Knowra Suppression of enemy air defenses Suppression of enemy air defenses Suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) comprises military actions intended to degrade or neutralize hostile air-defense systems, especially to enable air operations.
Anti-radiation missile : A missile that homes on radio-frequency emissions, especially those from radar transmitters. It can target the radar emissions that guide surface-to-air missile systems.
Integrated air defense system : A coordinated network of sensors, command systems, and weapons used to detect and engage aircraft. SEAD acts against the connected network rather than only isolated weapons.
Destruction of enemy air defenses : Military actions intended to destroy enemy air-defense systems rather than merely reduce their effectiveness. DEAD emphasizes physical destruction, while SEAD also includes temporary disruption and suppression.
Operation Desert Storm : The 1991 U.S.-led military campaign to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Coalition air operations used coordinated attacks and electronic warfare against Iraqi air defenses.
Electronic warfare : Military use of the electromagnetic spectrum to sense, protect, disrupt, or deceive. Jamming and deception can interfere with air-defense detection and tracking.
Surface-to-air missile : A missile launched from the ground or a ship to destroy aircraft or other aerial targets. These weapons are among the principal threats SEAD missions seek to suppress.
Air superiority : A degree of control of the air that permits operations without prohibitive interference from opposing air forces. SEAD can help achieve air superiority but is a mission activity, not that broader condition.
Operation Mole Cricket 19 : The 1982 Israeli operation that destroyed Syrian air-defense systems in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. It became a prominent example of coordinated attacks against a dense air-defense network.
Radar jamming : Electronic interference intended to impair a radar's ability to detect or track targets. It is one direct way SEAD missions can degrade radar-based defenses.
Air-defense radar : A radar system used to detect, track, or support engagement of aerial targets. Radar emissions and tracking functions are common SEAD targets.
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