Holiday on September 12, 2026 — Electronic Warfare Forces Day: How Electronic Warfare Works
September 12 is Radio-Electronic Warfare Forces Day in Ukraine. This is a professional holiday for military personnel who work in the electromagnetic spectrum—invisible to most people—and help protect Ukrainian troops from enemy drones, communications, navigation, and other systems. In 2026, this day falls on a Saturday. Electronic Warfare Forces Day was officially established by presidential decree in 2025, although September 12 had been used to honor electronic warfare specialists even earlier.
Electronic Warfare Forces Day in Ukraine is celebrated annually on September 12. In 2026, it will be a Saturday. This date received official status in 2025. On September 12, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree No. 679/2025, establishing Electronic Warfare Forces Day. The decree states that the decision is linked to the role of electronic warfare in repelling and deterring Russian aggression, as well as in protecting critical infrastructure. The document took effect on the day of its publication.
However, the date itself was not newly established in 2025. Back in 2021, an order from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine designated September 12 as the Day of Electronic Warfare Specialists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Therefore, the new decree effectively enshrined this already established military date at the state level and renamed it “Day of the Electronic Warfare Forces.”
How This Holiday Came to Be
The history of September 12 has several stages. In 2006, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine established Electronic Warfare Specialist Day specifically on September 12. But in 2012, this professional holiday was abolished along with a number of other military dates. At the same time, Ukrainian electronic warfare units underwent significant downsizing. After the start of Russian aggression in 2014, it became clear just how important electronic warfare is. The military had to rebuild its capabilities effectively under conditions of actual warfare. The development of new systems proceeded in parallel with combat experience, military training, and the work of Ukrainian manufacturers.
In 2021, September 12 was reinstated as the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Electronic Warfare Specialists. And in 2025, the president officially established Electronic Warfare Troops Day. In other words, today it is not just a professional holiday for individual military specialists, but an official day honoring an entire branch of the military.
What Is Electronic Warfare in Simple Terms
Electronic warfare, or EW, is a form of conflict involving radio signals and electromagnetic radiation. Put simply, EW specialists can disrupt the enemy’s use of communications, navigation, drone control channels, and other electronic systems. However, the mission of EW is not limited to creating obstacles for the enemy. The Ukrainian military also protects its own systems from enemy interference. In other words, a unique technological battle is constantly taking place on the battlefield: one side tries to transmit a signal, while the other tries to detect, intercept, or jam it.
The Army explains that electronic warfare units operate in the invisible electromagnetic spectrum. They can jam the control channels of enemy drones, disrupt the enemy’s communications, navigation, and reconnaissance, and protect their own systems. Therefore, the work of electronic warfare units is often not visible in the same way as the work of artillery or tanks. If an operator loses control of a drone or an enemy system is unable to transmit the necessary information, it may well be due to the work of electronic warfare specialists.
Why Electronic Warfare Is Especially Important in Drone Warfare
Full-scale war has made electronic warfare one of the key areas of modern combat support. Reconnaissance and strike drones, which rely on electronic systems, communication channels, and navigation, are constantly used on the front lines. That is precisely why countering drones has long ceased to be merely a matter of air defense. Some drones are targeted for physical destruction, while others are rendered inoperable through the use of electronic warfare measures.
The Ukrainian military began actively developing this area even during the war in Donbas. According to ArmyInform, new Ukrainian electronic warfare systems emerged at that time, including the “Anklav” and “Bukovel-AD” complexes, and countering drones became one of the key tasks for such systems.
Today, this fight has become even more complex. Russia is using an ever-increasing variety of drones, and manufacturers are trying to make them more resistant to jamming. For example, fiber-optic drones can operate independently of traditional radio channels, so conventional jamming does not work against them as effectively as it does against classic FPV drones. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has reported the active proliferation of such systems on the front lines. As a result, electronic warfare is constantly evolving. The military needs new ways to detect signals, protect its own equipment, and counter new types of drones.
How Electronic Warfare Has Evolved Globally
Electronic warfare emerged long before the advent of modern FPV drones. Military historians trace the first documented attempts to jam radio communications back to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. As early as World War I, various armies were already using electronic warfare capabilities. Back then, the technology was much simpler. The military used radio stations, while the enemy attempted to disrupt the transmission of messages or intercept information. With the development of radar, aviation, missile technology, and satellite navigation, the capabilities of electronic warfare (EW) expanded significantly.
In modern warfare, electronic warfare encompasses more than just radio communications. It involves command-and-control systems, navigation, radar, drones, and other technologies that rely on electronic signals. In fact, there is now a separate, invisible front on the battlefield. There are no trenches in the traditional sense, but the outcome of this struggle can directly affect whether the enemy sees a target, is able to control a drone, or whether its command reaches the intended unit.
How Electronic Warfare Helps the Ukrainian Military
One of the main tasks of Ukrainian EW units is to protect their own troops and equipment. If the enemy attempts to use a radio channel for reconnaissance or command and control, specialists can create conditions under which that channel will function poorly or become completely inoperable. Electronic warfare also helps combat enemy drones. This applies not only to attack FPVs but also to reconnaissance drones that search for Ukrainian military positions and adjust fire.
