Montpellier, France. 10 May 2022. AOC Europe reunites the electromagnetic effects community to collaboratively progress understanding of the issues and technology that underpin the electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in today and tomorrow’s battlespace.

The event brings together world-leading experts from the military, government, academia and industry to share knowledge and network under the common theme of ‘integrating electromagnetic effects across all domains’.

“With the control of the electromagnetic spectrum now a fundamental requirement in modern warfare across all domains – land, sea air, space, information and cyber – systems operating in these domains must be able to communicate, make decisions, share information and take actions in a coordinated, controlled and effective manner using the electromagnetic spectrum,” Bob Andrews MBE, AOC Director Global Conferences, said. “To achieve and maintain this dominance, electronic warfare, radar, navigation, situational awareness and other information and communication systems require significant levels of integration and interoperability across all types of platforms and in all domains.”

The 2022 event will consider four main sub-themes across the three-day conference agenda: ‘Technologies and solutions for integration of EM effects across all domains’, ‘Emerging technologies that will make a significant difference in advancing all domain effects’, ‘Multi-domain training, test and evaluation’, and ‘Future trends in multi-domain EW’.

The conference will begin with the return of the Plath Intelligence Workshop, opening with the Chairman’s Welcome from Professor David Stupples, Professor of Electronic and Radio Systems, City University London; and continuing with a discussion of topics including ‘The contribution of ELINT/ESM intelligence to the motto “win the war before the war”’, ‘Innovative sensor technology for the protection of armoured vehicles’, and ‘From sensor to decider – next generation intelligence exchange’.

On day two of the conference will open with the keynote opening address from Air Commodore Hugh Smith, Deputy Director, European Air Group. He will be followed by speakers including Col USAF (Ret’d) Powder Carlson, President, Association of Old Crows; Major Dan McCormack, Officer Commanding, 223 Signal Squadron, 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare), British Army; and Alasdair Gilchrist MBE, Above Water Systems Programme Manager, Dstl and Chair NATO EW Policy & Doctrine Panel.

Day three will open with a special panel session on ‘Next-Generation Air Survivability’ chaired by Mark Threadgold, Electromagnetic Protection Group, Dstl; before moving onto a consideration of topics including ‘Ensuring Future Freedom of Access and Manoeuvre in the Electromagnetic Environment through Innovation’, ‘Tackling Cognitive EW Challenges with SEI’, and ‘Future Trends for Multi Domain EW’.

The conference will be supplemented by the largest AOC Europe exhibition to date, where more than 80 exhibitors will present their latest technology solutions designed to support operators in achieving and sustaining dominance across the EW spectrum.

“I look forward to welcoming the EW community in Montpellier to consider the innovative integrated systems requirements, applications and enabling technologies – from intelligence data gathering, analysis and data fusion through to the deployment of countermeasures and other actions that use the electromagnetic spectrum – so that we might share knowledge and collaborate on how best to address today’s requirements and ensure we continue to maintain EW dominance in tomorrow’s battlespace,” Andrews said.