The 50th Annual Association of Old Crows Symposium and Convention ended the convention with a joint session titled "Electromagnetic Spectrum and Electronic Warfare Battle Management" which took place on October 30th in Washington D.C. at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
The panel was chaired by Air Force Colonel Steve Ling, Director STRATCOM Joint Electronic Warfare Center.
Colonel Jim Ekvall, chief Army Electronic Warfare Division was among the selected panelists. Aside from Ekvall, Air Force Colonel Jim Pryor, Chief Electronic Warfare Division, Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Jason Schuette MAGTF EW Requirements, EW Branch, Chief Stu Timerman, Director Defense Spectrum Organization and Ron Hahn, Vice President, EMS Campaign URS Federal Services also participated in the panel.
Speaking to an audience over 500 symposium attendees Colonel Ekvall focused his discussion on Army spectrum management and cyber electromagnetic activities, or CEMA.
Beginning his piece of the panel Ekvall addressed the importance of an electronic warfare planning tool to help the warfighter better manage the spectrum.
Army spectrum management and the joint view on spectrum management are similar but have a few differences. The Army, as explained by Ekvall has what is referred to as electromagnetic spectrum operations or EMSO which comprises of both electronic warfare and electromagnetic management operations. The joint community has JEMSO, or joint electromagnetic spectrum operations. This comprises of electronic warfare and joint electromagnetic spectrum management spectrum operations.
"Our views in the Army are very similar to the other services," said Ekvall.
The Army has created a doctrine explaining the CEMA concept. The doctrine is expected to be signed at approximately the end of this month.
"The Army takes electronic warfare, cyberspace operations and the electromagnetic spectrum and inextricably links one to the other," said Ekvall.
Electronic warfare has established the 29-series MOS for the Army, however at this time as Ekvall pointed out there is not a career path specifically for cyberspace operators.
"We may have a military occupational specialty (MOS), branch or maybe an area of concentration for cyber at some point," said Ekvall.
Currently electronic warfare operators sync electronic warfare and cyberspace operations together.
The Army will continue to move forward with CEMA and as expected electronic warfare and cyberspace operations will integrate over time.
"The AOC is extremely grateful for COL Ekvall's involvement in the panel covering EM Spectrum Battle Management," said David Hime, a board member for AOC and was this year's symposium co-chair. "The inclusion of Colonel Ekvall and the Army's perspective in this 'Council of Colonels' together with leaders from policy and industry was crucial in advancing this community's understanding of Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO)."
"As always I enjoy speaking at AOC events," said Ekvall. "The 50th Annual symposium was a great event to discuss the importance of spectrum management across the services. The AOC staff did a tremendous job putting together all the panels during the symposium and I enjoyed presenting the Army's perspective on spectrum management during the EM spectrum session."
With the CEMA doctrine about to be signed and as new systems for the Army continue to get developed it goes without saying that the Army's electronic warfare program is only just beginning.
"The AOC is excited to see the progress the Army is making in EW, its views on EW-cyber operations and management, and how the Army's EMS construct contributes to overall DOD capabilities within the EM Operating Environment." said Hime.
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