Thursday, February 2, 14:00-15:00 EST | 19:00-20:00 UTC The frequency converter is a key component in heterodyne systems including radars, communication systems and EW systems. Advanced electronic systems utilize wide instantaneous bandwidth and wide tuning bandwidth for several reasons. In radar, bandwidth translates into range resolution, while in communications applications, bandwidth is related to symbol data rate. Electronic warfare (EW) deals with either protecting, disrupting or intercepting these radar or communications functions. For example, LPI waveforms utilize wide bandwidth with either frequency hopping or spreading. A wideband, fast tuning jammer or receiver is necessary to counter LPI waveforms in radar or comms applications. This webinar discusses common frequency converter architectures and design tradeoffs, including multi-stage frequency conversion. We discuss unique features of upconversion systems versus downconverters. Examples discussed include X-band (8-12 GHz) converters, 2-18 converters and Ka-band converters with up to 1 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth. We also discuss digital conversion systems, which when combined with wideband frequency converters give rise to system applications such as digital receiver/exciters (DREXs), communication modems and digital RF memories (DRFMs). Characterization of wideband frequency conversion systems will be discussed, with an emphasis on measurement of key parameters such as spurious-free dynamic range, P1dB, IP3, phase noise, harmonics and LO leakage. Finally, we discuss phase coherence of a multi-channel frequency conversion system, which is useful in phased array, MIMO and direction-finding (DF) applications. AOC's Virtual Series is also available on-demand wherever and whenever you want. Visit the Virtual Series On-Demand webinar page for access to our full catalog. The AOC is accepting nominations for the 2017 elections to the Board of Directors and for president-elect of the Association. You all are in a great position to help shape and decide the future of the Association of Old Crows! Nominations will be accepted now through March 1st, 2017. Elections begin on September 1st, 2017, and will end on September 30th, 2017. In addition to selecting our next president (vice president in 2018 followed by their two-year presidential term), this year's elections include two at large director positions, each for a three-year term. Also, three regional directors will be elected for their three (3)-year terms as well — one each from the Mountain-Western Region, the Northeastern Region and the Southern Region. These five new directors and the president-elect will be installed at the 2017 Symposium & Convention in Washington DC. Nomination information must be received at AOC HQ by close-of-business March 1st. Nomination forms are available at crows.org, or by contacting Glorianne O'Neilin. An Introduction to Conventional Cryptology Thursday, March 2, 14:00-15:00 EST | 19:00-20:00 UTC We start with a short introduction that presents some of the basic tasks and principles of cryptography and of cryptanalysis. For this, we introduce confidentiality, identification/authenticity, integrity and non-refutability in communication processes and information systems. We discuss how a cryptosystem can be formalized and how we can investigate its security. The most important principles like oneway functions, keys, Kerkhoffs' principle, information vs. computational security, attack models and the role of brute-force attacks are discussed. By giving important examples we then continue with a (short) overview of today’s essential symmetric (AES/Rijndael) and asymmetric cryptography methods (Diffie-Hellman, RSA, ECC). Cryptology in the "Quantum Era" Thursday, March 16, 14:00-15:00 EST | 18:00-19:00 UTC In the second talk we explain the principles of quantum computers (qubit, superposition,...) and why it is believed that they are a huge game changer in computational science in general and in cryptography in particular (Shor’s algorithm, quantum FFT, super-polynomial speed-up). We also mention that at the other side of the game, "quantum cryptography" (quantum key distribution (QKD)) may potentially help for unprecedented security. Finally, the presentation concludes with a summary and a short outlook on post-quantum cryptography candidates (McEliece, lattice-based, code-based, etc.). EW warfighting requirements continue to evolve in their complexity and capability to meet Air, Ground, Surface, Space, and Cyberspace requirements. The 9th Annual Electronic Warfare Capability Gaps and Enabling Technologies Operational & Technical Information Exchange will provide a forum for EW professionals from the military, government, industry and academic fields, to discuss issues related to the requirements of EW programs, platforms and operations. This capstone event will focus on the identified gaps and technologies the services require to ensure EW maintains freedom of maneuver through the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) in support of achieving commanders’ objectives. Speakers and presenters will look back at the previous few years and identify progress made to ensure the success of the warfighter in tomorrow’s battlespace. This call for papers challenges presenters to explore innovative and leap-ahead enabling technologies and methodologies to meet currently identified EW Capability