ABOUT JOINT ELECTRONIC WARFARE CENTER (JEWC)
- Origins in the Cold War: The Joint Electronic Warfare Center (JEWC) was established in 1980 at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, to coordinate U.S. military electronic warfare (EW) efforts in response to increasing Soviet electronic threats during the Cold War.
- First Joint EW Center: JEWC was the first Department of Defense organization specifically created to address joint EW issues across all armed services, breaking the traditional siloed approach of the Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps.
- Gulf War Contributions: During Operation Desert Storm, JEWC provided critical EW support, developing and disseminating threat data and countermeasures that helped protect coalition aircraft and jam enemy radars.
- Integration with Intelligence: JEWC has been instrumental in fusing EW and intelligence operations, working closely with the National Security Agency (NSA) and other intelligence agencies to enhance situational awareness.
- Development of EW Doctrine: The center has played a major role in writing and updating joint EW doctrine, ensuring that all services operate from a common playbook in the electromagnetic spectrum.
- Simulation and Training: JEWC pioneered the use of advanced modeling and simulation tools to train U.S. forces and develop EW tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
- Global Reach: JEWC supports not only U.S. forces but also allied and coalition partners, providing EW expertise and assistance during multinational exercises and operations.
- Reorganization and Modernization: In the early 2000s, JEWC underwent several reorganizations, eventually moving under U.S. Strategic Command as the Joint Electronic Warfare Center, reflecting the increasing importance of joint and strategic EW operations.
- Cyber-EW Convergence: JEWC has been at the forefront of integrating electronic warfare and cyber operations, recognizing the overlap and mutual support between operations in the electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace.
- Support to Combatant Commands: Today, JEWC provides direct support to all geographic and functional combatant commands, developing EW plans, supporting exercises, and offering reach-back support for real-world operations around the globe.