From the Crows' Nest

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller takes us inside the cutting edge of airborne electronic attack with a deep dive into the U.S. Navy’s latest game-changer: the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB).Joining Ken is Chuck Angus, Business Development Director at Raytheon, who shares how this powerful new system is redefining the electromagnetic battlespace. Built with advanced Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, the NGJ-MB delivers unprecedented power density and direct array control—no third-party components, just pure precision.Deployed on the EA-18G Growler for both the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force, this next-gen jammer is replacing the legacy ALQ-99 and setting the standard for future conflicts. Chuck explains why NGJ-MB isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a critical leap forward in spectrum superiority.Don’t miss this insider look at how the future of electronic warfare is taking shape right now.To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.We also invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes by emailing host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org.

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller gets insight into the front lines of the war in Ukraine with today’s guest, Jack de Santis. The Croatian-born drone pilot with the Ukrainian military, is also an engineer and businessman, and is the founder of Omira AI — a company that specializes in counter-EW communications technology. Ken and Jack are also joined by FTCN regular guest, retired USAF Colonel, author and journalist, Jeffrey Fischer.Jack tells Ken that his approach to electronic warfare was born from what he saw as a volunteer for the Ukrainian army. Jack’s experience as a drone pilot and engineer before the conflict allowed him to step into the front lines of the Russo-Ukrainian war. But it’s what Jack saw during a Russian artillery bombardment of Ukrainian forces that led to a new understanding of the conflict: the Ukrainian military needs better EW tools to do the job.To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.We also invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes by emailing host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org.

In this episode of From the Crows' Nest, host Ken Miller is joined by friend and colleague John Knowles, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED), to discuss the ongoing congressional defense budget and reconciliation processes on Capitol Hill. They also discuss the latest developments in Spectrum auction and the need to invest in dynamic spectrum sharing technology and processes. Ken and John also discuss the recent eye-opening Ukrainian drone offensive against Russia, Operation Spiderweb. This is yet another successful EMSO mission that should capture our attention to understand how we can better utilize electromagnetic energy in combat, but also better protect our forces abroad and critical infrastructure at home from a similar exploitation by peer competitors and adversaries.You can reach the host directly to share your thoughts or questions you want FTCN to cover in future episodes at host@fromthecrowsnest.org.

The Association of Old Crows (AOC) wants to make our podcast the best it can be. To help us succeed, we'd like to hear your thoughts. Please take just a few minutes to complete our 2025 listener survey because your opinion is very important to us. In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller is joined by a panel of two Army colonels to unpack how the Army has made strategic investments into growing its EW capabilities.Col. John Hosey, Chief of Cyber and Commandant of Army Cyber School, tells Ken that the Army began producing soldiers with cyber training in 2008 – very new in the military world. He says one of their points of focus now is to improve the ability of the Army to reprogram their kit to change their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) as threats evolve.Col. Leslie Gorman explains to Ken that her role as the Army Capability manager for EW is to help the Army, as a retired general officer told her last year, “own the EMS like [the Army] owned the night in the 1980s.” Col. Gorman says their push now is to set the conditions so advanced machine learning and algorithmic-based analytics can set the stage for the future of the Army’s EW efforts. To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.We also invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes by emailing host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org.

In this episode, host Ken Miller fields audience questions while visiting EMSO stakeholders in Las Vegas, NV. Ken discusses his views on the implementation of the 2020 EMSO Strategy, the defense budget, training and manpower, spectrum management, and the need for an all-of-government approach to EMSO readiness.You can reach the host directly to share your thoughts or questions you want FTCN to cover in future episodes at host@fromthecrowsnest.org.

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller welcomes Luke Cabot, an Electromagnetic Warfare Training and Technology Instructor at Inzpire’s Technical and Strategic Services Division in the UK. Luke shares how Inzpire’s greatest strength lies in making the complex simple—translating advanced electromagnetic warfare (EW) concepts into language anyone can understand. He discusses the challenges of training across multinational coalitions and highlights the power of mathematics as a universal language. Luke emphasizes that improving EW education is critical—not only to enhance operational effectiveness but to save lives and reinforce the strategic value of electromagnetic spectrum operations.To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.We also invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes by emailing host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org.

In this special episode of From the Crows’ Nest, we’re coming to you from the heart of Rome, Italy, where AOC Europe 2025 is in full swing! Host Ken Miller sits down with three familiar voices to capture the pulse of the show floor and dive into the evolving landscape of Electromagnetic Operations (EMO). This year’s theme, “EMO in Transition – Learning from the Russo-Ukrainian War,” sparks timely conversations and fresh perspectives from the field.Ken is joined by Erik Bamford, Branch Chief EW for the Norwegian Armed Forces and AOC Board Member; Dr. Tom Withington, renowned defense journalist; and Duncan McCrory of the Freeman Air & Space Institute at King’s College London. Together, they explore what’s shaping the conversation at AOC Europe and what it means for the future of EMO, EW, and global security.For more real-time updates and behind-the-scenes insights from AOC Europe 2025, follow the AOC LinkedIn page. To learn more about today’s topics or stay up to speed on all things EMSO, visit our homepage.Have thoughts or questions about this episode? Email host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org—we’d love to hear from you!

In this episode of From the Crows' Nest, host Ken Miller is joined once again by John Knowles, Editor-in-Chief of AOC’s Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED). They discuss service EW budgets and the technology trends that may influence the Fiscal Year 2026 defense budget that is expected to be released by mid-May. Specifically, they discuss key investments, including the Navy’s Next Generation Jammer, SEWIP ship defense, Army rotary-wing aircraft self-protection, and the success of the US Air Force’s 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing. They also discussed European EW in anticipation of AOC Europe taking place in Rome, Italy, May 6-8. To join the discussion at AOC Europe, be sure to follow the Association of Old Crows on LinkedIn. FTCN will be there and post interviews with guest speakers and exhibitors.Also, don’t miss Season 1 of our new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) podcast powered by L3 Harris. All six episodes are now available. To listen and learn more about the CTO Series, visit here.You can reach the host directly to share your thoughts or questions you want FTCN to cover in future episodes at host@fromthecrowsnest.org.

In this episode of "From the Crows’ Nest," host Ken Miller welcomes Dr. Raphael Licursi, antenna and radar researcher, electronic warfare consultant, AOC Europe Pre-event Workshop presenter and author of Meta Surface Driven Electronic Warfare (Wiley & IEEE Press). Dr. Licursi shares insights into his groundbreaking research on metasurfaces, explaining how this emerging technology is revolutionizing electronic warfare. The discussion explores the application of metasurfaces in defense systems, the integration of artificial intelligence, the impact on development cycles and supply chains, and the evolving demands of modern, distributed EMSO environments.To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.We also invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes by emailing host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org.

Europe is uniting to tackle electronic warfare challenges sparked by the Russo-Ukrainian War. Journalist Dr. Thomas Withington reveals critical lessons learned and the necessity for collaboration among nations, particularly Germany's new initiative. There's a blend of optimism about the forming coalition and caution against repeating past mistakes in tactics. The conversation also teases upcoming events in Rome, emphasizing the importance of strategy in this fast-evolving landscape. Don't miss insights into the future of European defense collaboration!