Gaps. Presentations or demonstrations from all United States Services, DoD, Industry and Academia are requested to identify technical paths, options and potential opportunities for filling current and future EW Capability Gaps. Submitted abstracts are specifically requested to address one or more of the symposium sessions. Abstracts for presentations are required in unclassified textual format. Please forward abstracts to Ms. Shelley Frost at [email protected]. The submission deadline is 10 March 2017. "Collaborative Electronic Warfare: Enabling Collaborative EW Through Innovation and Invention" As EW warfighting requirements continue to evolve in their complexity and interdependency, it is clear that future EW systems must work collaboratively with other Air, Ground, Surface Space and Cyberspace systems. The 46th Annual Point Mugu Electronic Warfare Symposium will facilitate the exchange of enabling concepts and provide a venue to disseminate current research in the fields of Collaborative Electronic Warfare. Prominent leaders, contributors and representatives from the United States and Australian military, government, academia and industry will come together to address current Electronic Warfare gaps and emerging technologies in Collaborative Electronic Warfare required to address these gaps. Keynote Speaker: Rear Admiral Christian "Boris" Becker, Program Executive Officer for Command, Control, Computers, Communications and Intelligence and Program Executive Officer for Space Systems. AOC EW Europe will be held in perhaps the world’s most iconic city – London. It will consider the future of EW and EM Operations in the changing light of current and emerging threats, including Hybrid Warfare and Anti Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) where potential opponents are out-performing the West. It will consider the possible responses and how thinking and attitudes must change and examine the new capabilities that will be required across all lines of development, by all services, in all countries in the free world. The conference will include plenary sessions and twin-tracks focusing respectively on operations, capability and defence lines of development, and industry developments and inventiveness. AOC EW Europe 2017 will bring together the communities involved in EW, SIGINT, C4ISR, Cyber EM Activities (CEMA) and more. Speakers will include leaders and operators from the military, government, academia, S&T and R&D communities and crucially, industry. This is an unclassified truly-global EW networking, exhibition, workshop and conference and not to be missed. Communications EW May 22-June 9 Online Webcourse Instructor: Dave Adamy Electronic Countermeasures — Theory and Design May 1-May 17 Online Webcourse Instructor: Kyle Davidson The Association of Old Crows is excited to increase the convenience of your learning opportunities through our on-demand professional development library! The AOC is making some of our most popular courses available anytime and anywhere you're connected to the internet! On-demand course offerings currently include Dave Adamy's Fundamentals and Advanced Principles of EW, Kyle Davidson's ELINT - Principles and Practice and Warren du Plessis’ Introduction to RF & Microwave Front Ends. U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) of sensitive military technologies, like Electronic Warfare, can be difficult to understand and navigate for International Partners and U.S. Defense Industry. U.S. Export laws, such as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), requirements for Export Licenses, and in some cases Congressional approval, can be confusing and complicate the sale of EW systems and associated technical support. This conference provides an educational opportunity and forum for U.S. Government, U.S. Defense Industry, Academia. and International partners to share information and provide updates on FMS and DCS program policy, processes and improvements. The Dixie Crow chapter of the Association of Old Crows is sponsoring two short courses at the RAFB Base Theatre in February. Tuesday, Feb. 21: 0800-1630, Introduction to EW (aka EW 101) Wednesday, Feb. 22: 0800-1630, Introduction to C2ISR (aka ISR 101) Courses will be taught by personnel from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). These basic level courses are geared to new engineers, logistics management personnel and as a refresher for those working in ISR and/or EW. The course is open to personnel at Robins AFB, Middle Georgia Industry Partners, other government personnel and AOC members AT NO CHARGE. How do you reach more customers in the Electromagnetic Warfare community? The AOC! To maximize your impact in 2017, begin securing your sponsorship positions today. When you strategically plan out your year with the AOC, you can realize significant savings. Check out our updated sponsorship catalog. Our Symposium Committee, Dixie Crow Chapter President and Chapter Directors cordially invite you to join us for all the exciting events at the Dixie Crow 42nd EW/IO Technical Symposium, March 19-23 in Warner Robins, GA. The Dixie Crow EW/IO Technical Symposium is pending approval by SAF/AA. AFLCMC/WNY is co-hosting the Symposium’s AF Technical Program and Short Courses with the Dixie Crow Chapter of the AOC. Employers can post on the Job Vacancies page for free. Follow the guide located online to provide information on posting a job listing. Submitted listings will remain live for 30 days. The AOC will not format or edit submitted postings, and will not respond to any questions from candidates concerning postings. The silent warfighters of the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and cyber communities are honing their operational skills and testing new capabilities during Red Flag 17-1 at the Nevada Test and Training Range north of Las Vegas, Jan. 23 through Feb. 10. