SignalStrike

Bridging the Gap in Electromagnetic Warfare Targeting at the Platoon Level

By CPT Brenden Shutt

Article published on: June 1, 2026 in the Summer 2026 Edition of Gray Space

Read Time: < 12 mins

In the chaos of modern battlefields, where the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) is as contested as the terrain, Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) Platoons face a daunting challenge: how to process an unrelenting stream of complex radio frequency (RF) sensor data and translate it into actionable intelligence in an accurate and timely manner. The EMS is a domain of warfare that is invisible yet decisive, and the ability to dominate this domain is critical to achieve mission success in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO). However, the software tools currently available to EW Platoons fall short of enabling them to operate at the required speed and accuracy imposed by LSCO.

The inability to efficiently cross-reference RF-sensor data between sensors across an EW Platoon and generate target data in real time hinders the operational effectiveness of EW Platoons, leaving a critical capability gap at the tactical level. This gap is not merely a technical limitation of the Platoon; it is an operational inefficiency that near-peer adversaries can exploit and overwhelm with ease. Recognizing this limitation, a team of Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), with the support of the Marne Innovation Center, developed and iteratively tested an EW-targeting application dubbed SignalStrike. This prototype software is a tool designed to empower EW Platoons with the capability they need to process RF-sensor data, immediately generate intuitive map-based target graphics, and streamline the EW-targeting process. Ultimately, SignalStrike enhances situational awareness for EW Platoons and enables decisive and immediate action on signals-of-interest (SOI). While still a Soldier-built prototype, SignalStrike represents a transformative step toward enhancing Army EW capabilities and encouraging Soldier-borne solutions, contributing to the U.S. Army’s goal of EMS dominance.

The Problem: Challenges in RF-based Targeting

Before the development of SignalStrike, EW Platoons in 3ID faced significant challenges that hindered their ability to operate effectively in the EMS. One of the most pressing issues was the lack of real-time situational awareness, specifically real-time EMS awareness. RF-sensor data, while rich in information, is inherently complex and challenging to visualize; everything from the ambient humidity to the receiver antenna length affects RF-sensor data, requiring EW operators to commit their focus to understanding it. In the scope of the EW Platoon, the Platoon leadership and team leaders struggle to understand how RF-sensor data is translated onto a map, leaving them with an unclear picture of the EMS environment as it relates to the Platoon’s area of operations. Without an understanding of the geographic disposition of SOI, the optimal emplacement of Electronic Warfare Teams (EWTs) becomes unattainable, making it difficult to plan and coordinate EW Platoon operations in real time against a dynamic threat.

These challenges are compounded by the absence of intuitive tools designed specifically for the EW Platoon. Existing solutions, such as the Electromagnetic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT), were developed for Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) cells and were not optimized for Platoon-level operations. While EWPMT offers planning features, most are not operationally relevant for the fast-paced, dynamic, and tactical scenarios faced by EW Platoons. Furthermore, EWPMT typically requires a SIPR network connection to access its most advantageous features and map data, making it impractical for use in austere environments without upper tactical internet (upper-TI) access. EWPMT also ships on large, power-hungry devices that are cumbersome to employ in the field within vehicles or within a dismounted EWT.

The manual processes used by EW Platoons are an attempt to alleviate their challenges. For example, before SignalStrike, EW Platoon leadership and team leaders had to physically draw lines-of-bearing (LOBs) on an analog map overlay to visualize the data. This analog process took between three and five minutes, required a significant amount of physical space, and imposed a heavy cognitive load on the EW Platoon leadership. While this method was technically functional, it was time consuming, prone to human error, and lacked the accuracy needed for RF-based dynamic targeting. These inefficiencies often delayed the targeting process, reducing the operational tempo of the Platoon and constraining its ability to efficiently support maneuver units.

The lack of a unified, map-based understanding of the EMS also created challenges in maintaining situational awareness. Without a tool to aggregate and visualize RF-sensor data on a common operating picture, EW Platoons struggled to effectively coordinate their operations and nest their operations with their adjacent or assigned units and contribute to the success of the broader mission objectives.

The EW Platoons’ challenges were further highlighted during training rotations at combat training centers (CTCs), namely the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) and the National Training Center (NTC). During CTC rotations, EW operators consistently reported difficulties in cross-referencing RF-sensor data, generating accurate target data while it is still actionable, and communicating this information to decision makers in a timely manner. These challenges underscored the greater need for a solution to streamline the targeting process and enhance the operational effectiveness of EW Platoons.

