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There are many ways to gather intelligence. Forces analyze satellite imagery, employ spies, fly spy planes, drones, etc. One high-tech way of gathering intelligence is signals intelligence (SIGINT). It basically describes ways of listening to signals that different systems emit and interpreting them in a way that provides a clear picture of the accumulation of enemy forces and possibly even the types of weapons they have. However, there are ways to trick SIGINT.
F-22 Raptor will not show up in Ukraine. Image credit: Rob Shenk via Wikimedia
Electronic warfare is a tricky thing. You can produce faux signals, imitating gathering of troops or even some types of weapons. For example, you can reproduce communication between different artillery detachments when there is no artillery in the area. SIGINT is performed by planes, various ground-based systems and other means.
And it is nothing new. As soon as radio signals were used for military communications, someone started trying to deceive the opposing forces by producing misleading faux communications.
Now, as is being reported, the defenders of Ukraine are using electronic warfare to fool Russian SIGINT means. For example, Ukrainians are still waiting for the first batch of F-16s, but Russians have already seen both the F-16 and the F-22 in Ukraine. The latter one will never be delivered to Ukraine, as it is a fifth-generation jet fighter, which is barred from being exported.
Military expert Oleksandr Musienko said that the Ukrainian forces use balloons with electronic signal devices to disorient the Russian forces and their air defences. “They are being disorientated by balloons simulating the flight of F-16s and even F-22s. Well, that is trolling,” said Musienko. He did not provide any details or sources of this information.
The expert explained that Russian air defence sensors respond to such deceptions and their air defence systems are activated. Most likely, we are talking about Russian signals intelligence (SIGINT) systems. Ukrainians launch equipment attached to weather balloons and simulate the signal signature of American fighter jets.
Then for a while, Russians probably don’t understand what their sensors are seeing. Meanwhile, the defenders of Ukraine launch attack drones or exploit this confusion in other ways. It is difficult for Russians to understand what is real and what is just a trick. It is not like Russians believe the F-22 is flying in Ukraine. It’s just that they don’t know what data they can trust.
“You need to go through the enemy’s air defences and distract their air defences, wasting their air defence resources. They are firing away their reserves. And despite all of Russia’s missile reserves, that is a problem for them,” said Oleksandr Musienko.
Written by Povilas M.
