The Army is rebuilding tactical electronic warfare from the ground up. After a long period of divestment, the service has pushed several programs into rapid prototyping and early fielding to restore brigade and division level EMS dominance. The short list of capabilities likely to be decisive by 2026 is practical and hardware centric: a widely fielded TLS Manpack, embedded spectrum situational awareness at echelon, vehicle mounted force protection EW, incremental airborne EW modules, and software tools that tie sensing to effects and to commanders in near real time.

TLS Manpack at the tactical edge

The Terrestrial Layer System Manpack is front and center. The Army accelerated TLS Manpack through mid tier acquisition and rapid fielding because the force needed a small form factor SIGINT and EW tool that can do RF surveying, direction finding, geolocation and limited electromagnetic attack from dismounted teams or from vehicle-adapted kits. Expect TLS Manpack to be the baseline tactical EW node for Brigade Combat Teams by the end of 2026, with modular adaptor kits for mounted use and incremental software updates improving signal identification and emitter deconfliction.

Why TLS matters tactically

Two simple facts explain the operational push. First, units that cannot see their own emissions cannot manage the targeting risk that follows. Observations from recent conflicts make clear that emissions lead to rapid targeting. Second, putting compact EW and SIGINT into BCT formations shortens the sensor to shooter loop for fires or for maneuver deception. In practice this changes how maneuver commanders posture radios, UAVs and sensors at company and platoon level because they now have a tactical option to sense, hide or jam locally.

Spectrum situational awareness and visualization

Fielding small jammers and manpack EW without a common picture is a recipe for fratricide or lost capability. The Army is investing in systems that let commanders visualize what their units look like in the spectrum and where interference or hostile emitters are located. Expect capability packages that combine a Spectrum Situational Awareness visualization with an Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool to be pushed to brigade and division C2 nodes in 2026. That combination turns tactical alerts into coordinated effects plans rather than isolated operator actions.

Vehicle mounted multi-mission EW and force protection

A clear priority in the FY26 planning cycle was vehicle mounted EW for force protection. The Army is moving toward vehicle-integrated multi-mission EW that provides sensor fusion, detection of RF triggered threats, and active countermeasures for wheeled and tracked platforms. Prototype efforts and small acquisition starts in fiscal 2026 are intended to accelerate demonstration and soldier testing through the transforming-in-contact units so the Army can mature doctrinal employment while iterating hardware. Expect vehicle EW kits in experiments and limited fielding in 2026.

Airborne EW: incremental and COTS-first

Longer range and persistent airborne EW is still an area of catch-up. The Army is prioritizing incremental airborne EW capabilities that leverage commercial off the shelf and government off the shelf components to get capability into the air sooner while working toward full multifunction airborne EW requirements. Do not expect a single monolithic airborne EW solution in 2026. Instead plan on modular payloads, iterative upgrades and integration tests with transforming-in-contact units.

Counter-surveillance, deception and low probability techniques

Budget documents and program starts in 2025 show a renewed emphasis on counter-surveillance reconnaissance and spectrum deception suites. These efforts are focused on establishing low-probability-of-detection and low-probability-of-attribution positions for maneuver forces. For a tactical commander this means new tools to shape signatures, create decoys, and deny an adversary precise targeting based on emissions alone. Expect prototypes and field tests to accelerate in FY26.

Integration with command tools and ML-enabled processing

Hardware without software is limited. The Army is pushing software defined EW, common planning tools and machine assisted signal processing so that a human operator can move from detection to effect faster and with better confidence. The Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool is the type of system that will be required to manage emitters, deconflict allied signatures and automate routine detection triage. Near term fielding will emphasize rule based automation and assisted classification rather than full autonomy.

Operational implications and what units should train for

If you are responsible for a BCT or a maneuver brigade, plan for three changes in 2026. First, training must include emissions control and emissions management as a baseline skill for staff and leaders. Second, distributed EW teams will be part of task organization for high risk missions and need integrated comms and logistics. Third, combined C-UAS and EW operations will be routine. Prepare tactics that synchronize jammers, spectrum masking and lethal or non lethal C-UAS effects so responses are measured and do not create larger signature problems.

What to watch in 2026

Watch program milestones and soldier touchpoints. The speed of fielding will be driven by agile funding, mid tier acquisition authorities and how well transforming-in-contact units feed lessons back into requirements. The TLS Manpack and its mounted adaptor kits, spectrum situational awareness tools integrated with EWPMT, vehicle-mounted force protection prototypes and incremental airborne EW payloads are the key capabilities that will define Army EW by the end of 2026. If these pieces fit together operationally the Army will have a distributed, layered EW posture that can support maneuver at brigade and division echelons while feeding higher level joint effects.

Bottom line

By 2026 the Army will not have a perfect EW toolbox, but it should have the building blocks it needs to operate in contested electromagnetic environments. The focus is modularity, rapid iteration, and embedding spectrum awareness at the tactical level. That is where the fight for decision advantage will be won or lost.