According to open sources EW refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of EW is to deny the opponent the advantage of and ensure friendly unimpeded access to the EM spectrum. EW can be applied from air, sea, land, and/or space by manned and unmanned systems, and can target the enemy’s communication systems, radars, or other assets both military and civil. EW consists of three major subdivisions: Electronic Support (ESM), Electronic Attack (EA) and Electronic Protection (EP).

Traditionally used to perform the task of target identification, Electronic Support Measures (ESM) gather intelligence through passive “listening” to electromagnetic radiations of military interest. The main task of ESM systems is summarized as contributing to the preparation of the picture of the tactical situation by detecting and diagnosing the Electro Magnetic (EM) broadcasts (in the frequency band defined for the system) of the threat and target radar/radars in the operational environment where the platform is deployed. Electronic Attack (EA) (previously known as Electronic Countermeasures [ECM]), on the other hand, involves the offensive use of EM energy, directed energy, or anti-radiation weapons to attack personnel, facilities, or equipment with the intent of degrading, neutralizing, or destroying enemy combat capability including human life. EA Systems, on the one hand, protect the platform on which they are used against RF-guided anti-ship missiles that threaten it, by actively jamming against radar seeker heads, on the other hand, they apply preventive active jamming techniques against threat or target radars than broadcasting in the operational environment.