COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The U.S. Space Force has activated the 1st Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron (1 EWS) at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, on August 3 under Mission Delta 3. Combat Forces Command announced the activation in an August 14 release.
The 1 EWS is the Space Force's first electromagnetic warfare unit equipped with two different systems. Its personnel will operate the Meadowlands and Bounty Hunter systems and will be distributed across five operating locations.
Meadowlands and Bounty Hunter
Meadowlands, manufactured by L3Harris Technologies, is a mobile, ground-based space electronic warfare system designed to temporarily detect, identify, deny, disrupt and degrade adversary satellite communications and radars. Combat Forces Command accepted Meadowlands for operational combat missions in June 2026.
Space Force officials described Meadowlands as a critical upgrade to the legacy Counter Communications System, with a smaller physical footprint and greater mobility.
The Bounty Hunter system provides a deployable tactical defensive electronic warfare capability and acts as a listening post. It monitors, detects, characterizes, geolocates and reports electromagnetic interference and signal jamming directed at U.S. and allied satellite networks.
Bounty Hunter has existed in various forms since the early 2010s. It was deployed to U.S. Pacific Command in 2018 and U.S. Central Command in 2019, reaching initial operational capability in 2020. Officials also said the system received additional upgrades last year.
Retired Space Force Col. Charles Galbreath, director of space studies at the Mitchell Institute's Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence, said combining the two functions and systems within a single squadron creates cohesive combat power and can support better execution of both missions.
Former Air National Guard Personnel
The 1 EWS is also primarily staffed by former Air National Guardsmen who transitioned to full-time active-duty roles.
Last October, the missions of nine space-focused Air National Guard units, located from Hawaii to Alaska, were transferred to the Space Force. Five of those units were electromagnetic warfare squadrons.
The Space Force selected 99 Guardsmen from the nine units to transfer into full-time roles, while additional personnel could follow in part-time positions.
Lt. Col. Danielle Ryan, commander of the 1 EWS, said the squadron combines decades of electromagnetic warfare experience with newer tactics and personnel.
The transition was enabled by the Space Force Personnel Management Act, included in the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation created a unified personnel management system allowing Guardians to move between full-time and part-time status without the older procedures that could delay such transfers in other military services.
Galbreath said the use of former Guardsmen reflects the expertise that existed in the Guard and Reserve and allows trained personnel to continue working in their specialties under a new status.
Expanding Space Electromagnetic Warfare
The 1 EWS is part of the Space Force's broader effort to maintain control of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is used for satellite command and control and the transmission of information from satellites.
The Space Force is planning five Space Electromagnetic Warfare Tactical Operations Centers (SEWTOCs). Mission Delta 3 opened the first SEWTOC in Colorado Springs last September.
The Space Force also released information showing that Guardians from the 16th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron conducted training on the Bounty Hunter system at Peterson Space Force Base in April 2026.
The activation of the 1 EWS brings Meadowlands and Bounty Hunter together within a single electromagnetic warfare squadron while adding experienced personnel transferred from the Air National Guard.
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