2023 Air, Space & Cyber Conference: A glimpse in the future of Airpower

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ericka A. Woolever
  • 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. --  Members from the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing recently attended the Air & Space Forces Association’s (AFA) 2023 Air, Space & Cyber Conference, September 11-13, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.
 
This year’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference provided first-class professional military development and the sharing of emerging requirements and technologies to help fuel connections that advance the cause of air and space power.
 
The conference featured nearly 50 sessions, including addresses from senior leaders across the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, and aerospace industry.
 
Among the various sessions were not one, but two panels specific to discussions around Electronic Warfare (EW).
 
U.S. Air Force Col. Josh Koslov, 350th SWW commander, served as a panelist for the first session, Spectrum Renaissance, and the moderator for the second session, Cross Cutting Operational Enabler: Electronic Warfare.
 
During both panels, members agreed that the Spectrum has never been a more congested, contested and constrained domain to operate within. They discussed the dependability between air assets and the EMS as inseparable and the survivability of the Airmen depends on the Air Force achieving and maintaining EMS superiority.
 
Additionally, Col. Koslov hosted a media roundtable with various reporters from news outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, BreakingDefense, and C4ISRNET.
 
During the round table Col. Koslov discussed the importance for the Air Force to have the ability to generate, sustain, and deliver decisive multi-domain effects to achieve air component commander objectives depends on the ability to dominate the Spectrum.
 
“In the future, for us, if we do confront a peer, being agile and being rapid is the key to success in the Spectrum,” said Col. Koslov. “Not having control of the Spectrum leads to fatalities, leads to getting killed, and we’ve seen that time and time again in that conflict.”
 
Members from the 350th SWW, also gained an opportunity to hear first-hand how leadership believes we will win in the EMS.
 
“The purpose of EW is to break kill webs,” said Col. Koslov. “Our mindset has to be that we use the spectrum to kill faster, not to protect things.
 
In addition to EW specific panels, members from the 350th SWW heard from keynote address from the Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. , Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force Roger A. Towberman.
 
The topics from the keynote speakers focused on the mission, the Airmen and their families.
 
“United Forces & Families: Senior Leadership Perspective was my favorite,” said U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Mitchell Chappelle, 87th Electronic Warfare Squadron operations flight chief. “They discussed the importance of being intentional with the time we have with our families and how stressful and high tempo these next couple years will be. Hearing senior leaders acknowledge how taxing home life will be, particularly how balance is unlikely, and that harmony is more realistic, was a good reminder to remember who were making sacrifices for.”
 
Events like these provide an in-person experience where members learn about the future of our force while also understanding the roadmap our leaders are taking to ensure we can win todays fight and be ready to win tomorrows.
 
“It was truly amazing and humbling to be part of all the wealth of knowledge throughout the conference, said Penny Gallemore, 350th SWW manpower and organization chief. Penny explained, how having the opportunity to hear senior leaders advocate for Airmen at all levels provided a sense of pride and gratification.