Air Force Radar, Electronic Warfare and Satellites

The Air Force is a prime user and developer of radar systems, using them for early warning during the Cold War, when the AF had both airborne and ground based radar systems deployed around the world to guard against and detect Soviet aircraft. Radars were and continue to be one of the most important pieces of equipment on modern Aircraft, the faster and farther away an adversary can be identified and accurately tracked helps to give the pilot an edge that can be vital during combat. Electronic warfare techniques and technology have been in use since World War II and go hand in glove with radar systems. These technologies are often used to jam, counter jam, spoof, or confuse enemy radar operators and weapon systems allowing the aircraft to accomplish their mission. The Air Force has been involved with satellites since the late 1950s in the fields of command and control, battlefield situational awareness and satellite launch facilities, among others.