"Building the EMS Enterprise"

Our EMS technologies are individually quite capable, but our traditional EMS operational philosophy is nearing obsolescence and so our approach has become deficient for our circumstances. Our portfolio-wide assumptions of networked forces, precision strike, and multi-spectral stealth require freedom of action in the EMS first, for which no military organization exercises ultimate responsibility. So, what is the one continuous physics-based maneuver space critical to our essential concerns of exploitation, targeting, sensing, fires, destruction, disruption, influence, protection, precision, C2, maneuver and communications? We’re not speaking here about the bits of information flying around in individual data packets from one weapons system to another, as an esoteric utility in battle. Instead, we’re asking about the permanent natural space these essential activities are all immersed in: the EMS.

The EMS emerges as the common physical frame of reference; information transport is merely one of the important things occurring within it. If this is true, then why aren’t we using the EMS’s basic commonality to harmonize, accelerate and multiply the impact of our capability portfolio?  The EMS is a continuous space; it’s the only path between the other warfighting domains, and it’s central to modern warfare. Consider this phenomenon as foundational to multi-domain operations (MDO).  

Electronic Warfare will always be a critical component of controlling the EMS. However, EW no longer represents the complete discussion that our community needs to have. The conversation has expanded to a new concept – EMS Operations (EMSO) – which is the blending of Spectrum Management (participation scheduling) with Electromagnetic Warfare (conditioning and enforcement). The key difference between EW and EMSO is that EMSO considers EMS consequences and outcomes before action is taken.This matters in terms of effects against an adversary, and especially in terms of impacts on friendly forces. EMSO is the way forward for military operations that depend heavily on sensors, communications, precision weapons and non-kinetic effectors. We depend on the EMS more than ever for operational success, and we must embrace new ideas and concepts that reflect this reality. – Jesse "Judge" Bourque, AOC Symposium Chair