMS sharing with commercial partners, advance EMS warfighting capabilities, and ensure US forces maintain EMS superiority.

While DOD’s use of EMS was uncontested for many years, this is no longer the case. ”The rise of mobile systems and digital technology across the globe has placed enormous strain on the available spectrum for DOD’s command, control, and communication needs,” said DOD Chief Information Officer Dana Deasy. “This strategy will help set the conditions needed to ensure our warfighters have freedom of action within the electromagnetic spectrum to successfully conduct operations and training in congested, contested, and constrained multidomain environments across the globe.”

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