With great sadness, we share the news that Stephen "Muddy" Watters, Lt Col USMC (Ret), AOC Immediate Past President, passed away on Sunday after a battle with cancer. We are so thankful for the time we spent with him, his leadership in our organization and his passion for the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

Rest in Peace, Muddy - we salute you.

We will share any memorial information as we receive it.

Electronic Warfare Capability Gaps and Enabling Technologies 2022 Conference
May 10-11 | Crane, Indiana

Join Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) professionals from the military, government, industry and academic fields is to discuss issues related to achieving Force Level EW and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) capabilities across the Services.

Classification: US Secret
Featured speakers include:

View the full speaker lineup

Registration is VERY limited! 

REGISTER NOW

Visit crows.org/crane2022 for more information about the event.

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Get more information online or contact Mr. Sean Fitzgerald, fitzgerald@crows.org, 703-549-1600 ext 222.

Would you like to get more involved in the association and add your voice to the AOC Board of Directors? Then nominate yourself for one of the open positions below and join in the future of AOC. As part of the nomination process, you are asked to have a sponsor or nominator that supports your wish to run for election.

Nominations are due April 20.

Positions that are eligible for election this year are:

• At-Large Director (2 available)
• Pacific Region Director
• Northwestern Region Director
• International Region I Director

Learn more

AOC Europe 2022
May 10-12 | Montpellier, France

Registration for AOC Europe 2022 is now open. Join the EW community and your peers in France this May to discuss new advances and future challenges in electronic warfare and view the latest technology solutions for electromagnetic spectrum operations from over 85 specialist suppliers at the free-to-attend exhibition.

REGISTER NOW

Visit aoceurope.org for more information about the event.

Recognize someone for their outstanding performance in the field. A central tenet of AOC's mission is recognizing individuals, groups and military units for their outstanding performance in furthering the aims of the AOC and the Electromagnetic Warfare enterprise. The AOC has a number of awards that are available each year, with three categories – Prestige, Community and Chapter Flow Up.

Nomination deadline: April 15.

For information on AOC's Awards Program or to submit a nomination, go to crows.org/awards.

Cyber Electromagnetic Activity (CEMA) 2022 Conference
May 3-4 | Belcamp, Maryland

Join us for the CEMA 2022 Conference, where key Army leaders, decision makers and industry partners will discuss how to achieve information dominance to seize and maintain the strategic initiative during any phase of conflict. Space will be limited for this event.

Featured speakers include:

More speakers to be added soon!

REGISTER NOW

Visit crows.org/cema2022 for more information on the event.

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Get more information online or contact Mr. Sean Fitzgerald, fitzgerald@crows.org, 703-549-1600 ext 222.

The AOC continues to work in collaboration with the Directed Energy Professional Society (DEPS). As part of this collaboration, the AOC is contributing to several sessions during the upcoming DEPS Annual Directed Energy Science and Technology Symposium, April 25-29, in Mobile, Alabama. Below are three sessions to which the AOC is interested in contributing presentations. Presentations may be from government, industry or academia. If you are interested in contributing a presentation and would like to learn more about the Call for Papers process, please contact Ken Miller, AOC Director of Advocacy and Outreach at kmiller@crows.org.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are emerging technologies and processes that are proving beneficial in numerous fields across defense and commercial applications. There is potential to apply these processes in support of HEL engagements. The goal of the sessions is to explore AI and ML as applied to the HEL engagement. Presentations and posters are solicited to increase the understanding of the DE community on the capabilities and limitations of AI and ML. Particular interest in AI and ML applied to target detection, identification, aim point selection and engagement to include BDA.

Assuring Survivable EMS System
Discuss EMS survivability as it applies to EMSO-related systems that incorporate electronic components that might be susceptible to electromagnetic effects, including Spectrum protection, system adaptability, spectrum access flexibility and efficiency and multi-function capabilities. Unclassified papers and presentations are sought at Distribution Limitations A, C and D levels.

Integrating Full-Spectrum Sensor Data for real-time EM Battle Management
Session would look at collection/distribution/fusion of RF-EO-IR sensor data for networked/efficient battle management, including data integration, AI/ML for spectrum agility and training, etc. Unclassified papers and presentations are sought at Distribution Limitations A, C and D levels.

