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Protests Mount Against USAF Plan to Replace Compass Call Aircraft Industry News AOC News & Events AOC Chapter News and Events

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LAST CHANCE: AOC EW Europe - Advancing EW and Electromagnetic Operations Together, June 6-8

Tuesday marks the beginning of what can now be referred to as the single largest European EW event of the decade! In just a few short days, attendees will be treated to a world class conference and there's still time for you to be a part of it.

• 65 World Class companies in sold-out exhibition.
• 50 presentations during the EW Conference covering the AOC Mission Area

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
Major General Borys Kremenetskyi, Defence Attaché, Air Force Attaché, Embassy of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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

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

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


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

Margie Palmieri, SES
Director, Digital Warfare Office, Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare

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CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: 3rd Annual Cyber Electromagnetic Activity (CEMA) Conference, October 16-19
October 16-19, 2017 | Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
"The Multi-Domain Battle: A Combined Arms Approach to Enabling Maneuver through CEMA Operations"

This year's focus will be on the emerging Joint Army/USMC Multi-Domain Battle concept and the implications with respect to CEMA. The MDB entails a combined arms approach for ground combat operations against a sophisticated peer enemy threat in the 2025-2040 timeframe. Building on current service and joint doctrine, the MDB requires flexible and resilient ground formations that project combat power into the land, air, maritime, space, and cyberspace domains. It is a continued evolution of the combined arms methodology to include not only those capabilities of the physical domains, but places even greater emphasis on space, cyberspace, and other contested areas such as the EMS, the information environment, and the cognitive dimension of warfare. As for the role of CEMA in the MDB, it's about creating and exploiting exploit temporary windows of advantage in and presenting adversaries with multiple dilemmas in the spectrum across time/space with an intensity and duration of our choosing. Acknowledging that the world is very different now with more capable near-peer adversaries who are able to contest all physical domains as well as cyberspace, we need to recognize that and challenge the CEMA community of interest for novel, adaptive and innovative capability solutions in EW, Cyber, SIGINT and other related technology areas. This is just the nature of the current environment.

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: Due JULY 14
The CEMA 2017 conference committee is soliciting original papers from the United States and Five Eyes Nations, Government, Academia, Industry, Operators, and Subject Matter Experts to discuss current and emerging trends in Electronic Warfare, Cyber, Signals Intelligence, and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations. Conference presentations may be classified TS/SCI US Only, Secret Releasable FVEYS or Unclassified//FOUO (please indicate which classification you are submitting for as we will have multiple sessions at various classification levels); however, abstracts must be unclassified.

All who attend will gain a better understanding with respect to current and future threats, emerging requirements, technological advances, policy, and potential opportunities for collaboration. You are invited to submit an abstract of presentation that align with the following topics:

1. Cyberspace Effects Cell – User Perspectives (17/29 series, and 25E only)
2. Emerging Threats, Capability Gaps, and Requirements
3. CEMA Contribution to the Multi-Domain Battle Concept
4. CEMA Programs and Acquisition Initiatives
5. Rapid Capabilities in Support of Urgent Needs
6. Warfighting Perspective
7. CEMA Science & Technology Trends
8. Experimentation, Exercises and Training
9. Joint, International and Industry Perspectives and Opportunities
10. Advanced Technology & Special Interest (TS/SCI)

Please forward abstracts Ms. Christine Armstrong at armstrong@crows.org by 14 July 2017. Abstracts are limited to one page of text or 400 words.

Conference Details

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NEW AOC VIRTUAL SERIES: Required Signal Processing for Stand-In ES Intercept Receivers, June 15
Thursday, June 15, 2017 | 14:00-15:00 EST

The characteristics of digital LPI (Low Probability of Intercept) radars make them particularly difficult to find using traditional intercept receivers. Their radar’s continuous waveform (CW) modulation gives them a large processing gain with an unlimited number of diverse variations. With a low output power (< 1W), ultra-low antenna sidelobes coupled with a large mismatch in processing gain, their features render them nearly invisible to conventional intercept receivers.

Consequently, passive intercept receivers must be securely networked and be able to "stand-in" to get close enough to discover these emitters. They also must increase their processing gain by using sophisticated signal processing techniques to autonomously detect and classify the LPI emitters in real-time to provide a fast response-time for the management of operations within the theater.

In this talk, an overview of LPI emitter characteristics is presented followed by examples of CW modulation schemes that are used. The difference between a low probability of detection (LPD) and a LPI emitter is explained. The origin of LPI radar is then revealed including a discussion of different receiver sensitivities. Autonomous detection and classification methods are also emphasized. Several different signal processing domains that can be used to detect a LPI emitter are reviewed and examples are shown to illustrate their advantages. The major difficulties in this tactic are examined and special rules for a successful stand-in operation are emphasized.

