Airpower Simplified: The True Game Changer; PAF’s EMOE ‘kill-chain’

EMOE stand for Electromagnetic Operations Environment. It is the latest link in the long quest of PAF to synchronize multi-domain operations through Network Centric Warfare (NCW).

1.    Projects Vision and Horizon: A couple of decades ago, PAF initiated Projects Vision and Horizon to integrate all airborne and ground-based radar assets to form a comprehensive Air Defence Ground Environment or ADGE. With formation of many Generic Mission Control Centres (GMCC) and induction of Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C aircraft, mission for harnessing of electromagnetic spectrum took a huge leap forward.

2.    Multi-Domain Ops: It has become a core concept of PAF doctrine and battle strategy. Unlike traditional military approaches, it includes integration of capabilities like space assets, cyber war, EW, aircraft, air defence radars etc. for roles like ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) and targeting adversary’s assets both to achieve a soft or hard kill.

3.    What is ‘ABC kill chain’? Kill chain is a concept that uses two or more assets to shoot down a target, most likely a hostile aircraft. The ABC kill chain has been employed effectively i.e. target locked by asset A, missile launched by B and subsequently guided by C, quite similar to US model of JADC2 or Joint All Domain Command and Control. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/india-pakistan-air-battle-kill-chain/

4.    Link-17: It is Pakistan’s indigenous TDL or tactical datalink that integrates many aircraft to form a comprehensive network, improving the operational tempo by fast-tracking the observe-orient stages of the observe, orient, decide, act (OODA) loop.

5.    Weaponizing Sensor fusion and Data sharing: PAF was a fighter-centric force with main focus on aircraft. Although the J-10 and JF-17 combo is still the punch, the arsenal of PAF weapons has enlarged clearly beyond them.