# Electronic warfare support measures > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Electronic_warfare_support_measures > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Electronic_warfare_support_measures.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_warfare_support_measures > Source revision: 1327964385 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Electronic intelligence gathering method [RAF Menwith Hill](/source/RAF_Menwith_Hill), a large [ECHELON](/source/ECHELON) site in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom), and part of the [UK-USA Security Agreement](/source/UK-USA_Security_Agreement). French ship *[Dupuy de Lôme](/source/French_ship_Dupuy_de_L%C3%B4me_(A759))*, specialised in SIGINT In military [telecommunications](/source/Telecommunications), **electronic support** (**ES**) or **electronic support measures** (**ESM**) gather intelligence through passive "listening" to electromagnetic radiations of military interest. They are an aspect of [electronic warfare](/source/Electronic_warfare) involving actions taken under direct control of an operational commander to detect, [intercept](/source/Signals_intelligence), identify, locate, record, and/or analyze sources of radiated electromagnetic energy for the purposes of immediate [threat](/source/Imminent_threat) recognition (such as warning that [fire control radar](/source/Fire_control_radar) has locked on a combat vehicle, ship, or aircraft) or longer-term operational planning.[1] Thus, electronic support provides a source of [information](/source/Information) required for decisions involving [electronic protection](/source/Electronic_protection) (EP), [electronic attack](/source/Electronic_attack) (EA), avoidance, targeting, and other tactical employment of forces. Electronic support [data](/source/Data) can be used to produce [signals intelligence](/source/Signals_intelligence) (SIGINT), [communications intelligence](/source/COMINT) (COMINT) and [electronics intelligence](/source/Electronics_intelligence) (ELINT).[2] Electronic support measures can provide (1) initial detection or knowledge of foreign systems, (2) a library of technical and operational data on foreign systems, and (3) tactical combat information utilizing that library.[1] ESM collection platforms can remain electronically silent and detect and analyze RADAR transmissions beyond the RADAR detection range because of the greater power of the transmitted [electromagnetic pulse](/source/Electromagnetic_pulse) with respect to a reflected echo of that pulse.[1] United States airborne ESM receivers are designated in the AN/ALR series.[1] Desirable characteristics for electromagnetic surveillance and collection equipment include (1) wide-spectrum or bandwidth capability because foreign frequencies are initially unknown, (2) wide dynamic range because the signal strength is initially unknown, (3) narrow bandpass to discriminate the signal of interest from other electromagnetic radiation on nearby frequencies, and (4) good angle-of arrival measurement for bearings to locate the transmitter.[1] The frequency spectrum of interest ranges from 30 MHz to 50 GHz.[1] Multiple receivers are typically required for surveillance of the entire spectrum,[1] but tactical receivers may be functional within a specific signal strength threshold of a smaller frequency range. ## See also - [AWACS](/source/Airborne_early_warning_and_control) - [Boeing E-3 Sentry](/source/Boeing_E-3_Sentry) - [Boeing E-4](/source/Boeing_E-4) - [Electronic warfare](/source/Electronic_warfare) - [Electronic countermeasure](/source/Electronic_countermeasure) - [Lockheed Orion](/source/Lockheed_P-3_Orion) - [Low-probability-of-intercept radar](/source/Low-probability-of-intercept_radar) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-proceedings_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-proceedings_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-proceedings_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-proceedings_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-proceedings_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-proceedings_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-proceedings_1-6) Polmar, Norman "The U. S. Navy Electronic Warfare (Part 1)" *United States Naval Institute Proceedings* October 1979 p.137 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** This article incorporates [public domain material](/source/Copyright_status_of_works_by_the_federal_government_of_the_United_States) from [*Federal Standard 1037C*](https://web.archive.org/web/20220122224547/https://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/fs-1037/fs-1037c.htm). [General Services Administration](/source/General_Services_Administration). Archived from [the original](https://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/fs-1037/fs-1037c.htm) on 2022-01-22. v t e Electronic warfare of the United States Armed Forces Active countermeasures (jamming) Electronic attack systems AN/ALE-50 AN/ALE-55 AN/ALQ-99 AN/ALQ-101 AN/ALQ-126 AN/ALQ-135 AN/ALQ-172 AN/ALQ-221 AN/ALQ-249 AN/ALQ-260 AN/SLQ-25 AN/SLQ-32 AN/ULQ-6 Flare and chaff decoy systems AN/ALE-47 AN/SLQ-49 Mark 36 SRBOC Nulka Directional IRCM systems AN/AAQ-24 AN/ALQ-144 AN/ALQ-147 AN/ALQ-157 Passive radar warning receivers AN/ALQ-218 AN/ALR-20 AN/ALR-46 AN/ALR-67 Missile approach warning systems AN/AAR-47 AN/ALQ-153 Dedicated ECM / ESM aircraft Crewed Electronic attack EA-3 Skywarrior EA-6B Prowler EA-18G Growler EA-37B Compass Call EB-57A Canberra EB-66C/E Destroyer EC-130H Compass Call EF-10B Skyknight EF-111A Raven ISTAR ESM Boeing RC-135 EC-121M Warning Star EC-130E/J Commando Solo EMARSS EP-3 Aries EV/RV-1E Mohawk ES-3A Shadow MC-12W Liberty P-3 Orion RB-47H/ERB-47H Stratojet RB-50G Superfortress RB-52B/C Stratofortress RB-57D-1/2 Canberra RB-57F Canberra RB-66C Destroyer RC-12 Guardrail RC-130 Hercules RU-38 Twin Condor SR-71 Blackbird U-2 Dragonlady Uncrewed BAE SkyEye BQM-147 Dragon MQ-1 Predator MQ-1C Gray Eagle MQ-4C Triton MQ-9 Reaper MQ-27 ScanEagle MQ-35 V-BAT Northrop Grumman Bat RQ-2 Pioneer RQ-3 DarkStar RQ-4 Global Hawk RQ-6 Outrider RQ-7 Shadow RQ-11 Raven RQ-20 Puma RQ-21 Blackjack RQ-170 Sentinel RQ-180 Ryan Model 147 Sentry HP Category:Electronic countermeasures Category:Electronic warfare This military-related article is a stub. 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