NEXT WEEK: The Next AOC Virtual Series – Countermeasures for Modern Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) Radars, February 4
February 4, 2016  |  1400-1500 EST (1900-2000 GMT)
Modern radar systems are employing waveforms and antenna systems that are increasingly difficult to intercept, but what exactly is Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) radar? Why is it important? And how can these systems be detected and attacked? This presentation attempts to answer these question with a focus on real world problems.

LPI radar systems aim to reduce the probability an EW receiver can detect a threat signal in two manners. First, by carefully managing when and where power is transmitted through its radiation and scan patterns. Second, the radar waveform aims to reduce the average power density by using high duty cycles or continuous wave signals with advanced modulation techniques that cover wide bandwidths.

These techniques can drastically reduce or even eliminate the detection range advantage of an EW receiver over a threat radar. As a result, EW detection technology must advance to keep pace with these new threats. Several methods for detecting and analyzing LPI radar signals will be discussed, and how these can be used to generate countermeasures.

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CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS DEADLINE IN TWO WEEKS: 45th Annual Collaborative Electronic Warfare Symposium, April 6-7 at Pt. Mugu
We challenge presenters to explore the way forward in enabling collaborative EW through innovation and invention. Requested are presentations or demonstrations from all United States and Australian services, DoD, industry and academia that identify technical paths, options and potential opportunities for EW collaboration. Submitted abstracts should address one or more of the symposium sessions: threat trends, collaborative EW science and technology perspectives, cognitive and adaptive EW technologies, coordinated/distributed networked-enabled systems and warfighter perspectives.

Abstracts for presentations must be at the unclassified level and in text format. Please forward abstracts to Ms. Shelley Frost at frost@crows.org by February 5, 2016. Abstracts are limited to one page of text or 400 words. To facilitate the selection processes, please ensure your submitted abstract file is labeled with your last name, session number and short title. For example: "Smith_session1_Welcome_and_Intro.doc." Symposium presentations may be classified or unclassified; however, abstracts must be unclassified. Notification of acceptance and presentation submission instructions will be sent out by February 12, 2016. Presentations will be required to be completed in Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 or earlier format.

In order to meet required foreign disclosure procedures, final presentations must be submitted with appropriate foreign disclosure paperwork by February 19, 2016. Foreign disclosure processes will be available at www.crows.org when finalized.

IMPORTANT DATES 2016:
(Note: Dates are proposed for planning purposes only and subject to change. Actual dates are expected to fall within 7-10 days of listed dates.)
Abstracts Due: February 5
Notification of Acceptance: February 12
Final Presentations with Foreign Disclosure paperwork: February 19
Security Clearance: March 8

Conference Details

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CALL FOR PAPERS: 16th Annual AOC Electronic Warfare Europe, May 10-12 in Rotterdam
"Transforming EW – Evolving Threats, Concepts and Capabilities"

As nations re-focus on contingency operations after over a decade of counter-insurgency, there are many challenges and opportunities for governments, the military, academia, science and technology and industry. Recent events have reminded everyone of the deadly nature of RF guided weaponry and that the threat from insurgents has not ended, but intensified. The widely reported use of wholesale, sophisticated Russian counter-C3 systems in and around Ukraine in parallel to cyber operations and widespread dis-information/psychological operations has given rise to what leading military and political thinkers refer to as Hybrid Warfare. The question is what does this mean for the future of EW in the free world? Almost all military operations are enabled by wide-ranging electromagnetic (EM) operations, a concept that NATO and others have fully embraced. These include SIGINT; C4ISR; precise navigation and timing; targeting; communications, spectrum management and the whole gamut of EW. But, are there new requirements for EW arising from hybrid warfare? The answer to the question then, is yes, a great deal, with an obvious example being EM-enabled cyber operations.

National forces are being re-shaped and re-equipped to face the future, which will be contested, congested, complex, connected, constrained and potentially chaotic unless the right informed choices are made now. AOC EW Rotterdam 2016 will consider the future of EW and EM Operations in the changing light of current and emerging threats, including Hybrid Warfare; it will consider the possible responses, how thinking and attitudes must change and examine the new capabilities that will be required across all lines of defence, by all services, in all countries. Part of the event will include twin-tracks focusing respectively on operations, capability and defence lines of development and industry developments and inventiveness. AOC EW Europe 2016 will once again bring together, this time in Rotterdam, perhaps the most happening and connected city in Europe right now, all the communities involved in EW, SIGINT, C4ISR, Cyber EM Activities (CEMA) and more. This is the largest global EW networking, exhibition, seminar and conference, outside of the U.S., and is not to be missed!

