Overview

Naval warfare was confined for centuries to surface combat, or undersea clashes. In the twentieth century aerial warfare became the third domain and shortly thereafter, the electromagnetic spectrum also appeared. Until now, little has been written about this important aspect of military conflict on the high seas. In Fighting in the Electromagnetic Spectrum author Thomas Wildenberg provides the first book covering these aircraft, their missions, and the methodology of conducting combat in all its forms along this fourth domain, the electromagnetic spectrum. When navies began to make use of the airwaves, they soon discovered those waves could also be exploited as a source of information about the opposing force. This would later be termed Electronic Intelligence (ELINT). Navies learned the value of interrupting or corrupting the enemy’s communication signals that were transmitted in the “ether,” thus began a method of fighting termed Electronic Warfare (EW). Wildenberg cuts through the secrecy about this understandably mysterious domain of combat. He offers details on aircraft and methods and provides a layman’s set of definitions of terms. Wildenberg shares lessons learned from World War II skirmishes a as well as clashes in the Korean and Vietnam wars, while providing a Fighting in the Electromagnetic Spectrum offers the reader a foundational understanding of this complex form of combat in all its forms. This volume discloses rarely covered concepts and methods which will shape future great power future conflict.

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9781682478493

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Reviews

As the United States comes out of a two-decade focus on counterterrorism operations, the need to reinvigorate electronic warfare capability across the military services has become paramount. Skills that were well-honed during the Cold War have atrophied to levels that require dedicated focus to rebuild. Wildenberg's work provides an historical review of how the United States Navy and Marine Corps built their electronic warfare capability in the years following the introduction of the electromagnetic spectrum to air operations. This book should serve as a roadmap for electronic warfare strategists and practitioners who are working to rebuild the capability across the services; it also fills a considerable historiographical gap and should be of interest to all airpower historians. -Tyler Morton, author, From Kites Cold War: The Evolution of Manned Airborne Reconnaissance Thomas Wildenberg's Fighting in the Electromagnetic Spectrum is a fascinating look at a much overlooked area. While many talk about Electronic Warfare few truly understand its history and its importance. Wildenberg has done away with the mythology and secrecy in what will surely be one of the defining books on the subject. Here is the story of EW from its inception to its modern use on the battlefield, told in the way only one of America's preeminent Naval Historians is capable of doing. -Dr. Brian D. Laslie, Command Historian United States Air Force Academy Wildenberg's thorough research is a fantastic and much-needed resource on the often-overlooked realm of electronic warfare. Electromagnetic Spectrum Warfare is often an arcane subject, but Wildenberg makes it understandable and puts it in a useful historical context. -Michael W. Hankins, author, Flying Camelot: The F-15, the F-16, and the Weaponization of Fighter Pilot Nostalgia

"As the United States comes out of a two-decade focus on counterterrorism operations, the need to reinvigorate electronic warfare capability across the military services has become paramount. Skills that were well-honed during the Cold War have atrophied to levels that require dedicated focus to rebuild. Wildenberg’s work provides an historical review of how the United States Navy and Marine Corps built their electronic warfare capability in the years following the introduction of the electromagnetic spectrum to air operations. This book should serve as a roadmap for electronic warfare strategists and practitioners who are working to rebuild the capability across the services; it also fills a considerable historiographical gap and should be of interest to all airpower historians."" —Tyler Morton, author, From Kites Cold War: The Evolution of Manned Airborne Reconnaissance ""Thomas Wildenberg’s Fighting in the Electromagnetic Spectrum is a fascinating look at a much overlooked area. While many talk about Electronic Warfare few truly understand its history and its importance. Wildenberg has done away with the mythology and secrecy in what will surely be one of the defining books on the subject. Here is the story of “EW” from its inception to its modern use on the battlefield, told in the way only one of America’s preeminent Naval Historians is capable of doing."" —Dr. Brian D. Laslie, Command Historian United States Air Force Academy ""Wildenberg’s thorough research is a fantastic and much-needed resource on the often-overlooked realm of electronic warfare. Electromagnetic Spectrum Warfare is often an arcane subject, but Wildenberg makes it understandable and puts it in a useful historical context."" —Michael W. Hankins, author, Flying Camelot: The F-15, the F-16, and the Weaponization of Fighter Pilot Nostalgia"

Author Information

Thomas Wildenberg is an award-winning scholar with special interests in aviators, naval aviation, and technological innovation in the military. He is the author of a number of books on a variety on naval topics as well as biographies of Joseph Mason Reeves, Billy Michael, and Charles Stark Draper.

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