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By Ellie Cook
Senior Defense Reporter
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A branch of the National Guard has established a new unit dedicated to electronic warfare (EW), the first of its kind in the U.S. Army.
Why It Matters
Wielding the electromagnetic spectrum to one side's advantage while jeopardizing how the enemy can communicate or use its weapons is a crucial part of fighting a war.
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Military forces can use the electromagnetic spectrum to pick up on and track targets, communicate between soldiers or units and coordinate strikes with accurate location data. EW interferes with these functions, making it harder for an adversary to carry out missions like accurate strikes guided by reliable navigation data.
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Russia and Ukraine have both used EW extensively in the more than three years of full-scale war in eastern Europe. EW has also figured heavily in fighting in the Middle East, including on Israel's northern border with Lebanon.
"It is hard to see any future war which does not involve a significant electronic warfare element," weapons and technology expert David Hambling told Newsweek.
What To Know
The 111th Electronic Warfare Company, part of the 221st Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion, "made history" by becoming the "first unit of its kind in the U.S. Army," the Georgia Army National Guard said on Monday.
The unit's creation "marks a significant step in modernizing the Army's capabilities within a domain that is increasingly critical to national security," the Georgia Army National Guard added in a statement.
The U.S. Army chief of staff, General Randy George, has said the modern battlefield is constantly changing, and the U.S. military must follow suit.
"We have been watching what's happening in the battlefield here with Ukraine, the Middle East, really, around the world," he said during an appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank in May.
"All of our soldiers are expected to keep up with evolving technology," said company commander, Captain Caleb Rogers, who heads the new EW unit.
"It's a great time to be in military intelligence and electromagnetic warfare," added Brigadier General Theodore Scott III, the head of the 78th Troop Command and former chief of the 221st Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion.
The 221st Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion has previously deployed to the Middle East and has supported the U.S.'s Indo-Pacific Command.
What People Are Saying
Lieutenant Colonel Luke Gurley, commander of the 221st Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion which oversees the 111th Electromagnetic Warfare Company, said the unit "will be at the forefront of our capabilities in the electromagnetic spectrum."
"All of our soldiers are expected to keep up with evolving technology, and the unit as a whole is remaining flexible with the expectation of receiving a growing number of mission types," said company commander, Captain Caleb Rogers.
What Happens Next
The 111th will carry out its first field exercise in August at the Chattahoochee National Forest, the Georgia Army National Guard said. Drills will focus on picking up and identifying both static and moving targets as well as training to use electromagnetic technology.
Update 6/15/2025 at 11:30 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from David Hambling.
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