DoD Releases New Strategy to Regain Uncontested Use of Electromagnetic Spectrum

The Department of Defense has come up with a new strategy to help users across the enterprise regain superiority over the electromagnetic spectrum.

As indicated in a report published on Defense .gov, the 2020 Department of Defense Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy serves as a road map outlining how the U.S. military can have uncontested use of the EMS whenever, wherever and however they choose to do so. 

In the words of DoD Chief Information Officer Dana Deasy, a past Potomac Officers Club event speaker and 2020 Wash100 winner, the strategy will set conditions to ensure that warfighters maintain freedom of action within the EMS to carry out operations and training in congested, contested and constrained multi-domain environments worldwide.

The development of the new strategy comes as the U.S. military has lost full control over the EMS after years of uncontested spectrum use for both domestic and foreign EMS operations. 

Deasy attributed the slip in the DoD’s spectrum superiority to the rise of mobile systems and digital technologies globally, which he believes have caused problems in terms of spectrum availability. 

The new strategy addresses the problem by focusing on five goals for attaining spectrum superiority. The goals are as follows: developing superior EMS capabilities, evolving to an agile, fully integrated EMS architecture, pursuing total force EMS readiness, securing enduring partnerships for EMS advantage and establishing effective EMS governance. 

According to two defense officials, the strategy will also support the DoD’s efforts to maintain mastery of the EMS against near-peer adversaries who are working towards developing EMS expertise themselves.

One of the officials said during a recent conference call that the strategy will be followed by an implementation plan to put the strategy into action. The implementation plan is already being drafted by Deasy and other stakeholders in the department, the official said.