The Air Force plans to bring an electronics warfare squadron to its combat aviation training center at Nellis Air Force Base.
Earlier this week the Air Force announced that the 562nd Electronic Warfare Squadron would be based out of Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada starting in the coming months. The squadron, part of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, will be tasked with streamlining electromagnetic spectrum operations at the Air Force Warfare Center at the base, the service said.
The unit will be operational by this summer, with several dozen airmen assigned to it, and at full capacity by 2028 according to the Air Force. Details on the exact operations of the squadron were sparse, but the Air Force suggested the specialized unit will help with training a wider force of airmen.
“The activation of the 562nd EWS will allow the USAFWC to deliver advanced, realistic training that incorporates electronic warfare concepts, tactics, and techniques, ensuring warfighters are better equipped to operate in contested electronic environments,” the Air Force said in its release announcing the plan.
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The Air Force Warfare Center, which falls under Air Combat Command, serves as a training center for combat pilots and their support staff. It oversees several large-scale training exercises.
Since 2021, the Air Force has been working to build up the number of forces dedicated to electronic warfare, as that field has become more dominant in warfare. The 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, the Air Force’s sole wing focused on that domain, was activated in June 2021. At its activation ceremony, its first commander described its mission: “If we lose the fight in the EMS, we will lose the fights in all other domains. We’re here to help make sure that doesn’t happen,” Col. William Young said.
Since then its size has grown to include roughly a dozen squadrons. The wing is based out of Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The squadrons all work in the electromagnetic spectrum, but mission focuses range from software development to assessment of the enemy’s capabilities. The 562nd Electronic Warfare Squadron looks posed to help combat pilots deal with advanced electronic threats.
The military has long operated electronic attack aircraft and in recent decades has invested heavily in cyber operations and signal jamming. The rise of drone warfare and large-scale use of electromagnetic attacks during wider military operations has shown how the U.S. military is starting to integrate electronic warfare tools at scale.