CALL FOR PAPERS
The time has now come to submit your paper for the conference at EW Europe 2016. This year's theme will focus on Transforming EW – Evolving Threats, Concepts and Capabilities, with the thesis of Hybrid Warfare and the Future of EW.

Potential Speakers are invited to note the conference sessions topics and specific areas of interest:

•     Keynote addresses.
•     Operational focus.
•     National perspectives.
•     Defensive and offensive capabilities.
•     Technological and engineering developments.
•     Future warfare – capability, integration and interoperability.
•     Critical EM lines of development such as training, test and evaluation, modelling and simulation, concepts, etc.
•     EW and EM operations, SIGINT, ISR, spectrum management, and network enabled capability.
•     The information domain/environment, information operations, cyber warfare, social media, etc.
•     Briefs on major programmes and capability development in the maritime, air/space, and land domains.
•     Specific contemporary EW/EM topics like countering UAVs and drones and directed energy & laser developments are sought.

The AOC is soliciting original unclassified English language papers for the Rotterdam conference from international leaders, military personnel, subject matter experts and leading thinkers from the government, military, academia and industry. Please contact the conference director, John Clifford (clifford@crows.org), if you are interested in speaking or want more information and provide the title of the proposed paper, a brief synopsis and information on the speaker. Company or product briefs will not be accepted. The deadline for submitting is close of business Friday, 19 February 2016 but earlier is better.

Conference Details

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: 2016 AOC International Elections
Each year the AOC's membership determines the future of the Association by electing representatives to its Board of Directors. Nominations for the 2016 election are being accepted now through March 1.

The election will begin on July 1, 2016 and will end on July 31, 2016.

The 2016 election slate will include two (2) At Large Director positions, who will serve a three (3)-year term. In addition, the two International Regional Directors will be elected for three (3)-year terms from International 1 and International 2 regions. These new Directors will be installed at the Annual 2016 Convention/Symposium and the Board meeting venues scheduled for that first week of December 2016.

The 2016 AOC Nomination Form is available. Nomination packets must be received at AOC headquarters by close-of-business on Monday, March 1, 2016. If you wish to nominate more than one person, please duplicate the form. Nomination forms are also available on the AOC website at www.crows.org or by contacting the AOC's Director of Membership, Ms. Glorianne O'Neilin, at oneilin@crows.org.

When completed, the forms should be returned to the N&E Committee at: Association of Old Crows, 1000 North Payne St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314 or by fax to (703) 549-2589. Completed forms may also be returned by email to oneilin@crows.org.

The N&E Committee will be happy to answer any questions you may have. You may contact me at amorosonino@aol.com or you may contact Glorianne at AOC Headquarters, as above or at (703) 549-1600, and she will insure your inquiry gets to the Committee.

Nino Amorso
Chair, Nominations & Election Committee

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WE NEED YOU: Calling All EW Rockstars!
Are you dreaming of headlining one of the most epic shows in the EW community? Then the AOC Virtual Series is your Madison Square Garden. The AOC Virtual Series webinars are the premier stage to share achievements, insights, expertise, breakthroughs and experiences that rock the EW world. The Association of Old Crows is currently seeking presenters and topics for the 2016 Virtual Series World Tour.

Virtual Series Greatest Hits:

•     DRFM for Dummies
•     Understanding Phased Arrays: From AESA to PESA to MIMO & ULSA
•     Unlocking the Mysteries of Radar
•     The 3 Pillars of EW
•     GPS Interference: Origins, Effects and Mitigations
•     Demystifying Monopulse Radars
•     Evolving to the Next Generation of Multifunctional Electronic Warfare
•     Fundamental Tradeoffs in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
•     ...and many more!

This Year's Potential Tracks:

•     Anechoic Chambers 101: Setup for Near Field vs. Far Field
•     Radar Fundamentals II - Pulse Doppler Radar
•     Active vs. Passive Antennas
•     LPI Radars
•     Conformal Arrays & Meta Materials
•     Latest EW Developments and Goals in the Helicopter World
•     Networks in the Tactical Environment
•     GaN & its Role in Reduced SWaP
•     ...and many more

None of these topics striking a chord? No problem! If you have a topic that fits your expertise and want to share it, then submit any and all ideas & abstracts. We want to hear them!

