Overview
Cognitive Electromagnetic Warfare (CEW) is a military capability that targets human consciousness and cognitive processes through electromagnetic means. Unlike traditional electronic warfare which disrupts devices and communication networks, CEW aims to directly influence perception, decision-making, and psychic processes in humans.
Budget Recognition
The United States Defense Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (NDAA) contains a specific budget line item of $44.2 million allocated to the US Air Force for "Cognitive Electromagnetic Warfare" — officially naming this capability as an independent area of military development.
Legal Framework
The NDAA requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a binding definition of "cognitive warfare" (as used by the Pentagon) to Congress by March 31, 2026. This institutional anchoring marks the first time such capabilities are explicitly recognized in US defense policy.
NATO Alignment
A 2025 NATO report describes cognitive warfare as "the targeted manipulation of decision-making processes using all available means and technological advances." While not explicitly mentioning electromagnetic methods, this definition encompasses CEW without exclusion.
Democratic Concerns
Dr. Len Ber argues that official recognition creates a democratic imperative for transparent public debate about the existence, applications, and ethical limits of these technologies — especially since they are developed with public funds while intelligence agencies continue to refuse open communication with citizens.
The central question is no longer whether such warfare exists, but how long citizens should accept being informed only incompletely or misleadingly.