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DoD Puts ‘Foot on Gas Pedal’ to Catch Up on Electronic Warfare Industry News AOC News & Events AOC Chapter News and Events

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PAPERS DUE JULY 31: Present at the 54th Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention, November 28-30 in Washington, D.C.
"Innovation and Change in Electromagnetic Warfare"

The electromagnetic environment is changing at an increasing pace, and thus the importance of electronic warfare (EW) system adaptability, flexibility, and innovation has also increased. Not only are innovative technologies greatly needed, but the Industry and EW Community itself needs to change organizationally to embrace innovative ideas, technologies, and tactics – and at a significantly faster pace. Innovation is more than just technology refresh, it is also culture refresh.

The 54th Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention will focus specifically on these ideas and provide Industry, Government, and Militaries a world-class forum to address how we should change and innovate as an EW community. The Symposium will highlight some of the most advanced and innovative technologies on the horizon and discuss how organizational change can be embraced to be more agile and engender more calculated risk taking. Talks will focus on what challenges are currently in the way and some stories of how change is currently being implemented.

Upgrades to our systems, as well as our acquisition cultures, is vital to maintain (and in some cases, regain) our electromagnetic warfare superiority.

CALL FOR PAPERS
The 54th Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention will be focusing this year's Technical Sessions on Innovation as the overarching theme. There will be four (4) topic area Technical Sessions representing the very latest in EW technologies and innovations. To that end, we are requesting abstracts for paper presentation against any of the four (4) topic areas specifically. The Technical Sessions are titled:

1) Innovations in Modular Multi-Mission EW/SIGINT/COMMS Open Systems Architectures
2) Innovations in Software Defined Radios/Transceivers
3) Innovations in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
4) Innovations in Jammer Technologies

Deadline for Submission of Paper Abstracts: July 31

Call for Papers Details
Symposium Details

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REGISTER NOW: 2nd Annual Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare Systems Engineering and Acquisition Conference, September 26-28
Our adversaries are using ubiquitous and cheap technology to further develop cyber warfare as well as advance and proliferate electromagnetic spectrum capabilities. Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare (EMW) is the Navy's warfighting approach to gain a decisive military advantage in the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) to enable freedom of action across all Navy mission areas. Success demands a holistic system of systems focus looking not only at the systems themselves but also the "interstitial" space which is the dimension of the systems. EMW will require coordination and simultaneous integration across all domains (land, sea, subsurface, air, space, and cyber). EMW, in essence, means leveraging the cyberspace domain and the full electromagnetic spectrum for both offensive and defensive effects.

EMW is not a program, or system, or even a refined concept of operations. It is an emerging operational approach, one we must master to fully understand the battlespace. We must then use that awareness to better employ our own forces while altering the enemy's perception of the battlespace and minimizing his freedom to maneuver within it.

Mastering EMW will have commercial, financial and political impacts. It is important for program managers, engineers, and business planners to be aware of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) process, the tools used, and the complexities in performing defense acquisition and systems development in the emerging EMS environment in order to provide value to managing and performing program funding and mission success.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS



Dr. William Conley, SES
Deputy Director, Office of the Under Secretary of) Defense for
Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (OUSD AT&L/A/) Tactical Warfare Systems

The Honorable Rob Wittman
US House of Representatives (VA-1)

Mr. Bryan Clark
Senior Fellow, Center for  Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA)

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BUDGET NEWS: Just Getting Started: House Passes NDAA; Senate Version Awaits
On July 14, the House passed H.R. 2810, the FY 18 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), by a vote of 344-81. The bill authorizes $696 billion for defense-related programs and sets military policy for the next fiscal year. Specifically, H.R. 2810 provides $592.8 billion for military programs, an increase of $18 billion over the President’s request. It also sets Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding at $74.6 billion, which is not subject to budget caps; however, $10 billion of that amount goes to regular defense programs. The budget cap is for FY 18 is set at $549 billion; therefore the bill exceeds the cap by $43.8 billion ($53.8 billion including OCO funding that should be under regular budget authority).

Read the Full Analysis

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REGISTER FOR THE NEXT AOC VIRTUAL SERIES: Introduction to Direction Finding Systems, July 27
Thursday, July 13 | 14:00-15:00 EST (18:00-19:00 UTC)

Direction Finding (DF) is a critical technology across the spectrum of Electronic Warfare (EW) applications and domains, with increasing demands for accuracy even as the electromagnetic spectrum becomes more congested. The goal of this presentation is to provide an understanding of how radio frequency DF systems work in both communications and radar applications.

