From the Crows' Nest

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. 

In this episode of From the Crow’s Nest, host Ken Miller and AOC senior analyst Matt Thompson host a panel of experts with the U.S. Air Force’s 55th Electronic Combat Group called Compass Call. Lt. Col. Jesse Palchick and 1st Lt. Colin Schulz discuss the plans to transition their fleet from the aging EC-130H to the EA-37B aircraft and describe the capability differences between the new and outgoing models. They note that the upcoming EA-37B model will be able to fly higher and faster than the current EC-130H. Ken asks Jesse and Matt how the Air Force has improved its understanding of the importance of electronic warfare and how upgrading to this new aircraft will affect the personnel working aboard this fleet.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 by Madison Arcangeli and Katy Nazaretova from Forza DC to discuss the current state of Capitol Hill and the annual appropriations process. They cover a range of topics including keeping the government funded through FY 2024, the beginning of the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, the Ukraine War Supplemental, and the President’s upcoming State of the Union Address. It’s also Super Tuesday, so Ken, Madison and Katy discuss the impact of this week’s primary elections on the general election in November for Congress and the President. To learn more about Forza DC, please visit here.

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller sits down with Dr. David Thirtyacre, Assistant Professor in the College of Aeronautics at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. David is the Chair and Chief Pilot for the Department of Flight and currently instructs at the undergraduate and graduate levels in Flight Operations, Aerodynamics, Aircraft Performance, Unmanned Systems, Airborne Robotics, and Aviation and Aerospace Simulation Systems. He retired from the USAF with 27 years of duty in the fighter community with over 3500 hours piloting fighter aircraft and was a pioneer in the use of unmanned systems. They discuss how sUAS are used in current conflicts around the world and the capabilities they offer, including signals intelligence (SIGINT), tactical communications and networking, and as a weapons system. David also shares his thoughts on how artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving the use of sUAS and what the future holds for this advanced technology. 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 by friend and colleague, retired USAF Colonel Jeffrey Fischer, to discuss the latest developments in the War in Ukraine after two years of fighting. Ken and Jeff discuss a myriad of related topics, including F-16s to Ukraine, the status of foreign aid from the U.S. and European Allies, the Russian capture of the Ukrainian city of Avdviiika, and how the 2024 U.S. presidential election may impact support for the war effort. In addition to being a well-regarded thought leader on the War in Ukraine and a staunch advocate for U.S. and European support for Ukraine, Jeff is an award-winning author of character-driven military fiction thrillers. His fourth and most recent book, the Russian Puppeteer, is a timely novel that captures the essence of the underlying dynamics of Russia and the Ukraine War. You can learn more about Jeff’s career and novels at www.jeffreyhfischer.com.

In the episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller is joined by Dr. Andrew Long of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). Dr. Long has spent more than 16 years designing antennas and RF components for various applications ranging from moonshot research to commercial products, from HF to Q-band. His current tasks and interests at SwRI revolve around design, fabrication, and measurement of exceptionally novel apertures. Ken and Dr. Long discuss the rapidly growing field of High-Powered Microwave (HPM) technology, which serves as a bridge between traditional electronic warfare, especially electronic attack, and directed energy laser technology. What qualifies as HPM? What are the fundamental challenges and trade-offs, and where are current research pursuits taking the combined EW and DE communities. To learn more about SwRI, visit here. To learn more about today’s topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.