AOC 2025 has concluded. But before we return to our weekly duties, it’s worth revisiting some of the themes and highlights discussed at last week’s event.

The symposium focused on several intertwined EMSO lines of effort and what the EW community needs to achieve over the next 10 years to 2035. The symposium framed this conversation in the context of Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, Facilities, and Policy (DOTMLPF-P). EMSO, and more specifically EW, has long been resourced primarily in the context of technology. But in an age of Great Power Competition, all our DOTMLPF-P lines of effort need to be built up to perform more like an orchestra rather than a solo act. Building a robust EMS enterprise for 2035 is a big job with lots of dynamic, interdependent parts, but we will fail to achieve our 2035 goals if we don’t build the EMS enterprise across DOTMLPF-P.

We should also remember AOC 2025 for offering the first open discussion of creating an EMS Force. No one knows whether this is a sound idea yet, but the time is right for the EMSO community to ask the question. If the EMS domain is as strategic and important as most military leaders acknowledge, then does it need a dedicated armed service to organize, train, and equip forces to dominate the EMS? Even if the ultimate answer is “no” or “not yet,” the debate will help us to evolve the way we think about EMSO and the ways we need to resource it over the next 10 years. In other words, there’s not a lot of downside to discussing this question right now.

– John Knowles, JED Editor-in-Chief

With AOC 2025 now concluded, the EMSO community is looking ahead to its next major event: AOC Europe 2026, May 19-21, in Helsinki. Under the theme, Re-Arming Europe for Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority, the event will once again include the Plath Intelligence Day, as well as the two-day EW Europe conference. More than 100 companies and organizations will exhibit their products and services.
Much has changed in the European security sphere since AOC Europe 2025, and further EMSO-related developments are expected over the next six months. European nations are taking more responsibility for defending Ukraine and bolstering NATO’s conventional deterrent against Russian aggression in the region. Drone incursions at several European airports have stimulated planning and investment in counter-UAS systems. European nations also are exploring the best ways to integrate unmanned systems into their air, land, and naval forces, with a particular emphasis on EW and SIGINT payloads. Three major fighter programs are in development in the region, as well as major EW upgrade efforts for its fourth-gen fighter programs. AOC Europe 2026 seeks to address these and other trends in Nordic and European EMSO concepts, doctrinal evolution, and capability implementation in an increasingly competitive geopolitical and EMS environment.
The Call for Papers for AOC Europe 2026 is now open. Technical and operational presentations from industry, academia, the military, and government departments that address the overall symposium theme are welcome. Applicants are invited to submit an original, unclassified abstract by the 7 January deadline.
Learn more about AOC Europe 2026.

From the Crows' Nest host Ken Miller recorded live interviews with EMSO experts, military insiders, and industry leaders throughout AOC 2025. If you missed it – or just want to revisit conversations with our keynotes and other speakers – make sure to catch up on the latest episodes from each day of the convention.

Subscribe today to listen to these episodes and many more! 

Lieutenant General Paul T. Stanton, Department of War Cyber Defense Command Commander and Director, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), delivered last Thursday's keynote address at AOC 2025, in which he emphasized the importance of EW experts informing warfighters and other leaders to make them smarter about EMSO.

Stanton said those who know the "science" behind EMSO- and cyber-related systems need to find ways to communicate that knowledge to the warfighter. "We that understand the science have an obligation to integrate the science into the execution of maneuver warfare. We have a responsibility to explain the technical depth in terms that the warfighting community can understand. And that’s not just to the '39' or the EMSO chief or the J6; that is to the '3' – into the commander."

Read the full article here.

Each year, AOC recognizes five young professionals as the year’s Future 5 – individuals who actively innovate and strive for excellence as they support their respective organizations and build their EMSO careers. In each issue of the Show Daily, we will spotlight one of this year's Future 5. All Future 5 will be honored on the Main Stage during the Keynote Session today.

Today, we recognize Samantha Schattin of L3Harris Technologies.

"The defense industry is evolving rapidly to meet the challenges of a faster, more dynamic threat landscape. My goal is to equip the warfighter with cutting-edge solutions that maximize mission success and enhance safety. Emerging technologies such as drones, AI, and machine learning are transforming the modern battlefield, introducing new dimensions and complexities. Rather than reacting to changes in the environment, I strive to anticipate them, integrating innovative capabilities early in development to ensure we maintain a strategic advantage. I want to lead efforts that use these evolving technologies proactively and creatively to solve tomorrow’s problems today. While I may not be an expert in AI or ML, I work with incredibly talented people who are. My strength lies in uniting cross-functional teams, providing clear strategic direction, and translating high-level goals into actionable objectives. I believe the best results come from leveraging diverse skill sets and empowering team members to own their contributions. I strive to create clarity, offer resources, and maintain momentum toward shared outcomes. Leadership also means investing in those who come next. I make it a priority to mentor new engineers, encouraging questions, explaining context, and helping them grow into confident problem solvers. My goal is to model curiosity, accountability, and perseverance, so they not only contribute to current efforts but are also prepared to lead future ones. Developing technical talent while fostering a collaborative and supportive culture is key to sustaining innovation in national defense."

Learn more about the Future 5.

On behalf of AOC, the AOC Foundation, and HeroBox, we extend a huge thank you to everyone who stopped by Hero HQ on Tuesday and Wednesday to support the warfighters who implement the electromagnetic warfare and spectrum operations technologies we advance as a community. We were able to assemble 400 care packages that will be shipped directly to actively deployed warfighters from the US Army, Navy, and National Guard. These items, along with the words of encouragement handwritten by so many of our AOC members and supporters, will mean a lot during the upcoming holiday season.

To continue to support initiatives like this one, learn more about the AOC Foundation.

Thursday’s symposium program at AOC 2025 included a session on EMSO in the Indo-Pacific region. Led by moderator Scott "Sherm" Oliver, who serves on the AOC Board of Directors, the session offered a Taiwanese perspective on the topic from Dr. Chen-Yi “Crystal” Tu, Assistant Research Fellow, National Defense and Security Research in Taipei. Dr. Nathan Mintz followed with a discussion on the importance of generating EW "mass" in the battlespace.

Dr. Tu began by explaining the region in terms of population and geography. She illustrated the density of the region with the Valeriepieris Circle, which encompasses nations such as India, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea (essentially 10% of the Earth’s land). She explained that more people live inside this circle than outside it. Despite the vast distances of Indo-Pacific region, its population density makes for a complex electromagnetic operational environment.

Read the full article here.

In the Closing Spotlight Session of AOC 2025, Rene D. Kanayama, Senior Researcher, Institute ITSTIME, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, and Lieutenant General Lance Landrum, USAF (Ret.), former Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee, provided their perspectives on the challenges facing EMSO over the next decade.

Kanayama delivered a Japanese perspective on the role of EMSO amid rising tensions in the Western Pacific. Having travelled to Ukraine several times over the past few years, he discussed the lessons Japan is learning from the Russo-Ukrainian War, particularly about the widespread use of drones, and how Japan is adapting its defense strategy to address new challenges posed by China, North Korea, and Russia.

Read the full article here.

Thanks so much for joining us at AOC 2025. We look forward to seeing you next year – save the date now!

AOC 2026 will take place December 8-10, 2026, at the Gaylord Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Stay up to date on the latest news and announcements at aoc2026.org, and follow AOC year-round on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Check out the latest news coverage and industry updates throughout AOC 2025.

Official Publication of AOC 2025:
Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED)

AOC 2025 Media Parters:
Aerospace & Defense Review
Armada International
Defense News
everythingRF
Microwave Journal
Microwave Product Digest
Navy League's Seapower