The nature of naval warfare has undergone an extraordinary transformation since WWII. At the forefront of this change has been the increasing need for reliable radar information in the presence of an expanding electronic warfare (EW) threat technology. The task at hand is to investigate the potential detrimental effects of various hostile EW techniques designed to preclude effective friendly radar operation and to determine the means to eliminate, or at least, to minimize these effects through the use of electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM).
The technology of ECCM for radar is continually evolving and is often very complex. By its very nature, ECCM must be at the forefront of the ever-advancing state-of-the-art of electronics, and its techniques must always be at least one step ahead of the latest Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) threat. This situation is never stable, and even though a truly effective ECCM-hardened, totally invulnerable system could be developed (an idealistic situation which may never be completely achieved), it would only be a matter of time before the enemy would discover and decode the techniques, or perhaps overpower and evade them. Because of this unstable situation, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to properly evaluate the threat and forecast the effectiveness of an ECCM approach in a timely manner, or to establish a reliable long term solution to the problem. Thus, the project director's task is to ferret out enough information, sometimes from highly sensitive and not always complete or readily accessible sources, and evaluate the kinds and extent of required ECCM actions that will provide an acceptable degree of performance for the system's operational mission. Finally, the project director must follow through and ensure that the ECCM design is properly implemented in the radar system.
This handbook provides guidance for establishing an effective ECCM program throughout the life cycle of a US Naval radar system. Presumably, the manager is already familiar with the acquisition management process and has a background primarily in management. Following the guidelines presented in the handbook will ensure that the proper emphasis is placed on securing adequate ECCM capability in the operational system.
