New Age Air Warfare

Anti Access & Area Denial

Strategies & Implications

May 2021
 New Age Air Warfare
Index
➢Introduction
➢A2/AD Context & Definition
➢Developing Modern Concept of Anti Access
➢Asymetrical Tactics & Cognitives Anti Access
➢Area Denial
➢Example of the latest A2/AD conflict (Armenia/Azerbaijan)
➢South Asia Context & Challenges
➢Applicability of A2/AD Strategy with TNI
➢Contextualized Indonesian A2/AD through Digital Transformation
➢Conclusion
 New Age Air Warfare
Introduction
A2/AD Concept

➢ Anti Access & Area Denial are modern terms referring to warfighting strategies focused on
preventing an oonent from operating military forces near, into, or within a contested region
➢ Anti Access& Area denial are an ancient concept whose technics of strategy that have been used
throughout military history, representinghistorical component of grand strategy
➢ Denying access to an ennemy is a natural objective for any defender, and should be considered an
integral component of any military campaign.
➢ Specifically, A2/AD is meant to denote a strategic approach intended to defend against an opponent
that is judged to be superior in strength or skill in overall combat operations
 New Age Air Warfare
Introduction
A2/AD Objective
➢ Anti Access & Area Denial objective is t prevent the attacker from bringing its operationallysuperior
force into the contested region or to prevent the attacker from operating freely within the region
and maximizing its combat power.
➢ For the defender the desired result
➢ Denying access to an ennemy is a natural objective for any defender, and should be considered an
integral component of any military campaign.
➢ Specifically, A2/AD is meant to denote a strategic approach intended to defend against an opponent
that is judged to be superior in strength or skill in overall combat operations.
➢ The desired result of Anti Access & Area Denial isn’t jut a stalemate, but also an attrition of the
attacker’s forces such that the attacker loses over time any ability to make any decisisve strike at
the center of gravity of the opponent.
➢ For example Anti Access operations as a component of grand strategy naturally include
international diplomatic, political and economic activities.
 New Age Air Warfare
A2/AD Context & Definition
A2/AD Five Fundamentals

1. The perception of the strategic superiority of the attacking Force

2. The primacy of geography as the element that most influences time and facilitates attrition of the
ennemy.
3. The general predominance of the maritime domain as conflict space.
4. The criticality of information and intelligence, and conversely the decisive effects of operational
deception
5. The determinative impact of Extrinsic events or unrelated events in other regions.
 New Age Air Warfare
Developing Modern Concept of Anti-Access
A2/AD defining (1)

➢ Anti-Accees is defined by those actions and capabilities, usually long-range, designed to prevent an
opposing force from entering an operational area.
➢ Area Denial is defined as those actions and capabilities, usualy of shorter range, designed not to
keep an opposing for out, but to lit its freedom of action through attrition within the area.
➢ OERATIONAL ACCESS is defined as the ability to project military force nto an operational area with
sufficient freedom of action to accomplish the mission.
➢ SEA CONTROL is what great navies sought in war: The ability to prevail in te area of conflict and
utilize the sea-space and airspace, for its own purpose.
➢ Conversely, Sea Denialwas what lesser navies could hopeto achieve: deny the opponent the free
use of that sea space for its purposes.
 New Age Air Warfare
Developing Modern Concept of Anti-Access
Anti Access network

➢ Modern Weapon systems must operate as network (Digital Transformation of the Forces)
➢ All this requires a network along which information flows from sensor to shooter
➢ ANTI-ACCESS strategy is designed to prevent the entry of power projection forces into a contested
region and to eliminate any such force that might be already there in a war of attrition
➢ AREA-DENIAL consists of tactics and systems (BUK for example) to be utilized in denying the
freedom of action of forces operating within the region.
➢ ANTI-ACCESS and AREA-DENIAL appear to be very different situations
➢ Guerilla Warfare as an example is primarily about area denial.
➢ ANTI-ACCESS and AREA DENIAL, segment the use and type of equipment from strategic (theater
wide) to tactical operation (localized action of a Medium or Short Air defense System).
 New Age Air Warfare
Asymetrical Tactics & Cognitives Anti Access

➢ Asymetrical warfare means the utilization of weapons or tactics that are different than those used
by a well equipped conventional forces with a wide portfolio of assets
➢ Some of the asymetrical aspect constitutes ‘those actions that an adversary can exercise that you
either cannot or will not’
➢ PLA have stressed asymetrical approaches in which ‘the inferior can defeat the superior’
➢ Just as certain types of sensors and weapons systems are necessary in building a modern anti
access network, certain sensors and systems are needed to overcome them (Nagorno Karabakh war
in 2020)
➢ The weapons and systems analytical methodology is most effective when anti access systems are
evaluated as network, rather than individually.
➢ Doing so can make the threat of an effective anti-access strategy concrete.
➢ Anti access warfare is as much about numbers and attrition of systems as technological
sophistication (swarm attack platform and munitions / multistrike)
New Age Air Warfare
A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia
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A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia
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A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia
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A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia
 New Age Air Warfare
A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia
• Multi-Domain Sensor Battlefield deployment
•
• Having developed an accurate Digital Targeting Battlefield Geographical information system, the 2nd Tier of the
Azerbaijani strategy consisted in the massive deployment over and around the battlefield, of unmanned sensors assets
that in a systemic way, provide volume targeting seamlessly, embracing the ‘sensors to shooters’ concept of operation
to an unprecedented scale.
• Known Main Azerbazijan Drones Types and functionalities
➢ Elbit System Hemers-900 SIGINT (Stand-off Air Defense / EW jammer Targeting)
➢ Israel Aircraft Industries Heron TP SAR/GMTI Radar (stand-off Battlefield targeting)
➢ Baykar TB-2 (Strike UCAV)
➢ Israel Aircraft Industries HAROP (EO/IR Loitering Munitions UCAV)
➢ Israel Aircraft Industries Mini HARPY (RF Passive Emitter Detection – Anti Radar UCAV)
➢ Elbit Skystrike (EO/IR Loitering Munitions UCAV)
 New Age Air Warfare
A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia

