Author Biography
Guillem Colom-Piella is a professor of political science at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain and Associate Researcher at the Universidad Autónoma de Chile. Prior to taking up his university roles, he worked in the Armed Forces Transformation Unit in the Spanish Defence Staff. He holds a PhD in International Security.
Cristina Marzal Ruano is a PhD candidate in Strategic Studies by Instituto Universitario General Gutiérrez Mellado-UNED in Madrid. She is the co-author of The transformation of War in the 21st century: Strategic Studies.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.18.4.2369
Subject Area Keywords
Information operations, International security, Regional conflict, Russia
Abstract
In what has been referred to as a “War of Drones”, the ongoing Ukrainian conflict has contributed to shed light on electronic warfare as a key capability in modern military operations. The capacity to trace, deny, detect and collect intelligence from enemy communications has become a crucial asset as combat systems become highly interconnected and small, commercial drones storm in as strong alternatives to traditional, more expensive and less versatile unmanned systems. In this regard, much has been discussed about whether Russia, a perceivably dominant EW power, lived up to expectations regarding its performance in the electromagnetic domain. Through the evolution of its operational and tactical strategy, we assess whether Russian EW capabilities match Western assumptions prior to February 2022. In this regard, we find that the course correction implemented by November 2022 has led Russian EW to perform within Western expectations, showing strength but also showcasing persisting vulnerabilities that become particularly relevant for NATO’s strategic community.
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank the anonymous reviewers for their time, thoughtful feedback, and valuable insights, which have significantly strengthened this article. Their detailed comments and constructive criticism have helped refine our arguments, improve clarity, and ensure a more rigorous analysis. We appreciate their expertise and the effort they dedicated to reviewing our work.
Recommended Citation
Colom Piella, Guillem and Marzal Ruano, Cristina. "Has Russian Electronic Warfare underperformed in the Ukrainian conflict?." Journal of Strategic Security 18, no. 4 (2025)
: 78-95.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.18.4.2369
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol18/iss4/6