A separate task is to protect their own systems. The Ukrainian military must not only jam the enemy but also maintain the ability to use its own communications, navigation, and other electronic systems. Therefore, the work of electronic warfare specialists requires a solid understanding of technology, radio signals, and the situation on the battlefield. What matters here is not only the power of the equipment, but also reaction speed, precision, and the ability to use the system correctly in a specific situation. This is precisely why ELT is often cited as one of the key elements of modern warfare. The effectiveness of other units may depend on how well ELT operates.
Ukraine is actively developing its own electronic warfare capabilities
Over the years of the war, Ukraine has significantly strengthened its capabilities in the field of electronic warfare. Not only the military but also Ukrainian manufacturers and developers have played a key role in this. The Ministry of Defense regularly certifies new models of unmanned systems and electronic warfare equipment. This allows proven designs to be adopted by the military and used by units.
In 2025, the Ministry of Defense also announced the start of deliveries of Ukrainian electronic warfare systems as part of the “Drone Army Bonus” program. The military gained the ability to order these systems through Brave1 Market, and deliveries were organized via DOT-Chain Defense. Development in this area is also important because technology on the front lines is changing very rapidly. What worked against one type of drone a few months ago may be less effective against a new model.
Therefore, Ukrainian electronic warfare is constantly adapting. The military receives new equipment, manufacturers modify designs, and developers seek ways to operate even under conditions of heavy interference.
Electronic Warfare Is Becoming an International Area of Cooperation
Ukraine is not developing electronic warfare solely on its own. In 2025, the International Electronic Warfare Coalition was established, initially comprising Ukraine, Germany, and eight other partner countries. In June 2025, Belgium, Sweden, Italy, Turkey, and Estonia joined the coalition. This demonstrates that Ukraine’s experience in countering Russian drones and other electronic systems is of interest to its partners as well.
For Ukraine, such cooperation means the opportunity to acquire new technologies, exchange combat experience, and jointly develop solutions. Ukraine’s experience is also important for its partners, as it is the Ukrainian military that engages daily in large-scale confrontations involving drones, communications, and electronic systems. In modern warfare, it is no longer enough to simply have a lot of equipment. One must understand how it will function in the context of active electronic warfare. That is why electronic warfare is gradually becoming one of the key areas of international defense cooperation.
Interesting Facts About Electronic Warfare
Electronic warfare can be used against drones, but not exclusively against them. Its scope is much broader. Units can counter the enemy’s communications, navigation, radar, and command-and-control systems.
The earliest forms of electronic warfare emerged over a century ago. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, the military realized that enemy radio communications could not only be intercepted but also jammed.
Electronic warfare often operates unnoticed. While an artillery strike is visible, the result of electronic interference may manifest only in an enemy drone losing communication, a system ceasing to function normally, or the enemy being forced to switch to a different channel.
Electronic warfare is in a constant race against enemy technology. New drones, new communication methods, and new anti-jamming systems are constantly emerging. Therefore, it is essentially a never-ending technological race.
Even the drones themselves are changing due to advances in electronic warfare. One example is fiber-optic FPV drones. They use a physical cable to transmit signals, making them significantly more resistant to traditional electronic jamming.
How Electronic Warfare Forces Day Is Celebrated
This is first and foremost a professional military holiday, so on September 12, the main focus is on the service members themselves. Units honor their specialists, recognize their service, and celebrate their contributions to the defense of Ukraine. Traditionally, military holidays may include awards, certificates, letters of appreciation, and other forms of recognition for personnel. Special tribute may also be paid to electronic warfare personnel who died defending Ukraine.
For civilians, this is also an opportunity to learn more about a profession that is usually rarely seen. The work of these military personnel takes place far from the public eye, and specific details of their missions are often not disclosed for security reasons. On this day, military units and brigades publish messages of congratulations, highlight their specialists, and showcase equipment that can be displayed without revealing sensitive information. At the same time, it is important not to share photos, videos, or data that could reveal the exact location of electronic warfare systems or their combat positions.
The main purpose of the holiday is to thank the people who play a vital role in Ukraine’s defense. Electronic warfare operates in areas where the enemy attempts to exploit technological advantages, so the professionalism of these military personnel is directly linked to the security of other units.
Why Electronic Warfare Forces Day Is Important During Wartime
Full-scale war has shown that the modern battlefield is no longer limited to tanks, artillery, and infantry. Alongside them are drones, satellite systems, communications equipment, radars, and other technologies. All of this creates a distinct domain of combat—the electromagnetic domain. In this domain, the military seeks to protect its own systems while simultaneously disrupting the enemy’s operations.
This is particularly important for Ukraine given the scale of Russia’s use of drones. Countering them requires not just a single solution, but an entire system that combines air defense, electronic warfare, intelligence, interceptor drones, and other assets. That is precisely why Electronic Warfare Forces Day is not just a date on the military calendar. It serves as a reminder of the people whose work often goes unnoticed but can influence the outcome of combat missions.
On September 12, we should congratulate our electronic warfare personnel and remember those who serve on the invisible front. Their weapons are technology, knowledge, and quick reactions, and their primary mission is to prevent the enemy from using its electronic capabilities against Ukraine.
