A bit long, but an interesting read from the spring of 2019: https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/electronic-warfare-fourth-generation-practitioner
Basically, as some have said in the ham radio threads, it doesn’t take much signal, or rather noise, to render a frequency range unusable for communicating, especially when the modulation being employed is FM.Low Risk, Non-Attributable, Scalable Production
All expedient EW components are dual use and some technology can be harvested from cannibalized consumer electronics. There is little in the way ITAR-like regimes can affect the development and procurement of such systems, therefore supply-chain interference, as in the case of small arms and precursor chemicals, is unlikely to have effect. The educational base for such systems follows basic fundamentals of electronics and radio which is available everywhere and every language. Again, ITAR like regimes which proscribe the transmission of certain information will be unlikely to control the dissemination of EW topical knowledge and the means to produce such weapon systems.
Like IED’s in Iraq, groups with specialized knowledge and tools can be expected to develop within the insurgency fabric. Unlike IED’s. there is little danger to self as in the case of Homemade Explosives (HME), removing a psychological risk element. From a risk perspective, the CoE is much lower.
Figure 1. Block diagram of a noise-modulated jamming system.
Expedient EW systems lend themselves readily to modular design which provides an advantage in design, development, production and maintenance. Only the RF blocks need design variation depending on frequency to be engaged and power to be delivered. The entire procurement cycle for expedient EW can be scaled to regular, volume production. EW is available in small form factors and require little external support, making expedient EW easily distributed.