June 14, 2024
Although Electronic Warfare (EW) has grown in importance over the years, few naval historians, except for those interested in cryptology, have attempted to document the growth and development of the equipment, techniques, and operational use of EW. There are several reasons for this. First, a high level of secrecy surrounds EW and information is hard to come by. Next, there is little glory attached to its use, and lastly, it is highly technical.
In this lecture, I will cut through the secrecy surrounding the mysterious domain of EW, and recount the history of the Navy’s involvement in developing and using EW aircraft and the specialized equipment designed specifically for the EW mission. The discussion will be general without having to rely on complicated mathematical equations or complex technical discussions of the electronic methods employed. Along the way, I will try to point out the important contributions made by certain mid-level personnel that were critical in advancing Navy and Marine Corps capabilities in conducting EW operations. Part of my objective in presenting this information is to provide insight into the lessons learned so that future military leaders and planners will not repeat past mistakes.
Thomas Wildenberg is an independent historian and scholar with special interests in aviators, naval aviation, and technological innovation in the military. He has written extensively about the U.S. Navy during the interwar period. His articles have appeared in several scholarly journals, including the Journal of Military History, American Neptune, Air Power History, and U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings. He is the author of several books on naval history covering such varied topics as replenishment at sea, the development of dive bombing, and the history of the torpedo in the U.S. Navy. His interest in the personalities of innovators has led to books on Admiral Joseph Mason Reeves, Billy Mitchel, Charles Stark Draper, and Howard Hughes. His latest work, The Origins of Aegis, has just been released by the Naval Institute Press.
Mr. Wildenberg served as a Ramsey Fellow at the National Air and Space Museum in 1999-2000. He is a recipient of the Arthur W. Radford Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation History (2012), the Surface Navy Association Literary Award (2005), two John Laymen Awards from the North American Society for Oceanic History for best naval history (2013) and best biography (2003). He received the Air Force Historical Foundation's award for the best article in the 2009 volume of Air Power History, was awarded an honorable mention in the Ernest J. Eller Prize in Naval History (1994), and received the Edward S. Miller Naval War College Research Fellowship (1998).