After discontinuing mandatory Morse training around 2002, the US Navy determined that a generation of communications specialists lacked backup skills for environments in which primary systems fail. CW is not a requirement for all sailors, but the specialists responsible for maintaining communication links under adverse conditions now need to learn Morse as a backup. Official reasoning centered on three factors: satellite vulnerability to anti-satellite weapons and jamming, GPS denial in contested theaters, and the need for low-probability-of-intercept communication methods that require minimal infrastructure. Morse code over HF radio addresses all three simultaneously. Modern warfare targets communication infrastructure aggressively. Electronic warfare units jam voice radio, disrupt satellite uplinks, spoof GPS signals, and disable cellular networks.
How does this affect the amateur radio operator? We know that communication is a necessity of life. Yet there are those who would, and have, shut down communications networks. Morse code in the hands of the radio amateur operator has the following advantages:
- Narrow bandwidth: CW occupies roughly 150 Hz versus 2.4 kHz for voice SSB — harder to target and easier to copy through noise
- Low-power effectiveness: A five-watt Morse signal can span oceans; voice at the same power often fails
- Human in the loop: No dependency on digital protocols, encryption key management, or network routing
- Equipment simplicity: A basic transceiver, wire antenna, and battery suffice — no satellite terminal required
- Jam resistance: Skilled operators copy through interference that destroys voice intelligibility
If the Navy has come to this conclusion about the use of CW, how about the amateur radio community? Food for thought!
For the full interesting story on the Navy’s use of CW go to https://morsecoder.us/blog/morse-code-navy-2026/.
Go forth and learn some CW…
Note: The image is AI generated.