Russian EW: underused or a Potemkin capability?
This social media screengrab shows Russian Army RB-341V Leer-3 EW systems on the move. This equipment can perform cellphone jamming using uninhabited aerial vehicles. (Source: Twitter)
Have Russian EW capabilities been overestimated at this early stage of the war in Ukraine?
Russian EW has been a much-vaunted capability over the past decade, having been deployed with aplomb during and after the invasion of eastern Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014. Persistent reports of Russian jamming of GNSS satellite signals have accompanied Moscow’s ongoing Syria intervention.
However, Russian EW appeared conspicuous by its absence in the opening days of the invasion of Ukraine.
‘We don’t believe that the Russians have employed the full scope of their electronic warfare capabilities, and it’s not clear exactly why,’ an unnamed US defence official told CNBC.com on 25 February.
Pundits confidently predicted Russian domination of
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