Air Force Taps AI to Track Hostile Signals in Electronic Warfare

Air Force pursues AI-driven electronic warfare capabilities

The US Air Force is deploying artificial intelligence to help aircraft navigate increasingly crowded electromagnetic battlefields, where detecting and tracking hostile signals can mean the difference between mission success and failure.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center has awarded Perceptronics Solutions and Pacific Defense a Small Business Innovation Research Phase III contract to advance AI and machine learning capabilities for airborne electronic warfare systems, according to The Defense Post.

The contract tasks the two companies with maturing AI-powered algorithms that can identify and track electromagnetic emitters, integrating electronic attack techniques, and testing the technology's performance in contested and congested electromagnetic environments.

The electromagnetic battlefield challenge

Modern military operations unfold in an invisible landscape of radar signals, communications, jamming systems, and other electromagnetic emissions. Aircraft must rapidly identify which signals represent threats, track their sources as they move or change frequency, and potentially neutralize them — all while operating in environments saturated with friendly and neutral emissions.

Traditional electronic warfare systems rely on pre-programmed threat libraries and human operators to make sense of the electromagnetic spectrum. AI promises to accelerate this process, enabling aircraft to detect, classify, and respond to emitters at machine speed without waiting for human decision-making in time-critical situations.

Why it matters

As adversaries deploy more sophisticated radar and electronic warfare systems, the ability to process electromagnetic data faster than opponents becomes a critical advantage. AI-driven systems could help US aircraft operate more effectively in environments where enemies attempt to jam communications, track aircraft movements, or guide weapons — scenarios increasingly likely in potential conflicts with near-peer adversaries. The technology also addresses the growing complexity of the electromagnetic spectrum itself, where military, commercial, and civilian signals overlap in ways that overwhelm human operators.

Testing in realistic conditions

The contract specifically emphasizes testing in contested and congested electromagnetic environments — conditions that simulate real-world battlefields where multiple actors transmit across overlapping frequencies. This focus on realistic validation suggests the Air Force is moving beyond laboratory demonstrations toward operational deployment.

The Phase III designation indicates the technology has already passed initial feasibility and prototype stages, positioning it for potential transition into fielded systems.

Details of the contract value and timeline were not disclosed. The Defense Post first reported the contract award on September 4, 2026.