How To Use Simulation To Align Your Work Team
March 10 | 2-3 p.m. EST

As people with common interests in Electronic Warfare (EW), Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO), Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA), Information Operations (IO) and other information related capabilities, we’re all very familiar with the idea of Simulation. By creating a small copy of reality on which to practice with high focus, freedom from consequences and practical reflection, we can save time, money and even lives.

This webinar will explain how the same approach has been used very effectively with work teams to develop battle rhythm and to save time on projects and missions. Presenter John Kolm is an AOC member, a former intelligence officer and a global best-selling author who appears regularly on radio, TV, conference keynotes and webinars. He is also the founder and CEO of Team Results USA, a leading designer of Simulation-based team and leadership scenarios. Using real case studies, John will explain how team Simulations can be made to work using modern ideas in thinking and learning - and how teams and organizations like yours can leverage their existing knowledge of Simulation principles to give their work groups a leading edge. You will leave this webinar with five immediately useful tips that will let your people rise above 70-year-old models of lectures, PowerPoints and team-building games to create modern, fast-moving teams developed with the same principles of Simulation that they already understand very well.

Save your seat

AOC continues to connect Electromagnetic Warfare practitioners, industry partners, policymakers and procurement decision-makers.

The year 2020 was a massive interruption to life and business, changing how we work, how we connect and forced us into a new way of doing things. We have created new ways to connect and share with our members through these changing times. We have taken events to a virtual space and created new and exciting opportunities for our members to continue looking to AOC as industry leaders.

Now more than ever it's important to keep in touch and AOC sponsorships are a great way to be part of what's happening right now in the electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) industry.

Partner with AOC to increase your reach!
By partnering with AOC, Industry Partners have a variety of ways to connect with members throughout the year. Stay relevant to your customer base, participate in high-level discussions and, most importantly, nurture relationships with key contacts.

Learn more.

A Conversation With John Knowles on the Russia/Ukraine Conflict
In this episode, host Tala Alshaboot fills in for usual host Ken Miller to talk about a topic that has become the focal point of world news the past few days. Tala sits with JED editor, John Knowles to talk about the unfolding of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and what that means for the state of EMSO, the possible implications of the conflict on the U.S., and the likelihood of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine extending to space.

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The Association of Old Crows (AOC) wants our podcasts to serve you, our audience, in the best ways possible. To help us succeed, we'd like to hear your thoughts. Please take just a few minutes to complete our 2022 listener survey because your opinion is very important to us. Just click the button below to begin. Thank you!

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The AOC STEM Student of the Year Scholarship
AOC provides scholarships to students currently in their sophomore or junior year of college. Each year, one male and one female student studying engineering or engineering technology and interested in working in the aerospace and defense industry is awarded a scholarship of $12,500 each. These scholarships are funded by a generous donation from Raytheon Intelligence & Space funds these scholarships. Learn more.

The Association of Old Crows is pleased to provide its online Career Center – the premier resource to connect career opportunities with highly qualified EW, EMSO, CEMA, SIGINT, ELINT & IO talent. You can access the AOC Career Center at https://careers.crows.org.

Featured Jobs:

• Electrical Engineer — Leidos — Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Research Analyst - Aircraft Live Fire — Institute for Defense Analyses — Alexandria, Virginia

Our Dixie Crow Symposium Committee, Dixie Crow Chapter President, Adam Delestowicz and the Chapter Directors cordially invite you to join us for all the exciting events Dixie Crow Symposium 46 has to offer. Thank you in advance for your support of this important Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Trade Show.

View the schedule of events here!

At a January 2018 panel discussion hosted by The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Roger McDermott, senior fellow in Eurasian military studies at King’s College in London, spoke to his report, “Russia’s Electronic Warfare Capabilities to 2025: Challenging NATO in the Electromagnetic Spectrum.” (JED)

The iconic B-52 Stratofortress bomber has been a mainstay of the U.S. Air Force’s fleet since it was first introduced during the height of the Cold War. But with the average B-52 now 60 years old and increasingly showing its age, the bomber is getting a fresh lease on life — in the form of a new slate of F130 engines from Rolls-Royce North America. (Defense News)

Congressional leaders on Wednesday unveiled a compromise budget bill which includes Defense Department funding for the rest of fiscal 2022 and $13.6 billion extra in emergency assistance for Ukraine and NATO allies. (Defense News)