Trench electronic warfare has become a practical phrase for the small, soldier-portable EW tools that defend forward positions against improvised munitions and small uncrewed aerial systems. In public material released by L3Harris the company frames this capability set around three linked elements: a compact software defined radio node called the Individual CORVUS Node or ICN, a counter-small UAS package named CORVUS-RAVEN, and a cloud-connected electromagnetic battle management backbone called DiSCO. These pieces are positioned as complementary parts of a trench EW solution that trades weight for networking and software-driven flexibility.

ICN: the small form factor node

L3Harris describes the ICN as a next-generation software defined radio designed to be truly portable. The public spec set cited by the vendor lists a weight under 2 kilograms and an RF coverage window from about 20 MHz up to 6 GHz. The ICN is presented as multirole. It can be used for electronic surveillance, electronic attack, counter-IED, counter-small UAS, communications intelligence and as a node host for additional cyber effects or third party apps. That same material emphasizes open standards and modular antennas so the node can be configured for base, vehicle or dismounted use.

From a systems perspective this is significant. Putting a software defined radio with wideband coverage into a soldier portable format reduces the SWaP burden of trench-level EW. It also forces tradeoffs. A sub-2 kg radio with 20 MHz to 6 GHz coverage implies aggressive miniaturization, selective RF front end switching, and reliance on external antennas or arrays to gain range and directionality. The ICN therefore looks more like a flexible sensor and effects node than a long-range, high-power jammer by itself.

CORVUS-RAVEN: the counter-drone wrapper

L3Harris packages the ICN at the heart of CORVUS-RAVEN, a counter-small UAS capability intended for rapid detection and proportionate defeat. CORVUS-RAVEN is described as offering passive detection ranges up to four kilometres and a visual display that integrates with tactical apps such as ATAK for bearing and cueing. The suite includes defeat jamming functionality and is offered in dismounted and vehicle-mounted configurations. That makes CORVUS-RAVEN a logical option for forward positions or quick reaction teams that need to sense and respond to small UAS threats in the near field.

DiSCO: networked EMSO and rapid adaptation

Where L3Harris frames the trench EW concept as more than a single bag of radios is in DiSCO, the Distributed Spectrum Collaboration and Operations architecture. DiSCO is described as an enterprise-level electromagnetic spectrum operations platform that fuses distributed sensors, leverages AI and machine learning for signal analysis, and ties tactical nodes into a cloud-connected battle management layer. Public material from the company highlights seven logical components including sensors, data link hardware, cross domain solutions, GPU processing, AI/ML algorithms, cloud access and a GUI plus an application marketplace. The promise is real-time or near real-time detection, classification and dissemination of RF threat picture updates so edge nodes can be reprogrammed quickly.

L3Harris has also demonstrated aspects of DiSCO in exercises. For example, a previous demonstration connected geographically separated EW payloads and command nodes to share RF signal information and analytic outputs, illustrating the core DiSCO concept of a shared EMS common operating picture that can speed responses across a distributed force.

What this combination actually buys a platoon level user

Taken together the public descriptions point to a layered approach: ICNs at the edge provide sensing and localized effects; CORVUS-RAVEN wraps those nodes into a counter-UAS kit with operator display and jamming capability; DiSCO provides the enterprise scale sensor fusion and rapid reprogramming capability needed to adapt to new waveforms and tactics. In practice that means trench EW can shift from static, single-threat jammers to a software driven pattern of sensing, classification, prioritized effecting and remote orchestration. The key operational advantages claimed are speed of fielding updates, multi-role flexibility and reduced logistics burden compared to one-box-per-threat architectures.

Limitations and realistic expectations

Public material is promotional and does not publish full performance envelopes. Several realistic limits follow from the architecture that are worth noting. First, soldier-portable nodes are constrained in transmit power. High power jamming at distance requires platform scale power, larger antennas and thermal management. Second, passive detection ranges are strongly dependent on the threat emitter strength and propagation conditions. The advertised four kilometre passive detect figure for CORVUS-RAVEN is useful as a design point but will vary with frequency, antenna height and environment. Third, networking to a cloud or enterprise server implies reliance on secure communications links and either local edge compute or resilient datalinks to sustain DiSCO features in degraded comms conditions. These are classic tradeoffs between capability and operational resilience.

Tactical considerations for trench-level employment

If you are evaluating or integrating trench EW in a forward position keep the following practical points in mind.

  • Treat the ICN as a node. Its strength is flexibility and rapid reconfiguration through software updates. Use antennas tailored to the mission frequency band rather than a single catch-all antenna.
  • Use CORVUS-RAVEN primarily for detection and cueing. Its passive detect capability is valuable for early warning. Reserve active defeat when legal authorities and rules of engagement are clear.
  • Plan for comms failure modes. DiSCO adds value when it can share and fuse data, but contingency plans must exist for disconnected operations and for local, autonomous decision making.
  • Expect iterative software updates. The advertised DiSCO ecosystem supports rapid algorithm and waveform updates. In austere conditions prioritize tested, verified builds over bleeding-edge changes.

A final note on safety, policy and legality

Trench EW sits squarely in a policy sensitive area. Jamming and certain RF effects are regulated in many jurisdictions. Any deployment or experimentation must be approved by the responsible authorities and follow applicable law, spectrum governance and rules of engagement. L3Harris public material focuses on NATO and allied military customers and highlights interoperability and open standards rather than providing operational recipes. That is the right posture from a public documentation perspective.

Conclusion

L3Harris has publicly defined a trench EW concept built around a small, software defined ICN node, a counter-sUAS packaging in CORVUS-RAVEN and a networked EMSO backbone in DiSCO. The combination emphasizes agility, software-driven capability and distributed sensing rather than brute force single purpose jammers. For practitioners the value proposition is clear: reduced SWaP, quicker fielding of updates and the ability to federate sensors and effects. The caveat is that the advertised performance is contingent on realistic power, antenna and communications limits. Going into a trench EW procurement or evaluation cycle, plan to validate the vendor claims against your environment and operational needs under controlled, lawful conditions.