Supporting the Army with Scalable EW: the LEWT Roadmap
June 29, 2023 - Defence Stories
By: MCpl Graeme Curran
For those unfamiliar with Light Electronic Warfare Team (LEWT), let’s start with a quick introduction to who we are. The LEWT is one of the unique capabilities at 21 Electronic Warfare (EW) Regiment in Kingston, a unit within 6 Canadian Combat Support Brigade, and 5th Canadian Division of the Canadian Army. Within 21 EW Regiment, Romeo Troop is home to the LEWT operators who offer a flexible and scalable EW asset that can be tailored to any mission requirement. We are platform agnostic which allows us to quickly deploy as either a mounted or dismounted enabler. We operate in small 3-4 person teams that are self-supported for up to 72 hours attached to Reconnaissance, Paratroopers, Snipers, and UAS assets. LEWT currently supports several joint allied exercises both in and outside of Canada, as well as Operation REASSURANCE in Latvia.
Caption
LEWT operator configuring their equipment during a validation exercise.
Picture taken by Lt Tyler Jansen.
In recent months, LEWT personnel have been working to address several key challenges that have restricted our recent success. These challenges derive from the single line task to 5th Canadian Division in the Master Implementation Directive for Light-Forces: “After the TOCA of the CCSB to 5 Cdn Div, incorporate [light] enablers into the [light] force concept […]” From this task, Romeo Troop conceptualized, designed, trained, and employed the LEWT capability with very limited institutional support. This has presented an opportunity to re-evaluate the LEWT capability while aligning with the evolving Electromagnetic (EM) battlespace and our 5 Eyes Partners. With the acquisition of new equipment and updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the LEWT capability will stand out as a necessary asset in future operations. Meanwhile, our current equipment is quickly aging to the point of obsolescence. In principle the LEWT capability is a flexible, mission-tailored asset; our equipment creates challenges to meet this intent.
Caption
LEWT commander providing direction during validation exercise.
Picture taken by Lt Tyler Jansen.
To address these challenges, we have created a capabilities development roadmap that leads into fiscal year 2026 to guide our efforts in developing our identity as a scalable EW asset. Defined in this roadmap are the lines of effort to address the four main challenges we face: concept of employment, mission adaptable EW equipment, reliable communications, and a LEWT tailored mobile platform. Our philosophy for the adaptability of the LEWT capability is one that resonates throughout the Army: the Infantry would not operate with only one, cover-all weapon systems and neither should we. As a flexible, mission-tailored EW asset, the accessibility to a variety of capabilities designed to provide a specific effect is integral to the success and service LEWT can provide. As we begin to acquire more equipment tailored to our requirements, trialing and training will present more challenges for this high demand, low density asset, requiring continuous revision of priority and staffing.
The evolutionary journey the members of Romeo Troop are embarking on to refine our identity will be one of many trials and challenges; however, the personnel of Romeo Troop will prevail as an enhanced and complete scalable EW asset.