The Need For Sead

The United States and her allies in Asia-Pacific face an Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2AD) threat from two significant actors in the region; the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

- Thomas Withington

In the air domain, these A2AD threats have manifested themselves in the procurement by both nations of Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems designed to increase the cost in blood and treasure to any nation or coalition planning to perform an intervention against either nation or their interests.

During air operations, ground-based Air Defence (GBAD) threats are engaged by Destruction/Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (D/SEAD) efforts. D/ SEAD forms part of the wider Offensive Counter Air (OCA) battle. OCA is defined by the US Department of Defence (DoD) as “offensive action in support of the offensive counter-air mission against surface targets that contribute to the enemy’s air power capabilities.” The DoD definitions continue that SEAD is “that activity which neutralizes, destroys or temporarily degrades surface-based enemy air defenses by destructive and/ or disruptive means.” A central tenet of SEAD holds that destruction is preferable to suppression as it removes a threat for a prolonged period. It is better to destroy a radar than render it temporarily unserviceable. Nevertheless, this may not always be possible. The exact physical location of the radar maybe unknown, making its attack difficult if not impossible. Since the end of the Cold War, popular concerns regarding collateral damage during air operations could mean that rules of engagement may prevent the destruction of that radar should it be located close to civilians, or civilian infrastructure. Finally, destroying such a target could overburden available aircraft and ordnance needed elsewhere to engage other targets. For these reasons, it may be necessary to suppress some air defenses, rather than destroying them outright. It is the kinetic and electronic capabilities to support SEAD in the Far East which are the subject of this article.

Regional Threats