WASHINGTON — The Ukrainian military is training to use U.S.-supplied military electronic jamming equipment in a bloody battle with Russia.
On May 18, a senior U.S. defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive issues confirmed that the electronic warfare directive was in the works. No details were provided about the course or the equipment itself.
“We told you that we were going to give the Ukrainians some electronic jamming equipment,” the official said. “There are very few Ukrainian soldiers who are training with this equipment.
Defense News quoted Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on May 9 as saying that hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers have completed or are undergoing training in Western artillery, air defense radar systems, and explosive-carrying drones.
The comments come about two weeks after the Defense Department announced it would send electronic warfare kits to Eastern Europe as part of a $150 million security assistance package. Ukraine's ninth cut since August also included 25,000 rounds of artillery shells, radar systems and field equipment and spare parts.
This is the first time the United States has supplied Ukraine with military signal jammer since Russia entered Ukraine on February 24.
Modern warfare typically focuses on the fight for control of the electromagnetic spectrum, relying on it to communicate and coordinate with allies, and to monitor and suppress adversaries. As the military's digital footprint grows, so does the appeal of electronic warfare.
A few years ago, the U.S. began supplying Ukraine with more modern military wireless jammers to block communications and repel jamming attempts. The Pentagon said in early April that the $300 million in aid to Ukraine would include secure communications systems and similar equipment.
U.S. has provided Ukraine with more than $6.5 billion in security aid since 2014
“These soldiers are eager to learn these new skills, but they are also eager to apply these new skills in conflict,” he said.
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