Abstracts for presentations are requested in unclassified textual format and may be received within the body of an email or as an email attachment. We request that abstracts be limited to one page of text. Final presentations will be unclassified in Microsoft PowerPoint format, and typically last about 30 minutes. Abstract approval will be provided by the AOC, and we will be in contact with further steps in scheduling the webinar. Please forward abstracts to our Virtual Series coordinator, Tim Hutchison, or simply reply to this email.

Take the stage and rock the EW world with the AOC Virtual Series. But please, leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals!

Contact Tim Hutchison at hutchison@crows.org.

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REGISTER NOW: Fourth EW International Conference India (EWCI 2016), February 22-25

The Fourth EW International Conference India (EWCI 2016) is the latest event in the benchmark of EWCI Conference Series in the advanced field of EW. The conference is being organised by the award-winning India Chapter of Association of Old Crows (AOC), Bangalore. The conference is supported by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bangalore is the patronising sponsor of the event. The conference addresses the technical and commercial needs of operational users, planners, developers, procurers, testers and trainers of the latest EW technologies and systems.

A large scale indoor exhibition will accompany the conference, displaying the latest EW products from international EW organisations. There will be an intense one-day pre-conference tutorials preceding the conference. The conference is envisaged as the important platform for EW professionals who would share the research and development output in the field of EW at the global level. Also keeping in view of the government of India's "Make in India" policy, the participants of the conference will be exposed to the state-of-the-art developments in self reliance in the field of EW in India and, hence, the theme of the conference is chosen as "EW: Partner for Self-Reliance."

Register Now

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CALL FOR PAPERS DEADLINE, FEBRUARY 15: Dixie Crow Symposium 41 EW/ISR: Today's Innovations Countering Tomorrow's Threats, March 20-24
The EW/Avionics Division, AFLCMC/WNY and the Dixie Crow Chapter of the Association of Old Crows (AOC) will co-sponsor the AF Technical Program, 2016 Dixie Crow Symposium 41, on 22-24 March 2016. The program will be at the Scott Theater (Building 1500), Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB, GA.  An AF conference approval request has been submitted by the EW/Avionics Division.

This year's theme, shown above, illustrates collaboration within the Information Operations (IO) environment and integration within the operations environment for both new and legacy systems.   

Papers to support this theme should include issues relating to Electronic Warfare (EW), Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) and collaboration within the existing and future IO environment. Efficient utilization, understanding and control of the Electromagnetic Spectrum are necessary for defense of our forces and our homeland. Collaborative improvement is necessary to assure our tactics and products are affordable and successfully protect the warfighters.  Maximization of modern and legacy systems demands "unique" approaches.

Papers may be unclassified or classified. Briefing sessions will be separated as follows: 1) Unclassified with no restrictions; 2) Unclassified US ONLY, EXPORT CONTROLLED; 3) Classified Confidential or Secret, US ONLY.

A Releasibility Certification (form included with full Call for Papers) is required before presentation can take place.

Please be aware the Dixie Crow Technical Committee does not release any bio, abstract or briefing information. Any attendee wishing a copy of the briefing must contact the briefer directly.   

Presentations will be targeted for 20 minutes (including questions and answers).

Please let us know if you are interested in presenting a paper. Abstracts (less than 200 words) must be UNCLASSIFIED and may be submitted electronically any time before February 15, 2016. 

Full Call for Papers

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The use of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), known also as drones, within the United States is growing quickly as costs drop and interest rises. Government, industry and hobbyists are finding many ways to use these small aircraft. However, we're also seeing unauthorized uses – resulting in drones that potentially threaten the safety of aircraft in the national airspace and create security concerns by operating near sensitive locations. The potential for nefarious use of this technology is unsettling and has become a major safety and security concern for multiple Federal agencies.

While counter-UAS technologies exist today, they are predominantly focused on large UAS and military scenarios. MITRE is working with multiple Federal agencies to help them understand the safety and security issues presented by small UAS and potential mitigations. One way to solicit solutions from a wide range of innovators from industry, academia and other organizations is through a "challenge." MITRE believes, as does the Federal Government, that challenges and prize competitions are a creative approach to identifying and nurturing diverse potential solutions to a critical national problem.

