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A key US Air Force unit reprogrammed the electronic warfare (EW) system of the F-16 combat jets delivered to Ukraine, enhancing the protection of Fighting Falcons against contemporary and evolving Russian threats.
In early August, Ukraine received the first batch of F-16s from NATO partners.
“F-16s in Ukraine. We did it,” President Zelensky said at an unidentified base with two F-16s on his sides. These aircraft were observed equipped with a series of specialized pylons, indicating that they were outfitted with certain self-defense electronic warfare measures. However, that’s not the whole story.
The US Air Force (USAF) bolstered the EW capabilities of these combat aircraft. The 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing of the U.S. Air Force, which includes the 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron (EWS), spearheaded the reprogramming operation in coordination with its counterparts in Denmark and Norway, according to a press release published by the wing on August 26.
The service emphasized the importance of Electronic Warfare in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating that both Russia’s and Ukraine’s armed forces rely heavily on unfettered access to the electromagnetic spectrum to achieve their objectives and have continuously employed EW tactics, such as spoofing and jamming, to obtain spectrum superiority.
“With the third-party transfer of F-16s by Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands to Ukraine, another EW capability is joining the fight for Ukraine,” claimed the wing. In the upcoming years, Ukraine is expected to get about 91 F-16 AM/BMs from Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway combined.
The F-16’s EW subsystems needed to be reprogrammed for it to be used against changing Russian threats in the spectrum and be successfully integrated into the Ukrainian Air Force. The 68th EWS took this challenge head-on owing to the urgent priority accorded to it by the US and its allies.
In the high-stakes battlefield of electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMF), agility and quickness are paramount. Adversaries often employ jamming tactics to disrupt access to the electromagnetic spectrum, blocking crucial communications and navigation capabilities. Once a signal is identified, the forces have to work to reprogram the EW system to counter it. With the Ukrainian F-16s, this would be done in real combat.According to the Air Force, new procedures and methods were devised to comprehend and reprogram the F-16’s EW system to defend against Russian threats. The upgraded system was then tested with “coalition teammates” in a “partner-nation lab.” The team’s stated goal was to test and verify the unique elements required by the Ukrainians.
The team comprehended the system and got to work by using data from Denmark and Norway and then modifying new procedures and methods to the standard procedure. Once the 68th EWS had a better knowledge of the system, it strayed from protocol, sending members of the unit to a partner nation’s facility to work together to build and test the system with coalition allies.
“This is not our standard operating procedure,” said the 68th EWS director, whose identity was also obscured. “The fact that the team was able to figure out the system in two weeks, go in the country with a partner to develop a best-ever mission data file is unheard of and is thanks to the talent here in the squadron and the wing.”
The development occurs despite officials and analysts voicing concerns about the F-16, noting that the aircraft is unlikely to be a quick fix for conducting offensive operations or targeting Russian jets. Instead, the F-16 would be used for air defense roles, thwarting Russian drone and missile attacks that endanger its civilian infrastructure. The addition of a reprogrammed EW system would enhance the capability and survivability of these F-16s going ahead.
“When you’re talking about a near-peer conflict, you need all of your coalition partners to operate with the same playbook so you can achieve spectrum dominance,” said the 68th EWS director. “One F-16 with a reprogrammed pod won’t achieve air dominance alone, but it may give you a pocket of air superiority for a moment to achieve an objective with strategic importance and impact.”
The USAF’s reprogramming of its electronic warfare systems won’t make it invincible against all threats. Nevertheless, given that the Ukrainian Air Force operates in one of the densest, most active air defense settings in the world, it may provide a vital survival advantage. This will better equip the US and its allies to handle potential future contingencies.
