What is defined as any unwanted signal that corrupts the wanted signal at the receiver output?

The term that describes any unwanted signal that disrupts or corrupts the intended signal at the receiver output is noise. In the context of electronic warfare and communication systems, noise can originate from various sources, including thermal noise, electrical interference, or even signal cross-talk. This unwanted signal can significantly affect the quality of the received message, making it harder to discern the desired information.

Understanding noise is crucial in electronic warfare because it directly impacts communication effectiveness and the overall performance of equipment. Effective countermeasures and design strategies are often implemented to minimize noise, allowing for clearer signals and improved operational success.

The concepts of distortion, amplitude, and attenuation relate to signal integrity and transmission but do not directly represent the idea of an unwanted signal corrupting the original data. Distortion alters the shape of the signal itself, amplitude refers to the strength of the signal, and attenuation describes the reduction in signal strength over distance or through a medium. None of these directly equate to disrupting the integrity of a signal in the same way that noise does.