SignalStrike: A Soldier-Built Solution

The need for SignalStrike was born out of necessity during a challenging Combined Resolve (CbR) 24-01 at JMRC. During this rotation, the EW element faced significant difficulties in processing RF-sensor data and generating actionable intelligence in real time. The analog methods used to plot LOBs on analog maps and the available EW software tools, such as EWPMT and the U.S. Marine Corps’ SPEED, proved to be too slow and cumbersome. The effect of these inefficiencies became unignorable in the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the training environment, where the EW element was constantly reacting to activity in the heavily-contested EMS. This experience highlighted the urgent need for a tool that could streamline the targeting process and provide real-time situational awareness. By the rotation’s end, that same EW element began developing what would eventually become SignalStrike.

SignalStrike is an innovative software application designed to streamline the targeting process for EW Platoons. Developed by 3ID Soldiers, with support from the Marne Innovation Center, SignalStrike provides a user-friendly interface for processing RF-sensor data and generating intuitive target graphics. Unlike existing tools, which are often cumbersome and unintuitive, SignalStrike’s end-user-driven development prioritizes simplicity, efficiency, and an operationally-relevant feature set.

At its core, SignalStrike ingests RF-sensor data: sensor location, LOB azimuth, and received signal strength. SignalStrike then processes the sensor data, reverse engineering the signal using a revised pathloss model and user assumptions, then overlays the generated target data onto an interactive map. This functionality enables operators to immediately visualize the estimated target area that contains the target emitter, thereby enhancing situational awareness and facilitating more effective targeting. The application’s ability to aggregate and process data from multiple sensors ensures that it can adapt to a wide range of operational scenarios, making it a versatile tool for EW Platoons.

SignalStrike’s most innovative and unique feature is its ability to reverse-engineer received signals to estimate the target area. By accounting for environmental and sensor parameters, the application generates a target area from a single LOB. SignalStrike also factors in the unique error of various RF Sensors (e.g., VMAX, BEAST+, etc.) to most accurately generate the side bounds of the generated target areas, with the front and back bounds of the target area being generated based on the assumed power output and antenna properties of the target emitter. To be clear, the propagation model and target-area generation methodologies employed by SignalStrike are not perfect; however, their performance benefits from iterative development and testing cycles.

Along with the digital-map overlay, SignalStrike provides the option to generate two-dimensional elevation plots. These elevation plots provide users with a detailed visualization of the terrain along the sensor’s LOB, offering critical insights into how the terrain may affect the feasibility of portions of the estimated target area. SignalStrike leverages Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) stored locally on the end-user device (EUD) to generate elevation plots while offline.

This capability to generate target data from a single RF sensor is particularly valuable in scenarios where limited sensor data is available, allowing operators to make informed decisions even in the absence of complete information. For more complex scenarios, SignalStrike can aggregate data from up to three EWTs to generate higher-fidelity target area overlays that rely on LOB geometry rather than a propagation model. During this process, SignalStrike automatically detects whether the LOBs from the EWTs form a CUT (two intersecting LOBs) or a FIX (three intersecting LOBs) and definitively outlines the intersecting target areas on the map display.

SignalStrike’s design allows it to operate in austere environments, with an integrated, offline map server that hosts map data locally on the EUD. This design ensures that EW Platoons can employ SignalStrike in disconnected or communications-degraded environments, a critical capability in modern conflicts where connectivity cannot be guaranteed. Additional tools—such as map-marker plotting, distance measuring, and grid copying—further enhance the utility of SignalStrike.

Operational Impact

Through field testing, SignalStrike has demonstrated its potential to enhance EW Platoon operations. Field tests conducted at NTC during NTC 24-09 and at JMRC during CbR 25-02 revealed that SignalStrike could replace the time-consuming, manual process of plotting LOBs and generating target data. In contrast to the current method, SignalStrike can produce a better visualization in under one second while being more accurate and consolidated to a tablet-sized interface. This dramatic improvement in speed and efficiency allows EW Platoons to act decisively in time-sensitive scenarios, ensuring that they remain operationally relevant in the fast-paced and high-risk LSCO environment.

In addition to improving targeting accuracy, SignalStrike accelerates the kill chain by generating intuitive target graphics that can be used by the EW Platoon to visually communicate targets to decision makers. The application’s ability to generate target data that the user can then pass to reconnaissance platforms and maneuver units enables the EW Platoons to operate at the speed required in LSCO. This capability is critical in multi-domain operations, where rapid, coordinated action is essential at every echelon to ensure mission success.

To complement its functionality, SignalStrike is highly available within the U.S. Army and EW community. Currently, any Windows or Linux-based EUD can download and run SignalStrike in less than 30 minutes through a cloud-based code repository and automated-setup scripts. In a coordinated fielding effort by the SignalStrike development team, every FORSCOM EW Platoon could field and be trained on SignalStrike within 90 days at a cost of less than $2,000 per brigade. To complement its availability, SignalStrike’s adaptability to various operational scenarios makes it a versatile tool for EW Platoons due to its ability to process data from multiple RF sensors that are simultaneously targeting multiple radios on a tactical network. Its scalability and adaptability ensure SignalStrike’s relevance and employability across a wide range of EW missions.

