CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS DEADLINE TOMORROW, MARCH 10: 8th Annual EW Capability Gaps and Enabling Technologies Operational & Technical Information Exchange, May 10-12 at Crane, IN
EW warfighting requirements continue to evolve in their complexity and capability to meet air, ground, surface, space and cyberspace requirements. The 8th 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.

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS
This call for papers challenges presenters to explore innovative and leap-ahead enabling technologies and methodologies to meet currently identified EW Capability Gaps. Presentations or demonstrations from all United States Services, DoD, industry and academia are requested to identify technical paths, options and potential opportunities for filling current and future EW Capability Gaps. Submitted abstracts are specifically requested to address one or more of the symposium sessions. Amplifying information on the three sessions is referenced above. 

Abstracts for presentations are required in unclassified textual format. Please forward abstracts to speaker coordinators, Mr. Clint Seyer and Mr. Jimmy Hearn, at clint.seyer@navy.mil and jimmy.r.hearn@navy.mil respectively, and to Ms. Shelley Frost at frost@crows.org.

The submission deadline is 10 March 2016. We request abstracts be limited to one page of text or 400 words. To facilitate the selection process, please ensure your submitted abstract file is labeled with your last name, session number and short title. For example: "Seyer_Session1_Cognitive_EW.doc." Notification of acceptance and presentation submission instructions will be provided by 18 March 2016. Presentations must be in Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 or earlier format.

IMPORTANT 2016 DATES:
(note: dates are proposed for initial planning purposes only and are subject to change.
Actual dates are expected to fall on or within 7-10 days of listed dates)
Abstracts Due: 10 March 2016
Notification of Acceptance: 18 March 2016

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REGISTER FOR THE NEXT AOC VIRTUAL SERIES: Networks in the Tactical Environment, March 17
1400-1500 EDT (1800-1900 GMT)
The observed manner by which consumers easily access and share information using Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) technologies is influencing how planners envision the conduct of 21st Century military operations. However, the environment that each operates within are drastically different resulting, false assumptions. Though the concept of System of Systems (SoS) approaches are well reasoned and existing technology should support their implementation, comparing the tactical environment with the commercial reveals a whole host of unique challenges. Factors such as environmental conditions, dynamic network configuration and server access along with the unique characteristics of each participating node impacts the ability to command and control the internal and external movement of information throughout the battle space. Even though each SoS and its associated operating environment is unique, Networks in the Tactical Environment will identify, describe and help the participant better understand how these factors impact the 21st Century Warfighter using analysis and recent examples.

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GOLD SPONSOR

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REGISTER NOW: 45th Annual Collaborative Electronic Warfare Symposium, April 6-7 at Pt. Mugu
As EW warfighting requirements continue to evolve in their complexity and interdependency, it is clear that future EW systems must work collaboratively with other air, ground, surface space and cyberspace systems. The 45th Annual Point Mugu Electronic Warfare Symposium will facilitate the exchange of enabling concepts and provide a venue to disseminate current research in the fields of Collaborative Electronic Warfare. Prominent leaders, contributors and representatives from the United States and Australian military, government, academia and industry will come together to address current electronic warfare gaps and emerging technologies in collaborative electronic warfare required to address these gaps.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS



Rear Admiral Mathias W. Winter
Chief of Naval Research/Director, Innovation
Technology Requirements, and Test & Evaluation (N84)

RADM Mark W. Darrah
Program Executive Officer for
Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons

RDML Michael T. Moran
Program Executive Officer for
Tactical Aircraft Programs

RDML Lorin Selby
Commander
Naval Surface Warfare Center

Conference Details

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REGISTER NOW: 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 it is not to be missed!

Conference Details

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NOMINATE YOUR COLLEAGUES: 2016 AOC Awards Nominations Being Accepted Through May 1
Honor those who have furthered the discipline of Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Operations (IO), Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) and the AOC! Recognize their dedication by nominating them or the unit for an AOC 2016 Individual or Unit Award!

To view the list of awards and download the application, go to http://www.crows.org/community/awards.html. Nomination Forms are due by May 1! If you have any questions concerning the awards please contact Glorianne O’Neilin (oneilin@crows.org)

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APRIL AOC VIRTUAL SERIES WEBINAR: Active vs Passive Electronically Scanned Antennas, April 7
1400-1500 EDT (1800-1900 GMT)

In the early 1970s, electronically scanned antennas (ESAs) emerged as a new and impactful technology for ISR missions. Replacing mechanically scanned antennas (MSAs), ESAs were much faster for beam switching from a mission timeline perspective, and eliminated the size weight and power associated with a gimbal. As ESAs became better understood, passive EW modes were added as part of their capability offering. This highlights the revolutionary impact of ESAs on the warfighter battlespace.

This talk will show the genesis from MSA to passive ESA to active ESA and provide a conceptual understanding of the advantages of an active ESA. Additionally, the talk will show how the next ESA transformation that is currently taking place is from analog active ESAs to digital active ESAs.

Register Now

GOLD SPONSORS

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PLAN NOW TO ATTEND: 7th Annual Cyber/Electronic Warfare Convergence Conference, June 7-9, Charleston, SC
Electronic warfare and cyberspace technical capabilities are becoming more technically similar. However, the communities that 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!