Starting with amplitude and phase comparison DF systems, their operation, accuracy, and applications will be explored. This will be followed by a similar discussion for Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) and Frequency Difference of Arrival (FDOA). DF system components are also discussed, with a focus on the antenna, arrays, and DF specific electronics. This understanding of the system architecture and DF methods is then used to evaluate their accuracy and how that is measured. This presentation will conclude with an overview of current DF methods for multiple simultaneous signals, such as Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) and Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariance Technique (ESPIRIT).

Register Now

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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN: 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.

Conference Details

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CONGRATULATIONS to the 2017 AOC Award Winners!
The AOC will recognize the premier leaders in EW, IO and EMS Operations fields throughout our 54th Annual Symposium and Convention. Please join us in celebrating these award winners for their exemplary service to our community. The Gold Medal Award is the highest award given by the AOC for outstanding advances and contributions in all fields of EW and IO. The Gold Medal Award will be presented during the Opening Session on Tuesday, November 28th. The Hal Gershanoff Silver Medal Award is presented to an AOC member to recognize outstanding service in furthering the goals of the Association or its Chapter Organization(s). It is the highest award given to a member for service to the AOC. The Hal Gershanoff Silver Medal, the Colonel Anton D. Brees Lifetime Service Awards, and the Joseph W. Kearney Award will be presented at the Annual Banquet on Wednesday, November 29th. All other Individual awards will be presented at separate venues.

Full List of Award Winners
AOC Annual Symposium and Convention Page

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CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: 6th Annual AOC Pacific Conference, October 17-19 in Honolulu
Non-Kinetic Fires (EW & IO) in the Multi-Domain Battle

The theme for the 2017 AOC Pacific Conference, "Non-Kinetic Fires (EW & IO) in the Multi-Domain Battle," will drive discussions that build upon those from the last two AOC Pacific Conferences, that examined the role of IO in countering/defeating Anti-Access and Area Denial (A2/AD) strategies (2016), IO in Hybrid Warfare (2015).

America’s current and potential adversaries in the Pacific regard EW and cyber as critical components of both peacetime hybrid warfare and A2/AD. An example of offensive cyber used as part of hybrid warfare is seen in the recent "Wanna Cry" computer attack, launched by North Korea’s 6,700-strong "hacking Army" which is based worldwide. The importance of effective electronic protect computer network defense was reinforced by MG Patricia Frost, who stated simply "Without the network, there is no Multi-Domain Battle." Our adversaries will make this difficult, as they seek to overmatch our EP and CND capabilities. It is a real concern among defense experts that adversaries and threat actors are employing automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in both offensive and defensive cyber capabilities at rates that exceeding that of the U.S.

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: DUE AUGUST 31
AOC and the PACOM J39 is soliciting original unclassified English language presentations and/or papers for the 6th AOC Pacific Conference from subject matter experts in the U.S. and Allied militaries/government, as well as from academia and industry on the conference theme. Presentations for the full symposium must be UNCLASSIFIED, or UNCLASSIFIED releasable to participating Allied militaries of Australia, Canada, France, Great Britain, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. Presentations for classified sessions at Camp Smith should be at the SECRET REL/FVEY level, or at higher classification for smaller break-out sessions.

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

• Warfighting perspectives from the Information Related Capability areas with respect to the requirements of MDB.
• Historical and current perspectives of the application of IO to overcome anti-access strategies and to reach target audiences in denied environments
• Analysis of current and potential A2/AD threats to the U.S. and her Pacific Allies.
• Analysis of adversary and potential adversary offensive EW and cyber strategies for peacetime, crisis, and conflict.
• Experimentation, Exercises and Training for the application of IO in support of MDB.
• Current and emerging technology solutions for the effective employment of information-related capabilities in MDB.

Please contact the Symposium Chair, Arthur Tulak, COL USA, Ret, at arthur.n.tulak.ctr@pacom.mil 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. Industry presentations that support the conference theme may be submitted for either the UNCLASSIFIED or SECRET REL FVEY days. Company or product-focused briefs will not be accepted. The deadline for submitting is close of business Wednesday, 31 August 2017, but earlier is better.

Learn More...

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The National Electronics Museum created Go Fund Me site with the goal of raising $960.00 to sponsor 12 students for our Pioneer Camp 2017.

In 2007 the National Electronics Museum launched a successful summer program, for students ages 8-10, called Pioneer Camp. Kids spend two full days at the museum learning about science and engineering through museum tours, hands-on demos, and workshops. They practice teamwork, problem solving, and critical thinking plus they go home with a project they built themselves.

Tuition is $80.00 which covers the cost of supplies, salaries, and program design. I met with a group of educators who spoke highly of Pioneer Camp 2016. They mentioned there were students who wanted to attend but their parents could not afford the cost. This year we set aside 12 spots, out a total of 80, and reached out to the local schools to identify deserving students with a financial need. You can help by going to the site and donating any amount. If we exceed our goal that money will be set aside for future sponsorships.

