RF electronic warfare: From cold war to network invasion

摘要

Surprisingly, the highest growth rates in defense electronics over the next decade will be in electronic warfare (EW). In a major turnaround from the past two decades, EW will offer many of the best opportunities for both market growth and value. This is perhaps not so strange when the U.S. again faces real threats and real casualties; as in the Vietnam War, funding has turned to EW. Intelligence, protection, and connectedness will grow faster than direct shooter electronics over the next 10 years. Some post-cold-war needs are only now being addressed, with several new programs aimed at the upgrade or replacement of legacy analog systems. One specific area of growth is radio frequency (RF) EW. (The discussion below does not focus on Joint Strike Fighter systems, which were covered in an earlier column.)