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Platinum Sponsor

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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
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PIKES PEAT 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.

Register Now

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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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The Air Force may be facing significant delays in replacing its aging fleet of EC-130H jamming planes. As the service tries to replace the specialized aircraft, which have been especially valuable in fighting ISIS terrorists, formal protests against its plans are mounting. On May 25, 2017, American plane-maker Boeing announced it had lodged a complaint with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a top federal watchdog, over how the Air Force has structured its effort to replace the EC-130H electronic warfare aircraft, nicknamed Compass Call. In March 2017, Canadian aviation firm Bombardier filed a similar notice with the GAO. (The Drive)
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The latest twist in the Compass Call replacement saga sparks concerns that it cedes an inherent military function to a private firm. The U.S. Air Force plans to allow a defense company to pick its new electronic-attack jet, an unprecedented move that just might herald the end of an era for the most prominent maker of large intelligence aircraft. Some industry executives and watchdogs said this cedes an inherent military function to a private firm and warn that previous decisions to put a company in charge of an expensive military project have led to failure and wasted money. But Air Force officials say it’s the best way to replace its 42-year-old EC-130H Compass Call aircraft. (Defense One)
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Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, military deputy of the U.S. Air Force’s acquisition office, has said the service branch’s decision to award L3 Technologies a contract to perform systems integration work on the Compass Call electronic attack aircraft recapitalization program stems from the company’s familiarity with the mission equipment, Defense News reported Thursday. The Air Force announced plans earlier this month to authorize L3 to decide on a new aircraft that will replace the military branch’s fleet of EC-130H Compass Call planes and host the 10 existing electronic warfare and mission platforms. (Executive Gov)
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A re-engineered American interceptor rocket collided with a mock intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday afternoon in the skies over the Pacific Ocean, the Pentagon said, in the first successful test of whether it could shoot down a warhead from North Korea racing toward the continental United States at speeds approaching true battle conditions. At a time when tensions with North Korea are running high, a successful test was vital for the Defense Department’s beleaguered missile defense program. It enabled the Pentagon to argue that it is making strides in protecting the United States from a North Korean nuclear warhead. (The New York Times)
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The fielding of an effective antiballistic S-500 would complicate Putin’s objections to the U.S. deployment of THAADS systems near its territory. However, Moscow will doubtlessly maintain that operating the S-500 on its domestic territory is not equivalent to Washington deploying THAAD on the territory of an allied state, such as Poland or South Korea. The S-500 is intended to replace the S-300 missile in Russia’s multilayered air-defense system and complement the S-400, which would handle more routine antiaircraft duties and intercepting short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. (The National Interest)
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Thinking about robots and war often brings to mind HAL, the apparently well-meaning but ultimately destructive computer in 2001, or the metallic creatures of death in the Terminator series. Today, however, the Pentagon wants to push the concept in a different direction. With advanced adversaries like Russia and China copying the smart weapons, stealth fighters, and networked electronics that were once an American monopoly, the Defense Department is urgently seeking a new technological edge. They think they’ve found a key part of it in AI, artificial intelligence. (Breaking Defense)
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Aegis radar, a technology now on destroyers and cruisers, is aimed at providing terminal phase ballistic missile defense and an ability to knock out or intercept attacking enemy cruise missiles. The Navy is modernizing its destroyers and cruisers with Aegis radar technology equipped with new multi-mission signal processors, kill assessment systems, radio frequency upgrades and various on-board circuits, service officials said. (Scout Warrior)
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In the remote southern California desert, Army soldiers are testing advanced new cyberweapons. The question is - are they too complicated to use on top of all the other equipment soldiers need in the field? Steve Walsh with member station KPBS spent a couple of days at Fort Irwin. (NHPR)
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South African Electronic Warfare (EW) researchers and local technology industry participants have been requested to develop "the right toolsets" to allow the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to be in the best possible position when called upon. Speaking to members of the South African Chapter of the Association of Old Crows (AOC), known as the Aardvark Roost, at their 15th Little Crow Conference in Simon's Town on 18 May, Captain (SAN) Andre Katerinic provided a glimpse into what naval warfare would look like in the future. (Defence Web)
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Australia’s 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets have plenty of life in their airframes but the RAAF seems to be in a hurry to replace them. The chief of air force is on the record as saying the decision on the fighters’ replacement has to be made around 2023. But the Super Hornets are designed with 6000-hour airframes and Australia’s six-year-old aircraft have fewer than 2000 hours each on average. It’s hard to understand the urgency especially given that the US Navy plans to keep many of its 700 Super Hornets in service well into the 2030s and beyond. The Australian)
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