Redazione RHC : 26 August 2025 14:27
The U.S. Army is increasingly investing in reintroducing electronic warfare capabilities among its troops, planning to equip division-level units with advanced cyber tools over the next two years. This development stems from the need to respond to tactical cyber warfare operations, given that the Cyber Mission Force focuses primarily on strategic targets accessible via the internet, leaving an operational void for what happens directly in the field. The new capabilities will allow maneuver commanders to use digital land-based tools to support their formations, integrating electronic and cyber operations into daily combat strategies.
Most of these capabilities will be managed by the 11th Cyber Battalion, which provides tactical land-based network operations, electronic warfare, and information operations. The battalion includes expeditionary cyber and electromagnetic task force (ECT) teams, designed to scale based on operational needs. During recent rotations, teams conducted electromagnetic reconnaissance, offensive radio frequency operations, and special attacks in support of armored, infantry, and airborne units, demonstrating their ability to integrate advanced digital tools into field operations.
Army cyber personnel, included in the 17th Career Series, are trained in both cyber and electromagnetic warfare, enabling them to address the challenges that arise at the blurred boundaries between tactical cybersecurity, RF networking, and pure electronic warfare. The establishment of Cyber and Electromagnetic Activity (CEMA) cells within staffs at all levels ensures planning and synchronization of capabilities, allowing ECT teams to deploy rapidly when commanders deem it necessary. The ongoing experiment aims to identify the most effective locations for deploying these teams, both at the theater and corps levels.
One of the Army’s key objectives is to find a balance between local and higher-level capabilities, enabling cyber forces to understand enemy activity and decide whether to intervene directly or request superior support. The Cyber Center of Excellence’s testing highlighted how understanding the IP space and RF spectrum is critical to a timely and effective response, while also ensuring the protection of one’s networks and the ability to neutralize adversary threats.
Division-level cyber capabilities will be provided not only by the 11th Cyber Battalion, but also by the U.S. Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force. Integrating these tools into tactical formations in the field is becoming a strategic priority for the Army’s chief cyber advisor, who is responsible for ensuring that the necessary resources are allocated efficiently and that the cyber expeditionary force is fully operational. Adopting these capabilities enables effective operations in complex environments, where remote access is not always possible and electronic warfare requires close quarters.
General Ryan Janovic emphasized that understanding the IP space and the network in which it operates is essential to providing immediate support to commanders, while Brandon Pugh, the Army’s first chief cyber advisor, emphasized the importance of raising public and military leadership awareness of the need to integrate cyber and electronic warfare capabilities across the entire fighting force. Only through this integration will it be possible to ensure operational readiness, rapid response, and security on the future battlefield.
In conclusion, the United States Army is transforming its digital and tactical structure to address emerging cyber threats. By creating specialized teams, establishing CEMA cells, and experimenting with integration strategies, divisions will be able to operate with greater autonomy and effectiveness, bringing electronic warfare and cyber operations directly where they are needed, strengthening the overall capabilities of U.S. forces on the ground.
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