LAST CHANCE! REGISTER NOW: 45th Annual Collaborative Electronic Warfare Symposium, Next Week 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.

Department of Navy Approval Letter - Click here

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS


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

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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DON'T MISS NEXT WEEK'S 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.

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GOLD SPONSORS

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CONFERENCE AGENDA AND SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED: Register Now for the 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.

NEW: CONFERENCE AGENDA. Click HERE to View

FEATURED SPEAKERS



Colonel Jeffery Church
Chief of the Electronic Warfare Division, Army G-3/5/7 Operations Directorate, US

Lt. Col J.C Deering
Head of Electronic Warfare, Royal Netherlands Airforce

LTC Karen Himmelheber
Secretary, NATO EW Advisory Committee

Air Cdre Madelein Spit
Assistant Director, Joint Air Power Competence Centre & Air Force Armaments Group Chair, NATO

Conference Details
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REGISTER NOW: 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.

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REGISTER FOR THE APRIL 21 WEBINAR: Challenges of Greater Data Converter Bandwidth in EW Systems
1400-1500 EDT (1800-1900 GMT)

As any practitioner of the EW trade knows, the need for greater bandwidth in signal processing electronics has been relentless. The reason for this is not only that the spectrum of interest keeps expanding, but also that the electronics hardware has to meet increasingly stringent SWaP requirements – which leads to the need for each RF-to-digital signal chain to handle a larger chunk of bandwidth. However, the requirements for dynamic range performance are not relaxing at the same time and there is a fundamental tradeoff between bandwidth and dynamic range that thus stands in the way of this trend. In this seminar we will look at this ever-present challenge and what the RF signal processing industry has been doing to deal with it. The focus of this seminar will be on the wideband data conversion section of the signal chain and all the bandwidth and dynamic range issues associated with it; as well as the state of the industry in this area.

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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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MAY 5 AOC VIRTUAL SERIES WEBINAR: Our Brave New Digital World - Where Analog Rules
1400-1500 EDT (1800-1900 GMT)

It is widely believed that the move towards digital systems has rendered analogue technologies obsolete, and that understanding the digital domain is more important than understanding physics. But as usual, the truth is far more complex! Even though we increasingly view the world through digitised eyes and use digital tools, the world remains analogue and is still governed by physical laws. Far from becoming obsolete and irrelevant, analogue technologies and physics are even more important today than ever before.

The motivation for the ever-expanding use of digital technologies will be summarised by briefly considering some aspects of the theoretical performance achievable by digital systems. Some examples of how RF and microwave front-ends and basic physical laws affect the performance of systems will then be described. In this way, the crucial importance of analogue subsystems and physical laws on the performance of any system – analogue or digital – will be demonstrated.

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REGISTER FOR THE MAY 19 AOC VIRTUAL SERIES WEBINAR: Protecting the Sky: Detection, Direction Finding and Countermeasure for Threats Imposed by Radio-Controlled Micro-UAVs
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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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 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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MAPLE LEAF CHAPTER NEWS: Advanced Principles of Electronic Defense Course, May 17-20
This four-day course is designed for individuals who have completed a fundamental electronic defense (ED) course or have significant experience in the field. Legacy and next generation threats and ED techniques are covered at an unclassified level. This course avoids deep mathematical coverage, explaining all concepts in practical, physical terms. Breakfast, lunch, coffee and a parking pass will be provided. Course-related books published by Dave Adamy will be included (ED 103 and 104). The AOC Maple Leaf Chapter will also host an informal social evening for attendees, sponsors and invited guests.
Course Details

ARTICLE ON THE COURSE: Electronic Warfare School
Wouldn’t it have been fun in college if you could have dropped your basic philosophy or English course for a beginning track on electronic warfare (EW), studying basic concepts such as electronic attack, jamming equations, laser radars and anti-radiation missiles? Now you can get those basics in a four-day course offered by the Maple Leaf Chapter of the Association of Old Crows (AOC), Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario and the AOC headquarters in Washington – and you don’t even have to be an engineer.
Full Article

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INDUSTRY NEWS: AOC Applauds H.R. 4851, the EW Capabilities Enhancement Act, by Reps. Jackie Walorski (IN-02) and Rick Larsen (WA-02)

