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(Pssst. It’s NGJ.)  How the Pentagon Plans to Beat Russia and China's Air Defenses in a War Industry News AOC News & Events AOC Chapter News and Events Spectrum Visualization Challenge

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LAST CHANCE: 2017 AOC Award Nominations Due May 1
Honor those who have furthered the discipline of Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Operations (IO), Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) and the AOC! Both individually and collectively, you have the knowledge and experience in the Electromagnetic Spectrum community, so you are among the best qualified judges of those accomplishments that deserve international recognition. Whether it be for a single outstanding contribution or unit achievement, an act of courage or heroism or long and valued service that has pushed the frontiers of EMS technology and its applications, we want to receive your nomination!

Recognize your colleagues by nominating someone for one or more of the AOC’s 2017 individual or unit awards.
Head to crows.org to view all the awards and full descriptions. You can nominate a person/unit for more than one award, if you so choose. Download the nomination form from crows.org and fill one out for each recipient you would like to nominate.

Nomination forms are due by May 1st, 2017. Don’t wait, nominate someone today.

Nomination Form

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SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS MONDAY, MAY 1: AOC Spectrum Visualization Challenge
The AOC and Raytheon are partnering to sponsor a Spectrum Visualization Challenge (SVC) -- a pilot scholarship opportunity for undergraduate students pursuing STEM-related fields of study. The SVC challenge is to visually represent and explain electronic warfare (EW), which takes place within the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS). If you are interested in entering or would like to learn more about the competition, please click here.

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AOC VIRTUAL SERIES: EW vs Cyber, May 4
Thursday, May 04, 2017 | 14:00-15:00 EST

Throughout its history, EW has repeatedly been "superseded" by newer concepts and all but forgotten - at least until the shooting starts, at which point the cost of catching up is always high. As the new concept on the block, cyber is currently attracting significant attention and funding, potentially to the detriment of EW. More worryingly, cyber practitioners sometimes argue that the EMS is part of the newly-defined cyber domain, thereby effectively claiming that EW is subordinate to cyber. Is this the end of the EW world as we know it?

This webinar will investigate the relationship between EW and cyber from a technical perspective rather than from a policy perspective. The notion that EW is subordinate to cyber or vice versa will be considered and possible answers provided. Some differences between the two domains will be highlighted, and the suggestion that these domains are equivalent will be explored. Finally, a possible mechanism to facilitate understanding the relationship between EW and cyber will be developed.

Register Now


Gold Sponsor

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REGISTER TODAY: 9th Annual EW Capability Gaps and Enabling Technologies Operational & Technical Information Exchange, May 9-11, Crane, IN
EW warfighting requirements continue to evolve in their complexity and capability to meet Air, Ground, Surface, Space, and Cyberspace requirements. The 9th Annual Electronic Warfare Capability Gaps and Enabling Technologies Operational & Technical Information Exchange will provide a forum for EW professionals from the military, government, industry and academic fields, to discuss issues related to the requirements of EW programs, platforms and operations. This capstone event will focus on the identified gaps and technologies the services require to ensure EW maintains freedom of maneuver through the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) in support of achieving commanders’ objectives. Speakers and presenters will look back at the previous few years and identify progress made to ensure the success of the warfighter in tomorrow’s battlespace.

Register Now

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MORE KEY SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED: International & Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Electronic Warfare Symposium and Workshop, May 15-19 in Atlanta
U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) of sensitive military technologies, like Electronic Warfare, can be difficult to understand and navigate for International Partners and U.S. Defense Industry. U.S. Export laws, such as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), requirements for Export Licenses, and in some cases Congressional approval, can be confusing and complicate the sale of EW systems and associated technical support. This conference provides an educational opportunity and forum for U.S. Government, U.S. Defense Industry, Academia and International partners to share information and provide updates on FMS and DCS program policy, processes and improvements.

