News

Electronic Warfare warriors defend the digital divide

  • Published
  • By Amanda Creel
  • 78th ABW/PA
Robins Air Force Base, Ga. --  When it comes to television, many of our tubes will be obsolete in February of 2009, as TV takes a step into the digital age.

However, according to members of the Electronic Warfare Lifecycle Management, Group, TVs aren't the only devices that need to make the jump into the digital age--Electronic Warfare needs a digital conversion too.

"We've got to make sure the legacy compatibility can match the threat," said Major Ross Novack, chief of EW plans and programs. "We have a lot of older technology. None of our systems have had any significant updates in 15 to 20 years. We haven't brought them into the digital age yet."

For TVs the switch seems like a once in a lifetime conversion, but the need to convert Electronic Warfare devices is a constant battle fought around the world by the EW community. When it comes to defeating Electronic Warfare threats-- the key to success is always evolving because the threat is always evolving, said Lt. Col. Gene McFalls, deputy director of the Technology Insertion office.

"EW is a constantly evolving process. We come up with something that works and then our adversaries find a way to beat it and then we have to start over again," he said.

Randy Bryant, a contract program analyst, compared the process to a chess match where each side is constantly making a move hoping to one day achieve checkmate.

"It is a constant game to stay ahead," Colonel McFalls said.

The Electronic Warfare Lifecycle Management Group, which is a virtual organization lead in part by the 542d Combat Sustainment Group at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, is responsible for managing the Air Force's Electronic Warfare mission, which includes ensuring the Air Force is always looking for new and more efficient ways to defeat both existing and future threats. The group, which was chartered on Nov. 5, 2007, is working diligently to ensure the Air Force is ready to defend against any EW threats--including securing the resources or funding needed.

One of the charges of the group is to figure out a way to bring EW countermeasures systems into the digital age.

"The bottom line aims of the Electronic Warfare Lifecycle Management Group, of which there is considerable urgency, are modernizing our aging legacy EW capability and pursuing common, enterprise-wide solutions for system upgrades and new platforms,"
Major Novack said.

The group is designed to foster an integrated life cycle management approach to drive the investigation, development and evaluation of hardware, software, techniques and capabilities across all Air Force EW.

The group is also charged with enhancing efficiencies, reducing duplication, reducing life cycle costs and delivering superior warfighter EW capabilities. Members of the group explained in the past the EW community has been so disconnected that 10 different locations might use 10 different repair techniques for the same maintenance procedure.

This group will encourage communication between the locations allowing them to learn from one another decreasing wasted time and resources by allowing the most efficient method to be used atall the EW locations.

"This will allow us to save money, increase capability and put the EW efforts where they need to be," Colonel McFalls said.

One of the other issues the EW community has had was duplicating efforts throughout the community because no one was talking to anyone else about what they were working on. The LCMG is hoping to minimize duplication by opening communication within the community, said Allison Heaton, director of the Technology Insertion office.

Because of the sensitive nature of EW and the wide variety of locations that had a piece of the mission, it was hard to get a big picture of all the EW efforts.

"To execute in the face of enormous challenges, we've got to have focus, teamwork, communication and collaboration across the enterprise," Major Novack said.

The group is designed to bring together a common integrated Air Force strategy to the EW community. The group wants everyone who plays a role in the EW community to have a voice in the community as well.

Getting the word out to all the program offices and the community where EW is embedded in the platform such as bombers, fighters and space is a tall order, Colonel McFalls said.

"We want to create a unified voice," Major Novack said.

Much of the group's design is virtual, allowing members from throughout the EW community to play a vital role in the mission's future.

"We tried to have people from different organizations, so it would feel like the Air Force organization it is designed to be," Ms. Heaton said. "We are trying to bridge all boundaries with the Air Force. We are also reaching out to other military branches as well."