The F-35, the AESA radar, and the ability to beam down a computer virus from the sky

As i was researching and skimming articles to try and back up my claims about this subject in this thread, I realized that this has nothing really to do with the topic of that thread, and rather than derail it any further than it already is, I figured we could discuss this on its own.

There are some of us who know or have a general idea about how great the F-35 is going to be when it hits maturity. Some people will just say its a cash cow and a money pit aimed at giving LM a fat chunk of cash. In reality, it only accounts for 17-18% of lockheeds sales anyway. Not peanuts by any means, but they arent going bankrupt without this program either.

So the question or topic at hand is whether or not an aircraft like the EA-18 growler or the F-35 can basically send down a computer virus from its position in the air to a radar site or any other government facility we want to attack. Most of this information is highly classified and considered a national secret as to exactly what we can do, and how powerful the AESA radar really is. And the answer to the question of whether or not we can do this is an overwhelming yes! Using the AESA radar, an F-35 has the capability to beam down a computer virus to a receiving radar installation and effectively shut it down. After all, a computer virus is nothing more than a bunch of 1s and 0s anyway. I had a feeling it wouldn't be too hard and based on the following I was right.

Here we go....

link

What’s more, electronic warfare and cyberwarfare are converging. The military has the capability to launch cyberattacks by slipping viruses into enemy computer networks from ships floating at sea or aircraft flying thousands of feet above.

link

Such electronic warfare systems are only becoming more important as cyberspace becomes a battleground. The classic hacker operates over the Internet, but electronic warfare transmissions that once simply jammed an enemy’s radars and radios can now be used to insert viruses into his networks — including closed military systems that aren’t accessible online. Conversely, good old-fashioned jamming can defeat a wireless network just as effectively as a virus can, simply by disrupting transmissions between one node and the next.

link
Now this one I'll leave one caveat and say that this is an interview with General Hostage, Commander of the Air Combat Command, and the same person who said the F-35 is actually stealthier than the F-22. However, judging by what this man may know about the JSF's capabilities, he may be right after all...

These are the capabilities that most excite the experts I’ve spoken with because they distinguish the F-35 from previous fighters, giving it what may be unprecedented abilities to confuse the enemy, attack him in new ways through electronics (think Stuxnet), and generally add enormous breadth to what we might call the plane’s conventional strike capabilities.

The obvious question that arises from this is, how can a radar system also be a cyber weapon? We’ve all seen those World War II movies where the radar dish sweeps back and forth. The energy beams out, strikes the enemy plane and comes back as a blip. What makes an AESA radar special is the fact that it beams energy in digital zeroes and ones — and the beam can be focused. This allows the radar to function as both a scanning radar, a cyber weapon and an electronic warfare tool.

So in the other thread i said that this capablilty might be possible and that we might have this option. Im going to change that after looking up these articles and say that we can definitely send a virus from the air to a computer system in a radar facility. No question about it. and the reason we can is because of the AESA radar....

from the same article...

AESA Radar, Cyber And IADS

Here’s an excellent explanation for how we go from radio and radar and military systems that are not connected to the Internet yet remain vulnerable to hacking that I’ve cribbed from my deputy, Sydney Freedberg, from a recent piece he wrote in Breaking Defense about cyberwar. An enemy’s radios and radars are run by computers, so you can transmit signals to hack them. If the enemy’s computers are linked together then your virus can spread throughout that network. The enemy does not have to be connected to the Internet. You just need the enemy’s radios and radar to receive incoming signals – which they have to do in order to function.

So, as a former top intelligence official explained to me about two years ago, the AESA radar’s beams can throw out those zeros and ones to ANY sort of receiver. And an enemy’s radar is a receiver. His radios are receivers. Some of his electronic warfare sensors are also receivers.

The other side of the cyber conflict is what is usually called electronic warfare, though separating cyber and electronic warfare becomes awfully difficult in the F-35. The AESA radar plays a prominent role in this arena too, allowing sharply controlled and directed energy attacks against enemy planes, surface to air radar and other targets.

While Growlers, Boeing’s EA-18G, have extremely powerful, broadband jamming capabilities, the F-35’s combination of stealth and highly specific electronic beams is a better combination, Hostage tells me during the interview.

“If you can get in close, you don’t need Growler-type power. If you’re stealthy enough that they can’t do anything about it and you can get in close, it doesn’t take a huge amount of power to have the effect you need to have,” he says.