Conference Details

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NEW: MAY AOC VIRTUAL SERIES WEBINAR: Protecting the Sky: Detection, Direction Finding and Countermeasure for Threats Imposed by Radio-Controlled Micro-UAVs, May 19
1400-1500 EDT (1800-1900 GMT)

Today, more than 300.000 Radio-Controlled Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (commonly referred to as "drones") are sold worldwide every month. It was expected that around 0.5 to 1 million micro-drones were to be sold for Christmas last year in the U.S. alone. The increasing amount of affordable civilian drones capable of carrying payloads of some 100g up to a few kg leads to an emerging threat ranging from simple disturbances (privacies), spying or even incur severe destruction (terror attacks). These might include disturbing public events, important summits, endangering air traffic (drone sighting near airport), threatening governmental facilities, sensitive sites and industrial facilities (i.e. high-tech industries) as well as illegal smuggling contraband into correctional facilities and cross border.

The day has come where drones are "hovering over the sky." Facing with the challenges and difficulties of intercepting radio controlled drones especially to capture their operators, many authorities have been striving to achieve a solution in drone monitoring and countermeasures. A technical approach for countering the threats posed by such micro-drones is in tremendous demand, in order to achieve an idealized solution in "protecting the sky" against the drones.

In this webinar: "Protecting the Sky", we will provide insight into the application, specifications and impact of civilian recreational drones that are increasingly being used for other (sometimes hostile) purposes. The technical approach for countering the threats posed by drones to protected environments have been revealed, which includes:

•     monitoring the spectrum for relevant signals
•     identification and classification of frequency-agile RC signals
•     direction finding
•     possible defensive countermeasures

This webinar will review a strategic approach for the development of a solution for signal monitoring of radio-controlled microdrones and the possible countermeasures.

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Platinum Sponsor

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The Senate Aerospace Caucus invites you for a coffee and morning download on wireless spectrum, featuring perspectives from DoD, FAA, NASA, NTIA and A&D industry reps. Please join us for an informal conversation on spectrum policy, and why it's an important issue for Congress. Sponsored by Aerospace Industries Association and the Association of Old Crows.
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REGISTER NOW: 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.

Register Now!

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NEW AOC JOB VACANCIES PAGE: Post Your Open Positions for Free
The AOC has launched a new webpage where members and sponsors can post job vacancies. 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 that 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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Four EA-6B Prowlers belonging to each Prowler squadron aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point conducted a "Final Four" division flight aboard the air station March 1, 2016. The squadrons have a very high operational tempo, so it is rare to see all four squadrons home at the same time. In an effort to highlight this platforms legacy, the "Final Four" flight came to fruition. (Second Line of Defense)
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The U.S. Army’s Electronic Warfare Division chief for operations likes to say his favorite person is Vladimir Putin. The reason? "Vladimir Putin and the things that he has done in Georgia, Crimea, Ukraine and starting to do in Syria is getting a lot of attention on what it means to have a modern, ready, [electronic warfare]-capable force," Col. Jeffrey Church said in a recent interview. (Defense News)
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Fourteen new F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet strike fighters top the 31 items on the U.S. Navy’s fiscal 2017 unfunded requirements list (URL), along with final funding for an already-approved destroyer and two additional carrier-based F-35 joint strike fighters. (Defense News)
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What the Defense Secretary and his office taketh away, Congress can restore. So the Air Force is asking Congress to restore $691 million for the five F-35As cut from this year’s budget, along with $724 million for eight C-130Js and, perhaps most interestingly, $1.2 billion for base improvements that include cyber networking. (Breaking Defense)
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The US Marine Corps (USMC) is preparing a system of electronic warfare capabilities on board several aircraft and other assets known as Marine Air-Ground Task Force Electronic Warfare (MAGTF EW) to replace its retiring Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler electronic attack aircraft, a representative for the service said on 7 March. (Subscription) (IHS Jane's 360)
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The Battle of the Beams was a period during World War II concerning German attempts to harness radio navigation for night bombing in the U.K. and the resulting British countermeasures. The British eventually managed to jam or distort all three iterations of German radio signals, making it more difficult for the bombers to hit their targets. That episode dramatically illustrates the ephemeral nature of advantages in electronic warfare, especially when operating against an agile and sophisticated foe. (The National Interest)
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Much has been written about Russia’s innovative concepts of operations in Ukraine and Syria, variously dubbed "hybrid" or "non-linear" war, but specific tactics have received far less scrutiny than they deserve. A look, in particular, at Russia’s use of electronic warfare (EW) and special operations forces (SOF) suggests ways that U.S. and other NATO forces might prepare to counter them. (Defense One)
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Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein told members of 25th and 24th Air Force that the future of the service is "domain on demand." "What you’re doing here is exactly what we need. Multi-domain is the coin of the realm and will be key to the future development of combined arms. You’re already executing multi-domain, you’re on the right path, so keep running hard the way you’re going," Goldfein told Maj. Gen. B.J. Shwedo and Maj. Gen. Burke Wilson, the commanders of the 25th and 24th, respectively. (Air Force Link)
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At the National Defense Industrial Association's Ground Robotics Capabilities conference on Thursday, Department of Defense officials discussed the possibility of the U.S. military fielding autonomous armed robots to fight alongside troops or act on their own, particularly in "highly competitive, highly contested space" behind enemy lines. "We have to think about what autonomous kinetic options really look like," said Melissa L. Flagg, a deputy assistant secretary of defense in the DOD's Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Directorate. (Ars Technica)
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A company that produces high-speed target drones is proposing a tactical air vehicle as a low-cost force multiplier for missions in support of tactical aircraft. Sacramento, Calif.-based Composite Engineering Inc. (CEi), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc., is proposing its Unmanned Tactical Aerial Platform 22 (UTAP-22) to fill a need unmet by the slow unmanned aerial vehicles used for surveillance. (SEAPOWER Magazine)
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The Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the highest executive body that takes a call on defense matters, has cleared the acquisition of two Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) platforms, from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) at a cost of US$1.1 billion (Rs 7,500 crore). (Defense Update)
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