The Association of Old Crows (AOC) strongly applauds the recent introduction of H.R. 4851, The Electronic Warfare Capabilities Enhancement Act, by Rep. Jackie Walorski and Rep. Rick Larsen. Walorski and Larsen are co-chairs of the congressional Electronic Warfare Working Group (EWWG) and have long been leaders in advancing awareness of and support for critical Electronic Warfare (EW) technologies and capabilities for US military forces on Capitol Hill. "We express our deepest gratitude for the leadership of the EWWG. The growing support for EW in Congress today is due in large part to the efforts of Representatives Walorski and Larsen in bringing together leaders in government and industry to advance innovative EW systems and capabilities that are a prerequisite for successful military operations in the twenty-first century," said AOC President, David A. Hime.
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U.S. Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and Rick Larsen (D-WA) on Wednesday introduced a bill to help the U.S. keep its competitive edge in the electromagnetic spectrum domain and aid warfighter readiness when needed. The Electronic Warfare Capabilities Act will aid in getting electronic warfare technology into the hands of the military in a quicker manner to help defeat emerging threats. (Homeland Preparedness News)
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Electronic warfare is often all about developing a new technology and putting it to use before the enemy can. One such breakthrough is a recent patent for APCN (Advanced Pulse Compression Noise). This is a technique which allows the user to not only encrypt radar signals (to make them harder to identify and jam), but also to rapidly modify the nature of the radar signal to adapt to local climactic conditions and geography. (Strategy Page)
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One of the most hotly contested bits of real estate today is one you can't see. As we move into an increasingly wireless-connected world, staking out a piece of the crowded electromagnetic spectrum becomes more important. DARPA is hoping to help solve this issue with its latest Grand Challenge, which calls for the use of machine-learning technologies to enable devices to share bandwidth. (Gizmag)
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The Defense Department needs new investments, new posture in some regions and new and enhanced capabilities to address five strategic challenges now driving DoD budgeting, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today. Carter was joined by Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on the department’s fiscal year 2017 budget proposal. (Defense.gov)
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The Pentagon will spend $2 billion on space control measures this year to counter emerging threats to its national security satellites, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on March 22. The Defense Department had not previously disclosed a figure related to spending on space control, which often implies offensive space capabilities, for the current year’s budget. In written testimony to the House Armed Services Committee, Carter said the fiscal year 2016 budget included $5 billion for new space investments. Those investments featured "over $2 billion in space control efforts to address potential threats to U.S. space systems," he said. (Space News)
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According to the Bloomberg report, Russia may leverage vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, including large banks, stock exchanges, power grids and airports, as pressure points against the West. Ashmore (2009) says the future of Russian cyber warfare is offensively poised. Mshvidobadze (2014) also claimed that analysts examining espionage malware of apparent Russia origin indicate a preparation of the battlefield for cyber war. (Modern Diplomacy)
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The U.S. prefers to keep quiet about where its electronic surveillance and warfare aircraft are operating but the news gets out one way or another, especially with all those cell phone cameras out there. For example, in early March 2015 one such aircraft was reported to have crashed in northern Iraq, apparently the victim of equipment malfunction. The four crew survived and were quickly picked up. The wreckage was surrounded by special operations troops as key parts of the aircraft were removed and the rest blown up. (Strategy Page)
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When keeping track of enemies, airborne instruments typically collect different types of information. One type of information is IMINT Imagery Intelligence, which consists of still and video cameras as well as other sensors on satellites and aircraft creating images of Earth’s surface. The instruments can passively detect radiation in visible, infrared, even ultraviolet ranges of the spectrum or actively illuminate targets and capture the reflection. Because the RQ-170 is intended to be stealthy, its suite of imagery collection devices is almost certainly passive. (Radar and other active illuminators are the equivalents of shining flashlights in the dark, allowing sensors on the ground to detect an airplane’s presence.) (Air & Space)
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A new paper by the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) warns of misreading Chinese tea leaves, such as the tendency of U.S.-based China-watchers to use mirror imaging, ignore China’s lack of transparency and use subterfuge and the fact that the Chinese military advocates no differentiation between peace-time and war-time use of cyberwarfare. (DefenseNews)
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90 female missileers made Air Force history on March 22 as the first all-female missile alert crews to serve on alert at three intercontinental ballistic missile wings simultaneously. In honor of Women's History Month, missileers based out of Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota; F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; and Malmstrom AFB, Montana, completed a 24-hour alert shift to sustain an active alert status of the nation's ICBM force. (AF.mil)
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In 2009, after two weeks of being embedded as an independent journalist with a small team of U.S. Marines in Afghanistan, I ended up at Combat Outpost Monti, a 14-acre camp of tents, plywood huts, a few concrete bunkers and makeshift guard towers and a helicopter landing area, all ringed by collapsible barriers. At the outpost, one of hundreds built in Afghanistan during the 13 years of NATO combat operations, the Marines were training and fighting alongside Afghan National Army soldiers. COP Monti was less than 10 miles from the Pakistan border, near the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. (Air & Space)
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It is with trepidation — and a stubbornly persistent sense of hope — that we report that a group of California venture capitalists have bought Defense News, as well as Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps Times and Federal Times. They also laid off several top people there. Vago Muradian, host of Defense News TV and my successor as editor at the paper, has been laid off, according to my sources. He was not alone. (Breaking Defense)
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If you want to know how impassioned the head of the largest conventional weapons program in the world can get, then you should have been in the conference room here with reporters today. Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, who has wrestled the F-35 program back from the brink when it was a target of fury and ridicule, told reporters in the room we had a responsibility to deliver the facts to the American public and to narrow what he called the enormous gap between the reality of the program and the views of its critics. (Breaking Defense)
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