Help us help these future engineers and scientists - make a donation today
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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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After what one senior official called "25 years of inattention," the Defense Department is pushing ahead to make its defensive and offensive electronic warfare capabilities more robust. "There is an appreciation on the dependency of our electronic warfare capabilities [and] to make sure that the force — all the platforms — are survivable. I think that appreciation is very real and very substantial," William Conley, deputy director of electronic warfare in the office of the undersecretary of defense for acquisitions, technology and logistics, said during a recent Mitchell Institute speech. (National Defense)
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In the United States, the US Navy is the cutting edge service with regard to developing and deploying directed energy weapons technology. In part this is because ships have enough power to generate the energy necessary to operate current and next generation DE technologies. A laser has been deployed for some time onboard the USS Ponce, a retired MSC ship, and has been in operations downing drones in the Middle East. The CNO has made it clear that this is a technology, which will be deployed on ships in the near future. (Second Line of Defense)
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The battle for Mosul has been a wakeup call for drone defense. In late 2015 it emerged that ISIS had developed the capability to deliver lethal payloads using modified commercial drones, but in Mosul the attacks reached a new pitch in February with dozens of attacks a day by drones dropping grenades. The drones were mainly consumer-grade quadcopters, the type hobbyists use for aerial photography. ISIS has previously used these for reconnaissance and artillery spotting, but the latest batch were equipped with a simple release mechanism to drop a modified 40mm grenade fitted with tailfins. (Scout Warrior)
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Somewhere in the Middle East, a marine from Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command, a unit known as the "Ripper," stares anxiously across the six hundred meters of no man’s land towards the far berm. A friendly convoy of white Toyota pickups speeds toward his position. Suddenly, a shockwave reverberates in his head. Behind the vehicles, a fireball rises from the civilian camp on the other side of the berm. As the black smoke billows, the marine grabs the tablet he keeps in the guard tower and texts the quick reaction force. The Special Forces team in the Toyota convoy is returning to their isolated outpost guarded by marines, but they are not alone. (War on the Rocks)
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Artificial intelligence is to be the crown jewel of the Defense Department’s much-discussed Third Offset, the US military’s effort to prepare for the next 20 years. Unfortunately, "joint collaborative human-machine battle networks" are off to a slow, even stumbling, start. Recognizing that today’s AI is different from the robots that have come before, the Pentagon must seize what may be just a fleeting opportunity to get ahead on the adoption curve. Adapting the military to the coming radical change requires some simultaneous baby steps to learn first and buy second while growing leaders who can wield the tools of the fourth industrial revolution. (Breaking Defense)
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The 412th Test Wing’s Experimentation Center for Ideas/Technology Exploration team, known as XCITE, hosted a one-day innovation challenge July 10, 2017. Several engineers from around Edwards Air Force Base partnered with members of the Desert High School Robotics team to come up with a solution to a real-world test problem. The one-day competition consisted of three teams that brainstormed ideas and designed proposals during the morning session and in the afternoon presented their solutions to a panel of leaders from various organizations on base. (AF.mil)
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The maker of the famous AK-47 rifle is building "a range of products based on neural networks," including a "fully automated combat module" that can identify and shoot at its targets. That’s what Kalashnikov spokeswoman Sofiya Ivanova told TASS, a Russian government information agency last week. It’s the latest illustration of how the U.S. and Russia differ as they develop artificial intelligence and robotics for warfare. The Kalashnikov "combat module" will consist of a gun connected to a console that constantly crunches image data "to identify targets and make decisions," Ivanova told TASS. (Defense One)
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The troops of tomorrow may be able to pull the trigger using only their minds. As artificially intelligent drones, hacking, jamming, and missiles accelerate the pace of combat, some of the military’s leading scientists are studying how mere humans can keep up with the incredible speed of cyber warfare, missiles and other threats. One option: Bypass crude physical controls — triggers, throttles, keyboards — and plug the computer directly into the human brain. (Breaking Defense)
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U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has chosen BAE Systems to provide new electronic warfare (EW) systems for its fleet of AC/MC-130J aircraft. BAE Systems will upgrade the aircraft’s survivability equipment with the capability to detect, identify, locate, deny, degrade, disrupt, and defeat various threats that aircrews encounter in hostile and challenging environments. This final selection follows a competition that included a system design phase and critical technology demonstration. (American Security Today)
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As Gulfstream waits to see whether its G550 will emerge victorious and become the Air Force’s new JSTARS and Compass Call airframe, the company has begun to fight a larger battle to win over the service as it begins contemplating future special mission aircraft requirements. The first major obstacle: convincing the Air Force that its requirements can be met with a smaller business jet and not a larger airliner, the latter of which would force Gulfstream out of upcoming competitions. (Defense News)
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