The U.S. Navy must prioritize electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) denial as a primary mission to counter Chinese aggression and its advanced information technologies, especially concerning a potential Taiwan invasion. China's People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is overcoming combat integration challenges and will soon numerically eclipse the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea.
A Chinese amphibious assault on Taiwan, requiring secure communication among diverse forces, including civilian ships, would be highly vulnerable to electromagnetic harassment and denial. The U.S. should develop tactical nonkinetic antisatellite (ASAT) capabilities, focusing on electromagnetic and cyber varieties, as these are not prohibited by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and limit collateral damage. Directed-energy weapons, considered electromagnetic warfare, offer cost-effective, weightless "rounds" that travel at light speed, countering hypersonic missiles. The Navy must also transition to resilient full-mesh communication topologies and store vital operational data offline on ships to maintain conventional operations in an EMS-denied battlespace, reducing reliance on vulnerable national infrastructure. Fleet exercises should simulate offline warfighting to prepare commanders for unpredictable conflict evolution.
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