US Army eyes new, low-cost emitter systems for EMSO training

US Army researchers are delving into the realm of low-cost threat emitters, to assist combat units preparing to conduct operations in highly congested and contested electromagnetic spectrum war zones.

Officials from US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) have begun exploring research, development, and training opportunities for these emitters at the Army Intelligence Center of Excellence at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, as well as the US Air Force’s 56th Fighter Wing headquartered at Luke Air Force Base (AFB).

The idea is to pair these low-cost threat emitters with other, more advanced variants already in use within the US armed forces’ arsenal, “to develop dynamic, agile [emitter] systems at a lower cost while replicating known and anticipated threats in the electromagnetic spectrum”, according to a ground service statement.

“Fort Huachuca is looking to leverage these emitters and adapt them to represent other threat capabilities assets and create a realistic testing and training environment in support of Army modernisation and [Multi-Domain Operations] readiness requirements,” Jeff Jennings, deputy to the commanding general at the Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, said in the statement.

Use of the low-cost threat emitters, in support of army and joint testing and training operations, will take place at Fort Huachuca, Luke AFB and “operational and training sites in Arizona and New Mexico”, service officials said.

Development and integration of these low-cost threat emitters, whose costs range between USD15,000 and USD30,000, is to fill the training gaps for electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) that some of the advanced, multimillion dollar emitter systems cannot cover, command officials said.