In her Friday morning keynote, Major General Elisabeth Michelsen, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, NATO Joint Force Command – Norfolk covered three related topics: how can NATO dominate in the EMS; lessons from the war in Ukraine; and why the High North (the Arctic and the area around it) is important to NATO. With more than 30 years of experience in the Norwegian armed forces and her current NATO assignment, she discussed these topics with tremendous insight.
Regarding NATO's need to dominate in the EMS, General Michelsen said, "I would say the full realization of the multi domain operation will require dominance in the EMS in order to facilitate seamless command and control across all domains and comprehensively connect all sensors, actors and effectors across the NATO enterprise. The EMS together with the digital infrastructure could be seen as the glue in an MDO multi domain enabled alliance." She discussed the need to "innovate, integrate and invest to dominate," in EW technologies, including sensors and AI-driven analytic tools, directed energy weapons and developing resilient systems that can resist EW from adversaries.
A second aspect of EMS dominance is cooperation, General Michelsen said. "Having technology alone is not enough," she explained. "We must integrate electromagnetic spectrum warfare into our operational plans and strategies. Conducting coordinated training programs and exercises across NATO allies is essential to improving interoperability and operational effectiveness." She added, "Continuous training and realistic simulation are crucial in preparing our forces for real world electromagnetic warfare scenarios."
General Michelsen's second focus area was the War in Ukraine. She spoke of the importance that "will" plays in war and the EW experience of Russian forces. When Russia began its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, General Michelsen, as commander of Norway's Home Guard, deployed to the UK to help train Ukrainian soldiers. "I met the soldiers. The will they showed was and has been strong from the beginning. But the will in the alliance is also strong from each country to support the Ukrainians and must continue to be so in the time to come. But we can also learn from the war in Ukraine. They [the Ukrainians] are the one with the most experience in this [EW] field in recent times."
She also said, "Russian forces have long operated in an electromagnetic warfare environment, where the complexities of spectrum denial are a regular aspect of their operations. While these challenges pose risk, including the potential of blue on blue, the Russian military has adapted to working in this contested space. Their ability to manage and navigate within the electromagnetic warfare denied environment gives them a certain resilience. But it also presents vulnerabilities that can be exploited by [their] adversaries, in this case, Ukraine. The ongoing conflict has provided valuable insight into the role of spectrum warfare. We have seen how critical it is to adapt our tactics based on the real world experience. Success stories from the Ukraine can guide us and lessons learned must shape our future story strategies." She described these lessons: the need for advanced SIGINT for real-time monitoring and disruption of adversary communications; integrating cyber and EMS capabilities to create a multi-layered defense and complicate adversary attempts to disrupt operations; and harmonizing EW with other effects.
In General Michelsen's last focus area, she discussed why the "High North" is important for NATO. Murmansk on the Kola Peninsula retains its strategic importance (as it did during the Cold War) of harboring a high concentration of Russia's nuclear arsenal. She explained how this drives NATO's need to perform in-depth surveillance of this area for effective indications and warning. She mentioned that seven out of the eight countries that border the high north are NATO members, and the Arctic's retreating ice cap means more shipping travels through the High North each year, which increasingly drives NATO's attention toward the area.
General Michelsen said the High North presents several operational considerations for NATO. She explained, "Electromagnetic warfare presents unique challenges in the High North or the Arctic region. Due to the region's extreme environment, [it features] vast expenses of land and harsh conditions. The Arctic geographical and environmental characteristics, such as long polar night [in the winter], continuous daylight in summer and magnetic anomalies, affects both the performance and reliability of the electromagnetic systems. One of the primary challenges is the interference caused by the Earth's magnetic field, which is particularly strong in the polar regions. This can disrupt satellite communication, GPS signals and other satellite space systems [that are] crucial for navigation and coordination. Additionally, the Arctic environment is prone to intense solar activity, such as solar flares and geomagnetic storms, which can further degrade the effectiveness of communications and router systems. We need to have the knowledge of operating during these conditions."
General Michelsen concluded her keynote by stating, "Innovation, integration and strategic investment will determine our success in upholding peace and security. We must rise to the challenge of securing the electromagnetic spectrum for the future security of our nations. The electromagnetic spectrum, once an area of communication and navigation, is now a battlefield. An area where wars are won and lost. In this increasingly technological age, where information can be our most valuable ally or our greatest adversary, control over electromagnetic spectrum can determine the outcome of any conflict."