The MITRE Challenge is looking for solutions to detect and safely interdict small UAS (weighing less than 5 lbs.) that pose a potential safety or security threat in urban areas.
Learn More...

 

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The Air Force plans to request funding in its new budget to recapitalize the EC-130H Compass Call fleet by moving the electronics on the aging planes onto new business jet bodies, sources tell Defense News. The EC-130H is a key component of the Air Force's electronic attack capability. The fleet went operational in 1983, and while there have been a number of upgrades to the electronic systems, the airframes themselves are becoming a concern. (Defense News)
Learn More...

 

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Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach is expected to be named as the next chief of the defence staff. Peach is currently the vice-chief, a role that involves deputising for the current head of the armed forces, Gen Sir Nicholas Houghton. Reports indicate that Peach's promotion was approved by the prime minister and Buckingham Palace this week, and he is expected to take over from Houghton later this year. (The Guardian)
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Last week, the Defense Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced it had developed a new semiconductor chip to could ensure the uninterrupted operation of military communications and radar. It's an exceptionally high-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC), to be precise. (Popular Mechanics)
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If the United States is serious about "rebalancing" to Asia, it needs to invest some serious cash. Strategic small change won't deter China or reassure our increasingly anxious allies, says a new report from the influential Center for Strategic & International Studies. And that means the CSIS study's sponsor – Congress – must get its act together and get rid of the Budget Control Act, aka sequester. (Breaking Defense)
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A record number of Air Force drones crashed in major accidents last year, documents show, straining the U.S. military's fleet of robotic aircraft when it is in more demand than ever for counterterrorism missions in an expanding array of war zones. Driving the increase was a mysterious surge in mishaps involving the Air Force's newest and most advanced "hunter-killer" drone, the Reaper, which has become the Pentagon's favored weapon for conducting surveillance and airstrikes against the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and other militant groups. (The Washington Post)
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"I guess I'm going to have to attack your question on almost every aspect," Adm. John Richardson told me. As an analyst, it's unnerving to have the Navy' top admiral tell you to your face, albeit politely, that you're just plain wrong. (I'd politely disagree, though I did miss some important nuances in an earlier story). I had asked the Chief of Naval Operations about the service's shift in emphasis from providing global presence in peacetime to preparing for high-end warfare. He countered that there really wasn't a fundamental shift. (Breaking Defense)
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In Air Force Times this week, Jeff Schogol pulled some descriptive statistics from USAF records to report on "which aircraft are most mission-ready." His list included the various types of attack, bomber, cargo (including gunship and electronic warfare), fighter, rescue helicopter, tilt-rotor, tanker and drone aircraft currently flying in the Middle East. Mission-capable rates – the percentage of time that an airplane possibly needed for a mission actually was ready for a mission – varied over the past year from 92 percent for the MQ-1B Predator down to 47 percent for the B-1B Lancer. (The National Interest)
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In the brutal naval battles of the future, the first clash of arms will be a clash of electrons. If you don't win the invisible battle of the airwaves, you can't win the visible battle of missiles. Before warships can concentrate their fire on the enemy, they first must communicate with each other. Before they can fire at long range at all, they have to communicate with forward scouts – other ships, satellites, manned aircraft, drones – who can transmit detailed targeting data on enemies beyond the reach of a warship's onboard radar, typically just 10 nautical miles. (Breaking Defense)
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The global security environment calls for a continued strong nuclear deterrent along with modernization for elements of the nuclear triad and advanced training for U.S. Strategic Command's workforce, the Stratcom commander said on January 14. Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney addressed an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discussing strategic deterrent forces as a foundation for national security. (Defense.gov)
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Engineers from Saudi Arabia will become the first to train at a new electronic warfare maintenance centre established in the UK to enable the transfer of skills required to support the self-protection systems installed on the Eurofighter Typhoon. (Flightglobal)
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China's military space program is getting a boost from a recent reorganization within the People's Liberation Army. A Chinese military expert disclosed earlier this month that a Chinese space plane known as the Shenlong will likely be deployed with the newly formed Strategic Support Force, the PLA's new high-technology warfare unit. (Asia Times)
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