Page 16 - Williams Foundation Future of Electronic Warfare Seminar

A New Approach and Attitude to Electronic Warfare in Australia

Our stated goal was to produce 100% fully capable & interoperable EA-18G wingmen, at all security levels.

At the peak of my Wing’s support phase to 6 Squadron standup in March, we had Australian students and
instructors alike in our replacement squadron, Australian officers operationally employed in 3 different squadrons
– primarily in this part of the globe.

Multiple deployments to the PACOM AOR, multiple reps and sets of high end exercises, Australian aircrew were
put in leadership roles in the squadrons in the air and on the ground.
Australian maintainers getting on the job training during pressurized Growler Tactics Instructor course sortie rates.

At one point we had roughly 45 Australians invading the Pacific Northwest of the US making lasting
friendships… our neighbors… babies being born… We went “all in.” We formed personal relationships that
make the distance between Canberra and Pacific Northwest coast seem insignificant. Now look at what 6SQN did
during their IOT&E for Growler. Amazing.

CDR Paul outlined that the non-kinetic payload was growing in importance both for adversaries and the US
and allied forces, but that it was clearly different from a kinetic action.

EW is unlike kinetic air-to-ground payloads that simply require target coordinates, or an air-to-air missile that
needs an appropriate target.
As CDR Mike Lisa, Commanding Officer of a “combined RAAF USN squadron” best stated, “it requires our
sensors to call the signals the exact same thing, employ the exact same waveforms/payloads, and deliver at the
exact same time with exact positioning.”

This means that the secret ingredient within an effective EW contributor to the joint fight is a well-trained,
effective and coordinated workforce.

That is, in order to get the right effect or impact there is a clear need for the EW team to be on the same page,
to understand the signals they are reading, what they mean and to dial up the correct response to have the
desired effect or impact.

It takes work to innovatively maximize our capabilities. For the US Navy, it has taken perseverance to innovate
from a standoff EA-6B Jammer mindset, to a platform and community of experts focused on distributing
battlespace awareness and attacking the enemy’s kill web across all mission areas.

It all relies on a well-trained EMW workforce

• Growler-specific, Operational EW-Personnel Qualification Standards for our enlisted sailors
• A focus on efficient improvement of pre/post mission data analysis
• Air Wing Fallon validation of HAVOC tactics
• Advanced technologies + today’s AEA suite
• World-class Information Warfare team providing efficiencies for VAQ (Electronic Attack Squadron).

Because of the nature of the blended capability one needs between technology and the work force, for EW
to work within a coalition force, there needs to be tight integration.

This is why the way the US and Australia are working the issue is so crucial to mission success.

During his presentation, he presented a photo within which showed the team necessary to execute the EW
mission. And he had this to say about the team and the challenge.
Second Line of Defense

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