HIGH RANKING SPEAKERS



Lt Gen Bob Elder (Ret.)
Symposium Chair

Mr. John A. Weida, SES
Director Policy, Programs & Strategy, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs (SAF/IA)

Ms. Lisa Frugé-Cirilli
AOC President



Maj Gen Michael Rothstein,USAF
Deputy Asst Secretary Plans, Programs,
& Operations, Bureau of Political-Military
Affairs, US State Department

Air Brigade General Leopoldo Porras
Chilean AF
Head of the Division of Engineering and
Support Systems of Weapons    

MG Volodymr Havrylov
Defense Attaché, Embassy Ukraine


 
Brig Gen Gregory J. Touhill, USAF (Ret.)
Former Chief, Office of Military
Cooperation-Kuwait, U.S. Embassy
Kuwait 2009-2011

Col Michael (Torch) Schnabel
Chief, Disclosure, Weapons, and Tech Transfer Division
(SAF/IAPT)

CAPT Laura Schuessler
PMA-272, NAS Patuxent River, MD



Colonel Jong Lee, USA
PMO-ASE, Redstone Arsenal, AL

Ms. Holly Haverstick
Principal Director (Acting) of the Directorate of Strategy, DSCA

Mr. Scott Boyd
Chief of the EW & Avionics Div, Agile Combat Support Directorate,
Air Force Life Cycle Management, Robins AFB

Register Now

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AOC VIRTUAL SERIES: Compact Hybrid RF Architecture for SIGINT Applications, May 18
Thursday, May 18, 2017, 14:00-15:00 EDT | 18:00-19:00 UTC

SIGINT is the Greatest ... if You can get any useful information!
If You cannot it becomes a real pain.

Of course a lot in SIGINT is about software but a lot is also about receivers. And if You want to do SIGINT 'on-the-march' it is also about Size, Weight and Power.

To approach the issue above from a reasonable standpoint, this webinar is first giving an introduction into recent and current receiver architectures considering limitations in size, weight and power. After receiving a radio signal and before exploiting it, it is normally about digitizing it. As a consequence, in the second step, this webinar gives some explanations on the digitizing process, on FFT windowing and also on FFT overlapping.

In fact, sophisticated FFT (i.e., windowing and overlapping) can be a very nice benefit: If Your equipment has no decoding capability, ultimately it can be sophisticated FFT providing you with at least an idea of a radio signal's identity. So in the third step this webinar gives several practical examples on sophisticated FFT's benefits in case of limited resources.

Register Now

Gold Sponsor

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NEW AOC VIRTUAL SERIES: Active Receiving Antennas: Fundamentals and Applications, June 1
Thursday, June 01, 2017 | 14:00-15:00 EST

The usage of active receiving antennas for radio monitoring and spectrum surveillance purposes is nowadays well established. Reasons for this are obvious, when it comes to broadband capabilities and when small size is crucial, there is usually no better solution than an active antenna.

The webinar starts with an explanation of the fundamental working principles of active antennas, and describes the differences compared to passive antennas. The important technical parameters relating to active antennas are asserted and typical system applications are discussed. A detailed system comparison between a passive solution and an active antenna approach finalizes the presentation.

Register Now

Platinum Sponsor

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SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED: AOC EW Europe - Advancing EW and Electromagnetic Operations Together, June 6-8

Exhibition Space Sold Out!
The Call for Papers has ended and resulted in a great program covering the entire AOC Mission Area – see some of our speakers below.

View the Current Conference Programme

AOC EW Europe will be held in perhaps the world’s most iconic city – London. It will consider the future of EW and EM Operations in the changing light of current and emerging threats, including Hybrid Warfare and Anti Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) where potential opponents are out-performing the West. It will consider the possible responses and how thinking and attitudes must change and examine the new capabilities that will be required across all lines of development, by all services, in all countries in the free world.

The conference will include plenary sessions and twin-tracks focusing respectively on operations, capability and defense lines of development, and industry developments and inventiveness. AOC EW Europe 2017 will bring together the communities involved in EW, SIGINT, C4ISR, Cyber EM Activities (CEMA) and more. Speakers will include leaders and operators from the military, government, academia, S&T and R&D communities and crucially, industry. This is an unclassified truly-global EW networking, exhibition, workshop and conference and not to be missed.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Air Marshal Philip Sturley CB MBE BSc FRAeS CCMI, Conference Chairman, RAF (Retd), UK
Lisa Frugé-Cirilli, AOC President, US
Air Commodore John Philliban RAF, Head Joint User C4ISR & Cyber, Joint Forces Command, UK
Professor David Stupples, Professor of Electronic & Radio Systems, Director of EW Research, City, University of London, UK
Professor Amit Mehta, College of Engineering, Swansea University, UK
Lt Col Mark Stoter, Commanding Officer 14 Signal Regiment (EW), UK
Dr David Stoudt, Engineering Fellow for Directed Energy, Booz Allen Hamilton, US
Dr Robert Pearson, Director Land Systems, Technical Director, Chemring, UK
Wg Cdr Garry Crosby RAF (Retd), Head of Studies & Research, Airborne & Space Systems, Leonardo, UK

