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2018 Air University Electromagnetic Defense Task Force Summit

On behalf of Lt Gen Steven L. Kwast, Commander of Air Education and Training Command, ALPF was invited to the Air University Electromagnetic Defense Task Force Summit this week at the William F. Bolger Center in Potomac, MD.  

The Foundation was honored to be invited and several ALPF fellows, including ALPF Chairman David Stuckenberg, Vice Chairman Brig. Gen. Ken Chrosniak, and President Dean Dohrman, Ph.D., attended this important event as subject matter experts. Unfettered access to and defense of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is at the forefront of U.S. National Security Strategy and we need a united front to preserve access to this vital national resource. By attending this summit, ALPF was an integral part of evaluating the full range of EM threats and determining innovative conceptual strategies, policies, and procedures necessary to protect the United States and our Allies across this spectrum.

As of 2018, a range of tactical & strategic threats arising of technological advancements within the EM spectrum remain unmitigated.  Some of these threats may pose deep risks to wider society while others can have less visible but still significant impacts.  EM challenges require holistic and prioritized efforts across government to mitigate.  The bullets below discuss how to organize a DoD line of research and analysis to address these challenges. 

DISCUSSION
- The DoD’s number one priority is force survival – such underpins the foundational ability to defend America
- Force survival drives the need to identify and mitigate any real threat that may undermine survival
- Deficiencies in EM defense doctrine and strategy represents a significant risk our foundational abilities 
- The purpose of the 2018 EM Defense Summit is to identify obstacles that have prevented   
  viable application of doctrine and strategy to address EM spectrum defense challenges 
 

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SUMMIT GOALS
- In particular the Summit’s goals were: 

  •    Assess impediments to the development of doctrine and strategy 

  •    Develop lines of effort to reduce those impediments

  •    Develop doctrines and strategies with immediate defense utility for whole of government
     

- The Summit also sought to answer four overarching questions through discussions and presentations: 

  1. What can we build for the future to protect the United States?

  2. What is available for the United States to harden current interests and setup now?

  3. What concepts, policies, and procedures can we change to make us less vulnerable at little to no cost?

  4. What strategies can we leverage with society and commercial investment to work congruently to address risks and issues?
     

TASK FORCE GOALS
- EDTF is a unified effort led by DoD institutions with goals to (1) develop thinking on holistic credible offensive and defensive strategies for the United States, (2) network and develop EM professionals across government, and (3) increase the resilience of DoD and US interests against EM threats
- The EDTF shall be led by a President’s Committee comprised of 5-7 General Officers and Sr. Leaders and two sub-committees organized around key EM threats including directed energy, high-powered microwaves, lasers, optics, electromagnetic pulse, geomagnetic storms, etc. 
- EDTF should consider obtaining OSD, CJCS, or Presidential charter to support reduction of silos and enhance interagency cooperation   

SUMMARY
The United States has no unified effort to mitigate one of the most significant areas of national risk - EM. The EDTF is a holistic effort to address this gap by enlisting the cooperation and expertise available throughout government. The EDTF must, however, be led by the DoD as defense is its business.

Read more on the summit: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/project-spartacus-aims-to-save-electric-grid-from-nuclear-solar-attack

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