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From the Editor
The AOC Show Daily (a special edition of the JED eCrow) will provide you with news coverage and other information about this week's event. We'll be writing about the ideas delivered by senior leaders in the keynotes, EMSO concepts and trends in the spotlight sessions and EW and SIGINT technology from technical sessions. Each day, we'll alert you about special events, provide interviews with industry leaders, post photos from the show floor and much more. So keep an eye on your email inbox each day and we'll help you to stay in the know. For a comprehensive look at this week's schedule of events, visit the AOC 2024 website or download the AOC 2024 mobile app.
From a professional perspective, AOC 2024 is my favorite event of the year. Not only do I get the chance to catch up with my colleagues and friends, I also get to make new a lot of friends, too. Each year, I wish the AOC symposium and convention could run for three weeks instead of three days. This would give me just enough time to see everyone I want to see and participate in all of the interesting symposium sessions and meetings and explore all of the exhibitors on the show floor. Although I'll never get this wish – and my AOC symposium experience is never as complete as I imagine it could be – I always leave with lots of new ideas and I get a huge energy boost from this show that carries well into the next year. Throughout the week, we'll hear several perspectives that support, probe, explain (and maybe even challenge) the theme of this week's symposium: Electromagnetic Spectrum Warfare: The Great Power Competition. This theme raises so many important questions that our community is facing right now. How exactly does EMSO fit into the concept of Great Power Competition? What role does EMSO play in the various phases of Great Power Competition before actual conflict? What does an EMS "theory of victory" look like? The US and its allies have many types of highly capable EW systems, but are we fielding enough EW "mass" to pose a credible conventional deterrent or, if needed, to win a Great Power conflict? Even if we begin to solve some of these materiel challenges, we must also address other questions, such as, do we have a deep understanding of the ways China or Russia plan to challenge our ability to maneuver in the EMS? And once we understand this, how do our joint forces and coalition forces train collectively in operationally realistic electromagnetic environments. These are just some of the EMSO-related questions that we need to answer and understand as a community. I think AOC 2024 will help us to get our minds around some of the answers. John Knowles
Symposium Happenings
Welcome to AOC 2024, the 61st International Symposium and Convention of the Association of Old Crows (AOC). This event continues to be the premier global gathering for electronic warfare (EW) and electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO), setting the standard for innovation, collaboration, and leadership. Together, we will introduce groundbreaking capabilities, engage key decision-makers, exchange insights on critical requirements, and forge new partnerships, while renewing old connections, making new friends, and sharing stories (some, perhaps, even true). Most importantly, we come together under this year’s theme, Electromagnetic Spectrum Warfare: The Great Power Competition, united by a shared commitment to support our warfighters and provide them with a decisive tactical advantage in the electromagnetic battlespace. The unfolding global events of 2024 have underscored the significant roles that EW and EMSO play in today’s battlespaces. The proliferation of unmanned air systems (UAS) has made sanctuaries for ground forces a thing of the past. Electronic attack is now acknowledged as crucial for countering UAS threats. Signals intelligence is being used more effectively than ever before for targeting, and maintaining secure communications is increasingly challenging. As we witness ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, missile strikes in the Red Sea, and rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, the importance of controlling the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) to control the fight continues to grow. Superiority in the EMS has proven to be a critical factor, providing operational advantages that have changed the course and the outcome of current conflicts. AOC will continue to build close partnerships among industry, academia, the military, and governments to enhance community success. Your presence here at AOC 2024 proves your dedication to this mission imperative and your readiness to collaborate and play a meaningful, integral part of shaping the future of EW and EMSO. I deeply appreciate your commitment to this noble cause and look forward to what we will achieve together. Brian “Hinks” Hinkley Today's Events
Review the online schedule of events and symposium agenda to finalize your on-site agenda. Get out your smartphone and download the conference app from the App Store or Google Play. Follow us on Facebook, X or LinkedIn and use #AOC2024 to join in the conversation. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS – Tuesday, Dec. 10
*Separate registration required.
Inside the Convention
This week's symposium is tackling some of the biggest issues in the EMSO community, and we have an excellent line-up of keynote speakers to help set the stage for these conversations. Come early, grab a cup of coffee and settle in for some valuable perspectives from senior military leaders. Wednesday at 8:00 AM, Maj Gen AnnMarie K. Anthony, Director of the Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Center (JEC) at US Strategic Command, will deliver the symposium's first keynote address at 8:00 AM. General Anthony is one of the DOD's two key EMSO leaders, and the JEC is responsible for many of the initiatives in the Department's EMS Superiority Strategy Implementation Plan. Her perspective on EMSO in Great Power competition will help to shape the week's discussion. Thursday at 8:00 AM, we'll hear perspectives from Gen Thomas A. Bussiere, Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command and Commander, Air Forces Strategic - Air, US Strategic Command, and from VADM Craig A. “Clap” Clapperton, Commander, US Fleet Cyber Command / US TENTH Fleet / Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber (Navy). Friday at 8:00 AM, Major General Elisabeth G. Michelsen, Norwegian Armed Forces, who is serving as Deputy Chief of Staff Operations at NATO Joint Force Command Norfolk, will discuss EMSO from an Alliance perspective. More details, including descriptions of all symposium spotlight and breakout sessions, program manager briefings and technical briefings are available in the full agenda.
