U.S. Strategic Command Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations

In April, Maj. Gen. AnnMarie Anthony, USAF, director, Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) Operations Center, U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, spent time with the chapter apprising the assembly on EMS and what her center does.

Anthony thanked the chapter for inviting her to talk about electromagnetic spectrum operations. She presented a diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum, describing it as a physical phenomenon referred to as electromagnetic radiation. She talked about long waves characterized by low frequency, low power, but really good for long range communications. She contrasted this to short waves, which are high frequency and high energy ionization. These types of waves are better for high resolution and high data rates, but they do not travel very far. She clarified that the dilemma is trying to combine the high data rate of the short wave with the long range of the long waves to obtain the most ideal signal. This is a problem they haven't quite figured out yet.

Anthony talked about the challenges of EMS. For instance, a Google GPS jammer can be bought on the internet, but she highly discouraged this because they are illegal to operate. She talked about how a bad actor can acquire a GPS jammer and make changes to improve effectiveness relatively easily. She also commented that there's a rapid increase in EMS congestion and EMS use. She mentioned that the Internet of Things has really made the electromagnetic spectrum more congested. With respect to signals, she said there is a sweet spot where the commercial sector realizes this is the most ideal part of the spectrum to use, but everyone wants to use this, which creates congestion. Anthony clarified how EMS is ubiquitous with our daily lives, whether we're using Google Maps to get home, and using the GPS, or, if we're texting, we're using either cellular data or WiFi, which are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. If you have a smart appliance like a smart oven and maybe you want to warm this up on your way home from work, you're using the electromagnetic spectrum.

Anthony discussed why the electromagnetic spectrum found a home within USSTRATCOM. She talked about how the military operates in fighting domains, land, sea, air, space and cyberspace; however, the electromagnetic spectrum, per U.S. doctrine is not considered a domain. It is a maneuver space used by all the domains. There were considerations of placing EMS in Space Command and even Cyber Command, but USSTRATCOM prevailed because it is a global war fighting combatant command. It will not have the problem of the electromagnetic spectrum being viewed only through the lens of the domain because STRATCOM has to operate in all of the domains.

Anthony proceeded to define electromagnetic warfare.

Event Photographs: