The R-330Zh Zhitel (Russian: Р-330Ж Житель) is a mobile, truck-mounted electronic warfare jamming communication station manufactured by NVP Protek and fielded by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (AFRF). This system is designed to detect, track, and jam a variety of communication signals, providing tactical advantages on the battlefield.

System

The R-330Zh Zhitel system consists of two primary components: a wheeled platform with an operator station for the reconnaissance system (operating within the 0.1–2 GHz frequency range) and a trailer equipped with emitters and antennas for active jamming. It is mounted on a Ural-43203 or KamAZ-43114 three-axle truck, allowing for mobility and flexibility in deployment.

Capabilities

The Zhitel system is capable of:

• Detecting, tracking, and jamming Inmarsat and Iridium satellite communications, GSM-1900 cellphones, and GPS navigation systems utilizing the NAVSTAR satellites.
• Jamming communications and navigation systems within its operational range, which covers a waveband of 100 MHz to 2 GHz.
• Protecting brigade- or division-level command posts against precision-guided munitions (PGMs).
• This affects both military and civilian communications, including V/UHF UAV RF links and GNSS satcom signals.

History

 

Notable Deployments and Incidents

• 1996: The Zhitel system was allegedly used during the assassination of the President of Ichkeria, Dzhokhar Dudayev.
• 2008 Russo-Georgian War: The system was reportedly deployed during this conflict.
• 2014: Zhitel systems were spotted en route to Crimea and the Donbas region during the War in Donbas.
• 2018: Communication difficulties in the Finnmark region of Norway were suspected to be caused by the Zhitel system.
• 2019: An increase in drone losses was noted by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine and the Ukrainian military, coinciding with the deployment of Zhitel systems in the Donbas region.
• 2020: The OSCE spotted a Zhitel system near the Russian border in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.
• 2021: AFRF attempted to use Zhitel systems to jam signals from RQ-4 drones.

• 2022: During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Zhitel systems were targeted and destroyed by Ukrainian forces on several occasions, including by drone-targeted artillery and Bayraktar TB-2 drones.

Technical Impact

• Jamming Techniques: The Zhitel system has been reported to interfere with satellite communications equipment, navigation systems, and mobile phones within a 30 km radius.
• Impact on Precision-Guided Munitions: The system has been noted for its ability to affect the accuracy of JDAMs and HIMARS strikes by jamming GPS signals, forcing reliance on less accurate inertial guidance systems.

References

• “R-330ZH Zhitel jamming cellular satellite communication station technical data”. www.armyrecognition.com. 13 April 2023.
• “Russian GPS-Jamming Systems Return to Ukraine”. May 23, 2019.
• “Ukrainian artillery destroyed the Russian automated jamming station R-330Zh Zhitel” – via www.youtube.com.
• “Electronic Warfare: Russian Response to the NATO’s Advantage? [ANALYSIS]”. defence24.com. 5 May 2017.
• Withington, Dr Thomas (December 4, 2019). “Jam and Scoot”.
• Kjellén, Jonas (September 2018). “Russian Electronic Warfare. The role of Electronic Warfare in the Russian Armed Forces” (PDF). foi.se.
• Mowthorpe, Matthew (13 June 2022). “The Russian space threat and a defense against it with guardian satellites”. The Space Review.
• “Blind, Confuse and Demoralize: Russian Electronic Warfare Operations in Donbas”. Jamestown.
• “Is That an R-330Zh Zhitel on the Road in Crimea?”. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
• “Pilots warned of jamming in Finnmark”. The Independent Barents Observer.
• “Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 2 April 2019”. osce.org.
• “Russia trials new EW tactics”. Janes.com.
• “Russian electronic warfare system R-330Zh Zhitel once again spotted in Donbas”. InformNapalm.org (English). December 14, 2020.
• “OSCE SMM again spots Russian electronic warfare system in occupied Donbas”. www.ukrinform.net. 2 December 2020.
• Centeno, Gabriel (April 25, 2021). “Russia tries to jam signals from US RQ-4 drones”. AEROFLAP.
• Kadam, Tanmay (September 12, 2022). “Russia To Install Powerful Electronic Warfare System To Defend Its Warships From Drone & Missile Attacks”.
• “Russian R-330Zh “Zhitel” EW system destroyed in the Kharkiv Region”.
• Trinko, Myroslav. “The AFU destroyed an advanced Russian R-330Z Zhitel electronic warfare system”. gagadget.com.
• “Ukrainian forces blow up modern Russian electronic warfare system”.
• “Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 Drone Destroyed Russia’s Electronic Warfare Vehicles”. September 28, 2022.
• “Russian R-330ZH Zhitel Mobile truck-mounted jamming communication station destroyed by Ukrainian” – via www.youtube.com.
• @UAWeapons (March 26, 2023). “#Ukraine: A Russian R-330Zh Zhitel jamming and radio reconnaissance station was destroyed by a Ukrainian M982 Excalibur high-precision artillery strike- seen through the camera of a new Ukrainian Shark reconnaissance UAV” (Tweet) – via Twitter.
• Dr Thomas Withington (2023-06-06). “Jamming JDAM: The Threat to US Munitions from Russian Electronic Warfare”. Royal United Services Institute. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
• KYLE MIZOKAMI (2023-04-21). “GPS-Guided Bombs Should’ve Been Ukraine’s Ace in the Hole. Then, Russian Jamming Stepped In”. Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
• Dylan Malyasov (2023-04-21). “Ukrainian forces blow up modern Russian electronic warfare system”. Defence Express. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
• James Kilner (2023-05-06). “Ukraine forced to update Himars software after Russia jams rockets”. The Telegraph. Retrieved 2023-06-10.