Each year, AOC recognizes five young professionals as the year’s "Future 5" – individuals who actively innovate and strive for excellence as they support their respective organizations and build their EMSO careers. In each issue of the Show Daily, we will spotlight one of this year's Future 5 and their career goal in their own words. Today, we recognize Matthew Copeland, Electronics Engineer, DOD - C5ISR Center - RTI - CEMA Division - IOEW Branch. My ultimate career goal is to help save a soldier’s life. Early in my career I had trouble understanding the impact of the work that I was doing, since I was fixated on my small task instead of how it contributed to the entire military. My interest in work was reinvigorated when I was able to begin researching threats and EW capabilities. I was able to understand a variety of ways that the EMS was utilized and how it was being used by our adversaries to potentially put our soldiers in danger. Suddenly, I was focusing on understanding how these systems worked and how everything works together since I needed to discover how threats can be defeated to protect our troops. When I transitioned to working as a civilian employee for the C5ISR Center, I was finally able to apply what I had learned to provide direction to my branch and highlight opportunities for further work. On the Susquehanna chapter’s coin this year we put a quote from a soldier in binary that said, “EW saved my life”. This resonated with our committee and me because it highlights the importance of the work that we are doing. If someday I hear a story at a conference or on the news about something that I worked on helping to intercept a missile, take the first shot, or give a solider enough time to retreat, I will have used EW to help save a life.
The 61st Annual AOC International Symposium & Convention is the leading event for electronic warfare, electromagnetic spectrum operations, cyber-electromagnetic activities and information operations professionals worldwide. Make the most of your experience using the tips in this helpful video to help you prepare for your arrival and assist you onsite, ensuring you have the best experience possible. If this is your first AOC Convention or you just need a refresher, be sure to watch the orientation video. Need more information about dress code, sessions locations, Wi-Fi access or even where you can find coffee in the morning? Check out the 2024 AOC Convention's FAQ page to find answers.
Exhibitor Happenings
Official Exhibit Hall hours during the 2024 AOC Convention are as follows: Wednesday, Dec. 11 Thursday, Dec. 12 Friday, Dec. 13
JED News
JED: Since acquiring Signal Hound two-and-a-half years ago, what are some of the key elements of your strategy to grow the company and expand your customer base? Osbourn: We have doubled down on new product development as a key part of our company strategy both in existing and new categories. We have been very busy filling out our product portfolio in order to fit the different needs and use cases of our customers. For example, last year we launched the SP-145, which is a 14.5-GHz spectrum analyzer that filled the gap between our BB60D (up to 6 GHz) and our SM200 (up to 20 GHz) spectrum analyzers. We are also pursuing new categories supported by the launch of our first phase noise tester, the PN400, and an upcoming launch of our very first Vector Network Analyzer, a two port, 40 GHz VNA, the VNA400. JED: What are some of the important market trends you are seeing that are driving customer requirements for spectrum analyzers and signal generators? Osbourn: We are seeing the continued proliferation of sensors across industries that is prompting an increased demand for test and measurement equipment like ours. Additionally, the increased focus on electronic warfare and signal intelligence is also driving more demand. We are seeing customers want higher frequency ranges, as well as higher bandwidth requirements. JED: How have these trends influenced Signal Hound's latest product releases? Osbourn: The above trend of higher frequency requirements helped prompt us to release our SM435, which is an extremely powerful 43.5 GHz spectrum analyzer that has an impressive 160 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth and is extremely popular for spectrum monitoring. We are also working on a multi-channel receiver that features four channels that can be independently tuned or phase coherent, the PCR 4200, which we hope to release in the first half of 2025. Signal Hound is working tirelessly to keep enhancing our product line in order to deliver unrivalled value for our customers. JED: Signal Hound has developed several software tools for its spectrum analyzers. Is this software mostly focused on test and measurement or do you see a growing need for operational applications, such as interference detection and geolocation? On a related note, what are some of the third-party EW and SIGINT software suites that can be used with your spectrum analyzers? Osbourn: All of our spectrum analyzers come with our powerful software, Spike. Spike has several inherent toolkits that are mostly focused on test and measurement. We recently launched our revamped phase noise test toolkit, which partners with our brand new PN400 tester to provide an extremely cost effective and flexible way to perform phase noise testing. We do partner with several third-party EW and SIGINT software suites, such as 3dB Labs, Kestrel, Decodio, and Procitec. Signal Hound features a software development kit, which allows our software partners to link up our hardware with their software depending on use case. JED: What are your goals for Signal Hound over the next few years? Osbourn: We have ambitious goals at Signal Hound to continue to build out our product portfolio by enhancing our current products, while also developing new offerings that grow our capabilities. In the future, we will offer more powerful spectrum analyzers and signal generators in higher frequency ranges, as well as more capable products that have higher bandwidths. We are constantly collecting customer feedback in order to develop the next generation of products that will fit the needs of our customers both today and beyond.
Read the December issue of JED, hot off the presses in time for the 2024 AOC Convention: Cover Story: Peaking into Quantum Computing The Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED) is the official publication of the Association of Old Crows (AOC), an independent, nonprofit, international professional association promoting public understanding in the science and practice of EW, SIGINT and related disciplines. Become an AOC member to get access to the latest issue of JED.
Digital Pub Bin
Check out current issues and news from our media partners throughout the week. JED |
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