At the April 11 meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, hosted at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, 10 nations signed a joint Letter of Intent to establish the Capability Coalition for Electromagnetic Warfare. The coalition was created with a specific focus on supporting Ukraine, which has been fighting Russian forces following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the war, the two sides have engaged in an intense and dynamic electromagnetic contest that has evolved through several phases and has exploited multiple regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The war has generated many EW lessons for the combatants, as well as for European nations, who generally regard Russia as a regional threat.
As with the Contact Group’s eight previously established capability coalitions, which cover areas such as air warfare, armor, artillery and drones, the EW coalition will formalize the exchange of knowledge and materiel between Ukraine and the other signatories from NATO, which include coalition leader Germany, as well as Czechia, Denmark, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and the UK.
According to Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, the EW coalition will focus on three areas: procuring equipment; training and preparing EW specialists; and developing EW policies and doctrine. At a press event in Kyiv, he stated, “Electronic warfare is a critically important component of modern warfare. Without effective electronic protection, no unit can be fully combat-ready. The launch of the coalition will allow us to coordinate efforts and respond comprehensively to the needs of the Defense Forces.” He added that the EW coalition will focus on the near-term goal of equipping the Ukrainian Army, as well as establishing a foundation for long-term co-development of EW capabilities.
Commander Malte von Spreckelsen of the German Navy, who has served in several EW positions within NATO, is playing a central role in the EW coalition. He is expected to provide more information about the EW coalition during his keynote address at AOC Europe in Rome next month. – J. Knowles