So in conclusion, once again the F-35 shows us a capability that the vast majority of the population didn't even know was possible. Will it stop the critics from bashing the program every chance they get? Probably not. But at least the supporters (like myself) can sit back and smile, waiting for the day those critics eat their words...

sweet. s+f before even commenting. I must say I enjoyed the interview the most. It is new stuff for this old dog. I thought the EA-18 reigned supreme.

You can also cause direct damage ala EMP with an AESA, either to incoming missiles, the opposing aircraft OR the pilot himself.

Or, as I've seen demonstrated, you can fry up ground electronics. You have to go sort of low and slow and aim for one thing, but yeah, you can do it.

It's the flip side of Vigilant Eagle, which is a sort of lobotomized AESA.

So in conclusion, once again the F-35 shows us a capability that the vast majority of the population didn't even know was possible. Will it stop the critics from bashing the program every chance they get? Probably not. But at least the supporters (like myself) can sit back and smile, waiting for the day those critics eat their words...

This. I want to beat my head against the wall on days when the F-35 bashing gets bad. Once this thing gets up to FOC and is fully mature, it's going to be an amazing aircraft and do things we could only imagine when the F-22 came around.

a reply to: Bedlam

The SPY-1D has been used to blind sensors for years. But that has sheer power behind it. It's amazing what you can do with something on the order of a million watts of power focused down into a pencil thin beam.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Bedlam

The SPY-1D has been used to blind sensors for years. But that has sheer power behind it. It's amazing what you can do with something on the order of a million watts of power focused down into a pencil thin beam.

AESA's CW "direct fry" mode is something the SPY can't do. A big AESA unit is friggin' spooky. Have you seen the Vigilant Eagle pitch?

a reply to: Bedlam

No, it can't direct fry like an AESA can, but it does a damn good job of blinding sensors when it wants to.

I vaguely remember the Vigilant Eagle info.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Bedlam

No, it can't direct fry like an AESA can, but it does a damn good job of blinding sensors when it wants to.

I vaguely remember the Vigilant Eagle info.

I used to have a link to the "our stuff is pretty" video from Raytheon. I'll see if I can dredge it up.

Heh. Speaking of blinding sensors, an IR target designator is good at blinding 'sensors' too. I wonder if people have wised up and started putting IR filters in rifle scopes and binocs?

eta: Dang, man, 35 million stars? Give the gerbils a rest.

a reply to: Bedlam

I GET HUNGRY! LEAVE ME ALONE!

I wouldn't have minded having something to blind a visual receiver New Years Eve coming through Utah. Some asshat thought it would be fun to shine his green laser into cars driving down the road.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Bedlam

I GET HUNGRY! LEAVE ME ALONE!

I wouldn't have minded having something to blind a visual receiver New Years Eve coming through Utah. Some asshat thought it would be fun to shine his green laser into cars driving down the road.

sorry. I thought you might get a kick out of it.

a reply to: boomer135

Don't forget I occasionally see you in person. Payback's a bitch.

a reply to: boomer135

That`s why you will never know how a war will play out between modern armies, because you don`t know exactly which tricks both sides have.

Both China and Russia could have stumbled up about things which could easily shift the balance in their favour when they would go up against The West.

At least there are a few that realize how good this aircraft is. Most people don't see what it can do, mostly because what systems are talked about. This thing has incredible capabilities, seeing everything in action may be the coolest thing ever and I'm sure will prove a lot of people wrong in the coming years.

It's a very special aircraft that is surprising reliable, there were some bugs a while back, more bugs will be found and fixed. But I'd say overal not terrible.

a reply to: 5GenNext

I would love to sit here and just lay it all on the table why this is such an amazing aircraft. Finally put to rest the bashing.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: 5GenNext

I would love to sit here and just lay it all on the table why this is such an amazing aircraft. Finally put to rest the bashing.

go for it

a reply to: boomer135

Orange is a horrible color on me.

Here's what I'm deducing from this thread so far. The F35 has the Jedi Mind Trick and also doesn't like IED's. SO basically, the F35 IS more powerful than Yoda. That should shut up the critics.

And seriously Zaph 35 million? Damnnnnn!! Somebodies popular.

originally posted by: BASSPLYR
Here's what I'm deducing from this thread so far. The F35 has the Jedi Mind Trick and also doesn't like IED's. SO basically, the F35 IS more powerful than Yoda. That should shut up the critics.

cloudy to see the future is. F-35 could become powerful jedi...powerful jedi.

a reply to: boomer135

The force is strong in this one it is.

a reply to: boomer135

So that's what an AESA looks like....