Electronic warfare has a surprisingly long history, perhaps unexpected. As far back as the telegraph wire people were cutting cables to disrupt communication, and supposedly during the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, the Russian Pacific Fleet considered broadcasting overpowering signals to prevent the Japanese wireless from transmitting. They opted not to for reasons unknown; perhaps history would have been different if they had tried.

During World War Two there was early radar and of course radio communications were already a thing. Still, when we think of “Electronic Warfare” nowadays we tend to think of it as a new and modern thing with advanced electronics such as computers and satellite technology.

Still, early electronic warfare in World War Two would still seem primitive to us today, akin to waiting for someone to take a leak at a fenceline and giving a jolt of surprise electricity.