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air, space and cyber forces of the United States and its allies. In light of military technological advances, the multi-domain exercise is evolving to include more realistic scenarios by increasing the use of cyber capabilities and other non-kinetic effects in planning and warfighting. "We are bringing the non-kinetic duty officers into the fight at Red Flag," said Lt. Col. Neal, the 25th Air Force chief of current operations. "These experts in ISR and cyberwarfare are the newest weapons in our command and control arsenal." (Air Force Link) With one eye on China and another on North Korea, US Army Pacific is injecting cyber warfare and new joint tactics into every wargame it can. At least 30 forthcoming exercises — culminating in the massive RIMPAC 2018 — will train troops on aspects of Multi-Domain Battle, the land Army’s effort to extend its reach into the other "domains" of air, sea, space and cyberspace. Meanwhile, USARPAC simulations of the concept test near-future weapons such as ship-killer missiles and cruise missile-killing cannon. (Breaking Defense) With no fiscal 2017 defense budget in sight and little chance of an agreement before April – if then – the military services are submitting second and possibly third rounds of unfunded requirements lists to Congress. The lists include items left out of the original budget requests, ranked in order of priority should Congress find a way to fund them. The latest list from the US Navy was sent to Congress Jan. 5, updating a similar list sent over at the end of February, but rejiggered in light of the new 355-ship Force Structure Assessment, changes in requirements and the lateness of the fiscal year, which limit what can be done in the current budget. (Defense News) Language in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act called for the elevation of U.S. Cyber Command’s status and the end of the "dual-hat" role for its leader. The head of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command may soon be two different jobs, and the Defense Department will have a new "joint unified command." Changes to the relatively new Cyber Command, established in 2009, come as the nation reels from allegations that Russian electronic spies interfered in last year’s presidential election, which followed a series of high-profile hacks of sensitive government and commercial data. (National Defense) Army acquisition leaders and weapons developers are increasing their thinking about how future enemies might attack – and looking for weaknesses and vulnerabilities in their platforms and technologies earlier in the developmental process, senior service leaders told Scout Warrior. The idea is to think like an enemy trying to defeat and/or out-maneuver U.S. Army weapons, vehicles, sensors and protective technologies in order to better determine how these systems might be vulnerable when employed, Mary Miller, former Deputy Assistant Secretary, Research and Technology, told Scout Warrior in an interview last year. (Scout Warrior) For more than six years, Huang Wenhua and his team at the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology in Xi'an have been working on a potent microwave weapon. This one, which recently won China's National Science and Technology Progress Award, is small enough to fit on a lab workbench, making it theoretically portable enough for land vehicles and aircraft. Said another way: It's small enough to be convenient, but powerful enough to totally down enemy electronics. A microwave weapon like this could even be fitted to a missile (like the U.S. CHAMP electronic warfare missile) or drone. (Popular Science) On this week's Level Talk, Laurie Calhoun, author of the book "We Kill Because We Can: From Soldiers to Assassination in the Drone Age," discusses the scale, scope and consequences of the drone program, alongside Professor David Stupples, Director of Electronic Warfare Systems Research at City University of London. (Sputnik News) In the darkened offices of a tech start-up, a handful of computer engineers sifts through a mountain of intelligence data that would normally be the work of a small army of Indian security agents. "We use artificial intelligence (AI) to look for patterns in the past to predict future behavior," says Tarun Wig as he explains why he hopes his company, Innefu, can do more business with India's government. "Cyber warfare isn't a movie, it's happening right now ... We lost out on the industrial revolution, we lost out on the defense revolution - let's not lose out in the cyber revolution." While other countries have long relied on AI to gather intelligence, India has continued to use agents to eyeball reams of data gathered over the years. (Global Times) • February 2: Wideband Frequency Conversion and Characterization • March 19-23: Dixie Crow Symposium 42 • April 25-27: 46th Annual Collaborative EW Symposium • June 4-9: International Microwave Show (IMS 2017)