China is advancing in stealth electromagnetic weapons. The United States is struggling to keep up with EMPs and cognitive electronic warfare.
Modern warfare is turning into an invisible battlefield, where electromagnetic pulses (EMP) and high-power microwaves (HPM) are replacing projectiles. These systems can neutralize aircraft, drones, radars, or entire networks without leaving a visible trace. China is actively developing cognitive electronic warfare (CEW) capabilities combining AI and signal jamming, while the United States is estimated to be more than a decade behind. Technologies such as Leonidas (a mobile HPM system) and CEW algorithms tested by the US Air Force show promise, but operational capabilities remain limited. The risk is no longer just military: non-state groups could exploit these technologies, which are now more accessible, and carry out invisible attacks against cities, bases, or critical infrastructure.
EMP and HPM: the stealth weapons of the new digital war
Electromagnetic pulses (EMP) and high-power microwaves (HPM) are weapons capable of instantly destroying or disrupting an enemy’s electronics without noise, smoke, or debris. A well-targeted EMP on an urban center or military base can:
- neutralize communications,
- interrupt air navigation,
- cause critical systems to fail, all in an undetectable manner.
China, through the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is developing these weapons using an integrated approach: artificial intelligence (AI) is used to detect enemy signals, identify their vulnerabilities, and selectively jam or destroy electronic components.
This fusion of AI and electromagnetic warfare is known as cognitive electronic warfare (CEW). These technologies are now considered as strategic as air supremacy in 20th-century conflicts.
The US is lagging behind in CEW
According to a report by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, the United States is one to two decades behind China in electronic warfare. This assessment is shared by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which alerted Congress in November 2024 to the advanced detection, targeting, and disruption capabilities developed by the PLA.
In detail:
- The Maven project, launched in 2017 to integrate AI into military operations, has yielded few concrete results in the field.
- The Leonidas system designed by Epirus uses a large directional panel antenna to destroy the electronic components of drones via an HPM pulse. Deployed on a trial basis in the Middle East, it is promising but still in its infancy.
- The US Air Force has awarded $6.4 million to the Southwest Research Institute to develop CEW algorithms capable of reacting faster than a human operator.
But according to Colonel Larry Fenner Jr., commander of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, no US airborne system is currently capable of autonomously detecting, classifying, and neutralizing an electronic attack. The processes remain cumbersome, manual, and slow, while the enemy can strike in a matter of milliseconds.
Weapons hidden in trucks: faceless warfare
One of the most worrying developments is the miniaturization and concealment of these systems. In 2025, the United Kingdom unveiled Gravehawk, a surface-to-air missile concealed in a standard shipping container. The same principle can be applied to a compact EMP or HPM:
- transportable in a delivery truck, freight car or civilian cargo,
- remotely activated,
- leaving no residue or explosion, which makes it difficult to attribute the attack.
A discreet strike in a city center could cause the instant collapse of the power grid, transport shutdowns, or military communication blackouts, without it being immediately clear whether it was a failure or a hostile act.
It is this strategic ambiguity that makes CEW particularly formidable: it blurs the distinction between war, cyberattack, and technical accident.
A growing risk of non-state proliferation
Unlike traditional weapons systems, EMPs and HPMs do not require heavy logistics or complex training. Non-state groups, insurgents, militias, or terrorist actors can now:
- acquire commercial components,
- assemble them to produce rudimentary systems,
- and carry out destabilizing actions, particularly against civilian infrastructure.
A 2022 report by the Department of Homeland Security already warned of the potential use of these technologies by non-governmental actors. The cost of entry is falling, signals are difficult to trace, and countermeasures remain limited.
Historically, insurgents have relied on IEDs or small arms. Now, they could carry out sophisticated electronic operations without attracting attention or provoking an immediate military response.
How can we adapt to this invisible war?
In response to this development, militaries are investing in several areas:
- hardened electronics capable of withstanding electromagnetic pulses,
- AI-based anomaly detection algorithms to identify ongoing CEW attacks,
- quantum cryptography to protect communications even after an EMP attack.
But, as is often the case in military matters, defense lags behind attack. Current systems do not allow for real-time detection or immediate response to automated CEWs.
In this context, the main challenge is doctrinal: how can we anticipate a silent war, where weapons are invisible, concealed, and triggered without formal declaration? Traditional deterrence doctrines are no longer sufficient. We must now think of war as a systemic disruption, where strike power is measured by its ability to plunge the adversary into doubt and paralysis without a single shot.
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.