Register Now

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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED: 8th Annual Cyber/Electronic Warfare Convergence Conference, June 6-8
June 6-8, 2017 | SPAWAR, Charleston, SC

Electronic Warfare and Cyberspace technical capabilities are becoming more technically similar. However, the communities which practice these disciplines remain largely separated and vary widely across the military Services in terms of their equipment, unit organization and operating methodologies. This conference provides the EW and Cyberspace communities an opportunity to collaborate and discuss capabilities, TTPs and research in EW and Cyberspace operations to enable more rapid deployment of new and improved capabilities. The EW/Cyberspace Convergence Conference identifies ways to develop advanced technologies and systems to address the changing battlefield dynamics of the digital age and bring EW and Cyberspace together for the Warfighter!

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS



Lieutenant General Jon M. Davis
Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps    

Brigadier General Ryan Herritage (invited)
Dep Dir, Future Operations,
J3USCYBERCOM

Major General James Livingston, USMC (Ret.)
Medal of Honor Recipient



Vice Admiral Jan Tighe (invited)
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare/
Director of Naval Operations

Major General Burke "Ed" Wilson
Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of Defense and Senior Military Advisor for Cyber and Office of the Under  Secretary of Defense for Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense


Register Now

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CALL FOR PAPERS: Pikes Peak Roost EW Olympics and Symposium, July 13-14
The Association of Old Crows (AOC) - Pikes Peak Roost Chapter will host the 2017 Electronic Warfare Olympics & Symposium on July 13th & 14th, 2017 in Colorado Springs, CO.

The 2017 Electronic Warfare Olympics & Symposium will improve the capability, and marketability, of spectrum warriors by building the local EW/IO community, and bringing awareness to the capabilities in the region. The event will consist of speakers, government and industry exhibits, and Electronic Warfare Olympics. The Olympics will be a series of team-based technical challenges of varying distance and difficulty with respect to modern digital warfare. Topics will be focused on Electronic Warfare, but will also involve Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Space.

CALL FOR PAPERS
We are now accepting speaking proposals for this event. Abstracts will be evaluated by The Association of Old Crows Pikes Peak Roost Chapter. Proposals should be relevant to the requested topic. You may submit more than one abstract. Papers are due May 26.

Call for Papers Details
Register Now

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This two day workshop will cover the basics of emitter geolocation plus recent advances in the field. Emitter geolocation is the identification or estimation of the real-world geographic location of an object that emits some type of signal, such as a radar, mobile radio, RFID or even an acoustic source. In its simplest form geolocation involves the generation of a set of geographic coordinates and is closely related to the use of positioning systems. The techniques of emitter geolocation apply regardless of the spectral range of the emissions and typically involve estimation of the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) and/or Frequency Difference of Arrival (FDOA) among multiple spatially diverse detectors. Applications of emitter geolocation are also numerous ranging from asset tracking to traffic monitoring to defense uses such as battlespace management.

Presenter: Professor Mark Fowler from SUNY Binghamton
Learn More...

 

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VISIT THE AOC JOB VACANCIES PAGE: Post Your Jobs
Employers can post on the Job Vacancies page for free. Follow the guide located HERE to provide information on posting a job listing. Submitted listings will remain live for 30 days. The AOC will not format or edit submitted postings, and will not respond to any questions from candidates concerning postings. We are hoping members and sponsors will take advantage of this free AOC service. Complete the guide linked above and submit to Tim Hutchison at hutchison@crows.org.

Job Vacancies Page

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U.S. warplanes flying over Syria today find themselves operating within the range of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missiles. While the U.S. military is unlikely to intentionally attack Russian forces in Syria, the situation highlights the importance of suppressing enemy air defenses—one major tactic U.S. flyers have long relied upon is radar jamming, or saturating enemy radars with "noise" and false signals so that they can’t track and fire upon friendly airplanes. The U.S. Navy has relied on the ALQ-99 jamming system for nearly half a century, even as opposing radars grew in ability. (The National Interest)
Learn More...

 

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On a cloudy night in the future, special operators are conducting a nighttime raid on an enemy compound. A mission commander aboard an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship sets his sights on a target. Using a high-energy laser, he aims and shoots at an electrical transformer, the engine of a pick-up truck, communication equipment stacked near the compound’s front door, and a drone sitting in the courtyard. "Without the slightest bang, whoosh, thump, explosion, or even aircraft engine hum, four key targets are permanently disabled. The enemy has no communications, no escape vehicle, no electrical power and no retaliatory" intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability, said Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, as he relayed the story. (National Defense)
Learn More...

