From the Crows' Nest

In this episode of From the Crow's Nest, host Ken Miller talks to Chesapeake Technology International (CTI) Founder and CSO Dustin Hellwig. Dustin has over thirty years of experience in electronic warfare (EW), spectrum management, and CEMA environments. He specializes in the development of distributed, collaborative, and autonomous EW systems. He has significantly advanced EW models, simulations, and mission planning for various military platforms and operations.During their conversation, Ken and Dustin delve into the potential benefits – and drawbacks – of recent advancements with these EW systems. Dustin's unique perspective highlights how these systems can enhance operational capabilities and extend the "reach" of special operations with autonomous or semi-autonomous participants. However, he also acknowledges the diverse opinions on how to operate and manage this space. The duo also addresses the challenges of the military sector in appreciating and keeping up with commercial innovation, providing valuable insights.Visit crows.org to learn more about today's topics or stay updated on EMSO and EW developments.

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest coming to you from AOC Europe 2024 in Oslo, Norway, host Ken Miller is joined by three special guests: Lieutenant Colonel Erik Bamford, Branch Chief of EW, Norwegian Armed Forces; Journalist and author, Dr. Tom Withington; and Duncan McCrory from the Department of War Studies at King’s College, UK. Together they discuss alliances and collaboration in supporting multi-domain electromagnetic warfare operations.

What is an electromagnetic event and how could it wreak havoc on military forces and critical civilian infrastructure? Are we prepared to protect ourselves from such an event? Unfortunately, no. In this area,we are far behind the threat. There is exciting new research underway and progress is being made to develop a standard of protection thanks in large part to the efforts from organizations, such as the Electromagnetic Security Consortium (ESC). In this episode of From the Crow’s Nest, host Ken Miller is joined by David Tilton and Dr. Nathan Hansen of the ESC to discuss their work over the past several years to protect vulnerable systems, buildings, and services from this type of event.The panel discusses the development of a demonstration facility to show different construction methodologies for protecting buildings from EMP attacks and to show how effective certain solutions are overall. The group also talks about the challenges of interacting with the commercial and private sectors, as well as the consortium’s efforts to launch a workforce development and certification programs to recruit the next generation of EW professionals.To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller is joined once again by John Knowles, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED), and Col. Jeffrey Fischer, USAF (Ret). They discuss recent developments in the Ukraine War, considering the recent passage of aid by the U.S. Congress. They share their thoughts on the plan to send F-16s to Ukraine, the explosive growth of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in combat, and how electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) continues to shape how we fight, whether it’s on the Eastern Front, the Middle East, or Indo-Pacific region.

Doug Thornton, the technical director of Battelle's National Security Business Unit, discusses the impact of software-defined radios on electronic warfare. He highlights the benefits and challenges of using SDRs, emphasizing the need for standards. The conversation explores the evolution of radio technology and the potential for SDRs to revolutionize how the U.S. conducts operations worldwide.

John Knowles and Matt Thompson discuss Iran's recent drone attack on Israel, directed energy weapons, U.S. defense budget, and spectrum reallocation challenges in the electromagnetic spectrum operations.

In this episode of From the Crow’s Nest, host Ken Miller talks to Brian “Hinks” Hinkley, a retired Navy Captain and President of the Association of Old Crows. The two talk about how far the world of EW has changed in recent years, including evidence that people are understanding how critical EW and EMSO is in combat situations around the world. Brian tells Ken that America faces a variety of EW-related challenges – from the threat of rogue nations and non-state actors gaining access to EW technology to a dated acquisition procurement system. The two also discuss the current state of recruitment and training, and what AOC and others can do to help develop highly-trained personnel.To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller is joined once again by John Knowles, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED) and Matt Thompson, AOC’s Senior Analyst to discuss current events and news on electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO). Together, they share their insights on recent developments in cognitive EW and the role of artificial intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), investment trends on unmanned aerial systems (UASs) and air-launched effects (ALE), and the need to address gaps in EW training and readiness.

In this episode of From the Crow’s Nest, host Ken Miller talks to author Dr. Joseph Guerci about the evolution and outlook for cognitive electronic warfare systems. Dr. Guerci is an internationally recognized leader in research and development of next generation sensor and cognitive systems and has over 30 years of experience in government, industry and academia, including several years with DARPA.Ken asks Dr. Guerci about the relationship between artificial intelligence, deep learning and cognitive systems, as well as what “neuromorphic” chips are. The two explore the role and limitations of “digitally engineering” in electronic warfare training. To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller is joined from Toulouse, France, by Dr. Tom Withington and San Antonio, TX, by Matt Thompson, AOC’s Senior Analyst to discuss current events and news on electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) from literally around the world. Dr. Withington is the Editor, defense commentator, journalist, and military historian with Armada. Ken, Tom, and Matt discuss the increasing frequency of GPS jamming by Russia in Eastern Europe, the latest in the Russia-Ukraine War, and how UAVs are changing the way we conduct EMSO.