User Feedback and Solution Evolution

Iterative user feedback gathered during and immediately following field tests drives SignalStrike’s development. As a result, 3ID Soldiers have requested several features that significantly enhanced the application’s usability and operational relevance. As it stands, the turnaround timeline for feature requests from users is a matter of weeks, with most new feature requests completed within 30 days.

For example, SignalStrike users from NTC 24-09 requested the inclusion of multiple map types, such as terrain maps with contour lines, road and trail maps, and satellite imagery maps. This feedback led to the development of a map-selector dropdown on the user interface and an automated map downloader running in a separate background process, allowing users to download maps from public databases before missions and dynamically during missions based on use.

Another key feature identified during field tests—specifically CbR 25-02—was the need for post-mission analysis. SignalStrike’s extensive logging, which records every user action and target generated, enables operators to review past missions and generate detailed reports. With a simple click, SignalStrike can auto-generate mission reports that provide an overview of target frequencies, the geographic distribution of targets, and the prevalence of EMS activity over time; this has proven invaluable for after-action reviews, follow-on mission planning, and reviewing EW Platoon performance. In its current version, SignalStrike allows the user to select and re-plot from its list of logged targets. This simple yet powerful feature helps assess EW Platoon performance following training by cross-referencing the estimated target area with the actual target location, a capability not commonly possessed in the EW Platoon.

Users who employed SignalStrike at the CTCs requested improvements to the process of placing EWTs on the map. The process of manually typing MGRS grids proved too time-consuming during high-operation tempo moments, and the user was instead willing to plot EWTs quickly on the map, using terrain or satellite imagery as a reference. In response, SignalStrike now allows operators to place tactical graphics—including EWTs—with a simple point-and-click process, eliminating the need to manually input MGRS grids. When able, the user can click on the icon and edit the MGRS as needed. To supplement this feature, SignalStrike ensures that map icons and target overlays persist through power cycles, allowing users to pick up exactly where they left off after closing the application or powering down the EUD.

Other enhancements, included based solely on user feedback, include more accessible brightness controls, locally stored DTED for offline terrain analysis, and the ability to click on icons to access metadata and copy grids. These features are a testament to the SignalStrike development team’s commitment to addressing the needs of its users by prioritizing features directly requested by the end user.

Future Enhancements

While SignalStrike is already a powerful tool, its potential is immense. One planned improvement is the addition of a three-dimensional terrain rendering during the signal-processing function. This feature would provide users with a more detailed understanding of the terrain within and surrounding the target area and assist the EW operator in adjudicating the most likely location of target emitters. This capability would help EW leaders, particularly in complex terrains. Ultimately, this feature would evolve into a terrain-aware target-area generator that eliminates infeasible target-emitter locations based on the physical limitations imposed by RF theory.

Another planned enhancement to SignalStrike is the development of an application programming interface (API) that can connect to any RF sensor, from the TLS-BCT to commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software-defined radios (SDRs). In theory, this API would enable SignalStrike to programmatically ingest large volumes of RF-sensor data and synthesize it into high-fidelity target candidates and EMS assessments, reducing the cognitive burden on operators while improving the speed and accuracy of targeting. This API would require the standardization of APIs for all Program of Record (PoR) RF sensors as well as published documentation that enables Soldier-built software solutions to interact with various RF sensors. Including this feature will be challenging; however, its benefits would pay dividends across EW formations.

Lastly, SignalStrike’s development roadmap includes the integration of networking features and an API for contributing data to tactical-data networks. These features would enable the application to seamlessly transfer target data from the sensor to the targeting authority in near real time, allowing for rapid coordination across units and ensuring that the kill chain remains efficient and uninterrupted. By incorporating these enhancements, future iterations of SignalStrike have the potential to become a cornerstone of the U.S. Army’s EW toolkit.

Conclusion

SignalStrike represents a critical step toward modernizing the U.S. Army’s EW capabilities through Soldier-developed software solutions. By addressing the challenges of RF targeting, SignalStrike empowers EW Platoons to operate at the speed required in LSCO. However, realizing its true potential requires sustained investment and iterative development. The Army, namely PEO IEW&S, must act to accelerate the development of SignalStrike by transitioning its development beyond ambitious Soldiers and to an Army development team or Product Manager. In doing so, the U.S. Army can take a meaningful step toward equipping EW Platoons to dominate the EMS in the next major conflict.