 

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Despite the high-tech threats facing U.S. forces, the Army continues to operate platforms and vehicles that are decades old. The threat from electronic jamming or electronic warfare is significantly more advanced than decades past, with adversaries such as Russia demonstrating capabilities that have worried commanders. The Army Reprogramming Analysis Team (ARAT) works to keep legacy radars and systems relevant in this highly complex world by collecting and analyzing previously unknown threat signatures and sending updates back to systems and soldiers in the field in a timely manner. (C4ISRNet)
Learn More...

 

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A continuing resolution that lasts until October could delay the Air Force's effort to move the EC-130H Compass Call's electronic attack and early warning capabilities to a new platform by at least a year, a service spokeswoman said last week. "A full-year continuing resolution . . . would likely result in delay of at least 12 months in purchasing and fielding the first rehosted Compass Call aircraft," Capt. Hope Cronin told Inside the Air Force April 21. (Subscription) (Inside Defense)
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Russian attack jets carry electronic weapons that can cripple the US Navy's missile defence system, Russian state media has claimed. Russia-1's Vesti programme said an electronic warfare device called "Khibiny" was used by a Russian pilot to completely deactivate the defence systems of the USS Donald Cook in a 2014 encounter in the Black Sea. The US' Aegis system, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is designed to protect a fleet against attacks by aircraft, and cruise and ballistic missiles. (The Independent)
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Swarming drones serving as nodes in self-configuring sensor networks are being miniaturized to the point where individual autonomous craft amount to little more than flying circuit boards with a vertical stabilizer attached to a 3-D printed fuselage. The U.S. Navy continues to push the state of the art, scaling individual swarming drones down to a palm-size craft called the Close-in Covert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft, or CICADA. The mini-drone under development at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), weighs in at just under 2.3 ounces. (Defense Systems)
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Special Operations Command’s technology development enterprise is charged with acquiring items that the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps are unlikely to need. Its unique set of missions sometimes requires singular tools to help its operators do what they do best. Still, SOCOM must rely on the services for the basics. As its chief acquisition executive James "Hondo" Geurts put it at the National Defense Industrial Association Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict conference, "I cannot build an AC-130 without a C-130 from the Air Force and an MH-47 without a CH-47 from the Army." (National Defense)
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The Navy is working to build more efficient electric ships by eliminating the need for most intermediary power systems and improving electric pulsed combat systems with the next generation Energy Magazine and Energy Magazine Mk II. According to Steve Markle, Director of the Electric Ships Office, at the Navy League’s Sea Air and Space Exhibition, the Energy Magazine concept currently in development is being designed to solve two challenges facing the Navy: a demand for more dynamic power and a demand for higher power. (Defense Systems)
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Dubbed "Hannah", a heavily modified Boeing 707 is operated by MIT Lincoln Laboratory for the Air Force as a communications and sensor testbed used in the development of integrated networking and airborne sensing. Taken on Apr. 14, 2017 at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, by photographer Rich Barnett, the images in this post show the pretty rare Boeing 707-321B carrying civil registration N404PA. The aircraft, currently known as "Hannah" (previously "Paul Revere"), flew with Pan Am for many years since 1965 before being purchased by the Air Force. Currently, it is operated by a joint venture between the Air Force’s 350th Electronic Systems Wing and M.I.T.’s Lincoln Labs. (The Aviationist)
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The chief of the U.S. Army’s intelligence branch said it is deep in the midst of a "bottom-up review" of its force to determine what is needed at every echelon and across all of the combatant commands. The review is being led by Army Training and Doctrine Command and the Intelligence Center of Excellence. It's expected to wrap up in the late summer when the team will present the findings to Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, according to Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, who serves as the senior adviser to both Milley and the secretary of the Army. (Defense News)
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In a collaborative project with Australian industry, the Royal Australian Navy is extending its use of simulation to electronic warfare training. A common electronic warfare sensor suite is planned across the future fleet and future electronic warfare sailors need to have the advanced skills to meet upcoming demand. Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne said a contract signed with the Australian company Cirrus Real Time Processing Systems would result in advanced new maritime training systems designed and developed in Australia. (Marine Link)
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Growing demand for mobile command systems in the Middle East and other war zones is driving the global C4ISR market as network centric warfare strategies begin to dominate the connected battlefield. Meanwhile, China and other regional powers are expected to make the Asia Pacific region the leading market for C4ISR technologies over the next decade, according to new industry surveys. (Defense Systems)
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