Countering Electronic Warfare Undermatch in the European AOR
“Countering Electronic Warfare Undermatch in the European AOR”
Speaker: Elwell, J. (US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC))
Date: 15 April 2019
Speaker Session Preview
SMA hosted a speaker session presented by CW4 Jeffrey Elwell (US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)) as a part of its SMA NDU Speaker Series. CW4 Elwell discussed countering electronic warfare (EW) undermatch in the European area of responsibility (AOR), arguing that, with the return of great power competition, special operations forces (SOF) must adapt—after decades of conducting counterterrorism/counterinsurgency (CT/COIN)—to compete with near-peer adversaries like Russia and China. Russian advances in EW and anti-access and area denial (A2AD) has created a capability overmatch, he explained. Therefore, to regain the competitive edge and overcome Russia’s current advantage, SOF must adapt to guarantee communications surety, he stressed. This can be done by modernizing the US’s current communications system. CW4 Elwell then pointed to activities, such as modernizing current command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR); employing good tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs); and incorporating EW into SOF as possible methods for reducing US undermatch and regaining the competitive advantage in order to counter Russian aggression.
Speaker Session Audio File
To access a recording of this session, please email Ms. Nicole Omundson (nomundson@nsiteam.com).
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffrey A. Elwell is a Special Forces Warrant Officer with 26 years of active-duty service, including more than two decades in Special Forces. He has conducted multiple operational deployments to Europe, Iraq, and Africa.
His most recent assignment was as the Battalion Operations Warrant Officer for 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. For the past three and a half years, he has focused on the counter–Russian aggression problem set for Special Operations Command Europe.
Site-wide Search
Search all site content, including all NSI and SMA publications, SMA Speaker series, NSI Team member bios, services, portfolio projects, company info, and more.