• This multi-domain Intelligence COP provided by the profusion of unmanned battlefield sensors to
the Digital Battlefield Playground, greatly enhances the effectiveness of mission planning, targeting
and execution capability of combat unit at contact with their enemies. Those functionalities allow the
establishment of an ‘on the move dynamic target cueing list’ that enables fluid strike tasking
assignments against mobile Armenian armor units maneuvering in support or their static pre-
established multi-defensive line environment. The Armenian Artsakh defensive layered lines, were
meant to hold the ground and or fix any invading force, through well positioned ATGM and Artillery
fire, while mobile armored tactical units in the rear intervene to crush any force left, through
enveloping counter attacks. The whole under the protective umbrella of long range Surface to Air
Missile like the S-300PS.
 New Age Air Warfare
A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia

Segmented Systemic Attrition of the enemy capacity

• Azerbaijan methodically use their unmanned large panel of strike assets, in support of their ground troops, in
an effective way where they command the attrition of their Armenian opponent. When engaged in a contested
NKR controlled airspace, Azerbaijanis strike planner firstly used their swarm loitering ammunitions capability for
destroying primarily SHORAD and Medium Range Air Defense system, paving the way for UCAV operations. As
soon as the NKR Air Defense Systems are rendered ineffective (through Jamming) or are hard killed, the TB-2
UCAV come in to play, with their multiple precision strike capability, sealing the fate of all artillery, armored units,
vehicle and troops concentration in their implacable field of view.
• As a matter of example, after 5 weeks of intensive operations, NKR authorities were only able to show a single
TB-2 UCAV wreckage. Through careful wreckage image analysis, it betrays that it was not even shot down by an
Air Defense System, but most likely due to an engine or system malfunction. This alone already tell us, how well
segmented are Azerbaijan unmanned strike operations. Jamming could also be a possibility but being able to jam
a single UCAV over 5 weeks of operations betrays that the jamming capabilities of NKR are either too limited or
completely ineffective. One Russian REPELENT-A1 UAV jammer system used by NKR was destroyed by an IAI
HAROP loitering ammunition.
New Age Air Warfare
A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia
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A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia
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A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia
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A2/AD & Counter Strategy In Asia

• CAMOUFLAGE VERSUS CONCEALMENT

• Today the large range of high quality of sensors should it be passive or active, electronic, or multispectral, that
are or not, attritable, covering the full spectrum of the detection arena, are hurting massively our old and well-
established paradigm related to camouflage and concealment culture.
• in today’s environment, even advanced multispectral net camouflage designed to conceal radar and infra-red
signatures, by reducing them, cannot fool detection system that use pattern recognition, and contextualized
behavioral parameters. Detection is becoming far more robust, and escaping it is becoming a dauting task while
evading options are narrowing zero.
• The semi persistent nature of the battlefield surveillance system like the TB-2 or HAROP loitering ammunitions
detect easily the tracks of vehicles off road, but easily detect the human activities that often defeat the purpose
of concealment, like the urge of smoking a cigarette or more pressing needs related to human biology, etc…….
• Nagorno Karabakh theater of operations illustrated this at various degree where units not camouflaged or well
camouflaged made no difference and ended all killed by a profusion of battlefield sensors flying over them
constantly, and able to note and detect every minor changes of the battlefield they surveyed should it be
passively or electronically.
New Age Air Warfare
South Asia Context & Challenges
New Age Air Warfare
Counter A2/AD Model
 Contextualized Indonesian A2/AD
through Digital Transformation

INTERFACED TNI EFFECTORS

NATIONAL JOINT HEADQUARTERS Radios
TNI HQ Sensors
Effectors
TNI HEADQUARTERS
VMF
HQ to HQ Communication AFAPD
MARITIME PATROL AIRCRAFT
CN-235MPA MANTIS E-TAC ASCA Radios
AIR FORCE Headquarters NFFI Vehicle Sensors & Weapon Systems
ECHELON

LINK 16 External Sensors & Effectors

AIS
NAVAL UNITS TNI
Tactical Radio Communication
Radio
INDIVIDUAL PLATFORM OR TEAM MANTIS E-TAC Laser Rangefinder
AIR FORCE & NAVAL UnitS Radar Sensors
Stand Off Weapons
Network Enabled Strike
F-16/Hawk-200/Bell-412
Tactical Radio Communication
MANTIS E-
MANTIS E-TAC
SPECIAL FORCES TAC
Fighter Unit
DISMOUNTED INDIVIDUALS Mobile

NAVAL & AIR STRIKE ENVIRONMENT

 New Age Air Warfare
Digital transformation for Cross Domain Operations

SU-27 Upgd

Future MALE MPA

Airborne Targeting
CN-235MPA Airborne Station
Targeting Station
Data over UHF
TCDL
Data over VHF
SATCOM BLOS

E-TAC / Strike Tablet

Concept Of Operations

1. JTAC identifies point of interest

2. JTAC requests ISR asset
3. JTAC sends TGT coordinates to
on-station ISR asset via CoT,
VMF, Link-16
4. Airborne ISR commands sensorto
slew
5. Sensor slews, JTAC receives
video

Forward Ground
Control Station Land
Reconnaissance E-TAC / Strike
Group Targeting Tablet
 Anti Access Network
3D Radar associated with Buk MLB Air defense System
Anti Access Network
SU-30 BVR Engagement
 Anti Access network
SU-27/30 SDB type Weapons Stand Off Range