Future Force: How EMSO Is Reshaping Modern Defense

More from From the Crows' Nest All episodes →

1. 

   19 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 3 min

   Q&A: How Will the Government Shutdown Impact EMSO?

   As the holidays approach, From the Crows’ Nest host Ken Miller takes a step back from regularly scheduled programming and is joined once again by producer Laura Krebs to answer more listener questions. The pair unpack the recent government shutdown and how it affected America’s defense sector, as well as how EMSO dominance factors into potential conflicts with Iran and China. Ken also explains how Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s recent acquisition reform strategy may impact EMSO and defense operations. Then, he gives a sneak peek into an episode set to release in January. To learn more about…

2. 

   12 Nov 2025 · 45 min

   Winning the Next War: How the U.S. Can Achieve Dominance Across All Warfighting Domains

   Between the Russo-Ukrainian War and the looming threat of China invading Taiwan, the landscape of global conflict has changed… and today’s guest says the strategies for U.S. dominance have to change along with it. In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller joins retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General David Deptula, current Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Power Studies to examine what America is doing right and wrong in efforts to meet new threats worldwide. Deptula said that while the United States has built a spectrum of systems that give the nation and its…

3. 

   6 Nov 2025 · 31 min

   Educating Congress: AOC's Week on the Hill

   Host Ken Miller welcomes Scott "Sherm" Oliver, AOC Board Member and expert on Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO), for a conversation during a busy week of meetings on the Hill. Together, they discuss AOC’s ongoing advocacy for the Congressional Electronic Warfare Working Group, share impressions from their meetings with lawmakers, and reflect on the growing recognition of EMSO’s importance. They discuss the need for strong leadership and education within both Congress and the Department of War, the urgency of taking bold action to maintain US advantage in the spectrum, and the…

4. 

   29 Oct 2025 · 36 min

   Charting a Path to 2035

   In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller sits down with retired US Army Col. Kevin Finch, who now serves as a member of the Association of Old Crows Board of Directors. Col. Finch is the Symposium Committee Chair for the upcoming AOC 2025 in December. Together, they discuss navigating the future of electromagnetic spectrum operation (EMSO) and the evolving landscape of electromagnetic warfare (EW) amidst political, strategic, economic, and technological changes. Shifts in geopolitics have altered the focus and strategic objectives of all members of the international…

5. 

   22 Oct 2025 · 43 min

   Young Innovators Give a Glimpse Into EMSO’s Future

   In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller sits down with the heads of two startups in the military space to get a glimpse at the cutting edge of military, warfare and EMSO operations. Ethan Thornton of Mach Industries and Rob Sladen of Zulu Pods are both young innovators in the military space, with Mach Industries focusing on pioneering unmanned systems and Zulu Pods aiming to improve fluid delivery systems in assets that support expendable assets like drones and missiles. Both entrepreneurs say their technologies can be key to bridging the gaps between how technology is…

6. 

   8 Oct 2025 · 36 min

   How to Trust AI on the Battlefield

   In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller unpacks one of the key challenges with using artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) in combat: How can human agents trust AI in a live, complex military operation? Jeff Druce, Senior Scientist, Human-Centered AI at Charles River Analytics, is at the heart of trying to answer this question. Jeff says that neural networks are inherently opaque; a system can perform millions of computations in seconds with a user being in the dark of how a system arrived at a certain recommendation or action. He tells Ken that their RELAX…

7. 

   1 Oct 2025 · 38 min

   Reading the Tea Leaves in a Chaotic Global Security Environment

   In mid-September, in Lviv, Ukraine, the second annual Defense Tech Summit was held with representatives from over 50 countries in attendance. A policy shift from the Trump administration in support of Ukraine signals new focus on ending the Russia-Ukraine War that is now approaching four years. The two-year war continues between Israel and Hamas in Gaza without progress toward a ceasefire. Oh, and now, the US government is in shutdown mode as of October 1. Host Ken Miller sits down with journalist, author, and expert Col. Jeffrey Fischer, USAF (Ret) to discuss all these topics and more in…

8. 

   24 Sep 2025 · 55 min

   How Science Fiction Informs and Inspires EMSO Innovation

   In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest , host Ken Miller looks at innovation in EMSO and how ideas get from whiteboard to the battlefield through a new lens: science fiction. Lisa Yaszek, Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech, tells host Ken Miller that scientists are indebted to science fiction writers, as the genre gives people interested in science and technology a way to theorize about promising technologies years, decades, or even centuries in the future. She says the genre is an incubator for new ideas and has led to innovative breakthroughs from scientists like…

9. 

   18 Sep 2025 · 34 min

   Making Sense of Russia’s Drone Incursion into Poland

   In this episode, host Ken Miller is joined by friend and colleague Tom Withington , award-winning editor, defense journalist, and expert with Armada International . Ken and Tom discuss the latest developments in the Russo-Ukrainian War with a special focus on the recent Russian drone incursion into Poland and what it means for all of NATO. They also discuss how the Russo-Ukrainian War, along with other global security challenges in the Middle East and Indo-PACOM region, are changing the way we have to prepare for future escalation and conflict. For more information on FTCN and the…

10. 

    10 Sep 2025 · 45 min

    Space Operations: The Final Frontier

    After decades of being the purview of world governments, space operations have exploded in commercial and civilian necessity in recent years. Commercial satellites have increased 7 fold over the last 15 years and now total more than 10,000. Space capabilities are central to nearly every operational concept and military mission, not to mention every modern economy. Furthermore, space operations and electromagnetic spectrum operations are inextricably linked. How does the Unites State juggle the competition between military and commercial in space? How can the United States secure an enduring…