From the Crows' Nest

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...

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 Studie...

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...

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 electromagne...

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 impro...

Join us today to hear Host Ken Miller's conversation with John Knowles, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance, about how U.S. and allied forces are adapting for the next era of electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO). They discuss takeaways from recent trade shows, how the Army and Air Force are rethinking their force structure, and what new reports say about preparing for...

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 i...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Innovation is a buzzword to showcase game-changing technologies and capabilities. But how do you get the people’s attention to consider the possibilities, risks, and opportunities? How do you raise awareness to move innovative ideas from the mind to the lab and to the field, not to mention the average household? So much innovation is downstream from culture. In a special episode of From the Crows’...

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller is joined by returning guest Duncan McCrory from the Freeman Air & Space Institute at King’s College London to unpack concerns of a Chinese escalation in the Pacific to reunification with Taiwan — and what this move could mean for the United States and alliances around the world. McCrory says that defense experts have focused on 2027, kn...

As August kicks off and summer hits full swing, From the Crows’ Nest takes a step back from its usual format for a special Q&A episode. Host Ken Miller is joined in the studio by Voxtopica producer Laura Krebs to answer questions from listeners and the (very real) studio audience.   The conversation touches on topics like EMSO’s role in future global conflicts, what to watch from the latest Wo...

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest , host Ken Miller delves into the intersection of privacy and national security with Susan Landau, the Director of the Cybersecurity Center at Tufts University. Landau testified before Congress last month calling for improved encryption as a matter of national security. She tells host Ken Miller that the modern debate over encryption and cybersecurity dates...

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller is joined by Madison Arcangeli and Katy Nazaretova from Forza DC to discuss the current state of Capitol Hill and the annual appropriations process. They cover a range of topics including keeping the government funded through FY 2025, the progress of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, and the latest on the annual Defense appropr...

In this episode, host Ken Miller is joined by friend and colleague John Knowles, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED), to discuss the defense budget, as well as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the latest on military actions in Iran. They draw comparisons between the actions taken in Iran and Ukraine's strategic actions taken against Russia, highlighting the importance...

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest , host Ken Miller takes us inside the cutting edge of airborne electronic attack with a deep dive into the U.S. Navy’s latest game-changer: the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB). Joining Ken is Chuck Angus, Business Development Director at Raytheon, who shares how this powerful new system is redefining the electromagnetic battlespace. Built with advan...

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest , host Ken Miller gets insight into the front lines of the war in Ukraine with today’s guest, Jack de Santis. The Croatian-born drone pilot with the Ukrainian military, is also an engineer and businessman, and is the founder of Omira AI — a company that specializes in counter-EW communications technology. Ken and Jack are also joined by FTCN regular guest, r...

In this episode of From the Crows' Nest, host Ken Miller is joined by friend and colleague John Knowles, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED), to discuss the ongoing congressional defense budget and reconciliation processes on Capitol Hill. They also discuss the latest developments in Spectrum auction and the need to invest in dynamic spectrum sharing technology and pr...

The Association of Old Crows (AOC) wants to make our podcast the best it can be. To help us succeed, we'd like to hear your thoughts. Please take just a few minutes to complete our 2025 listener survey because your opinion is very important to us.  In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest , host Ken Miller is joined by a panel of two Army colonels to unpack how the Army has made strategic investmen...

In this episode, host Ken Miller fields audience questions while visiting EMSO stakeholders in Las Vegas, NV. Ken discusses his views on the implementation of the 2020 EMSO Strategy, the defense budget, training and manpower, spectrum management, and the need for an all-of-government approach to EMSO readiness. You can reach the host directly to share your thoughts or questions you want FTCN to co...

In this episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller welcomes Luke Cabot, an Electromagnetic Warfare Training and Technology Instructor at Inzpire’s Technical and Strategic Services Division in the UK.   Luke shares how Inzpire’s greatest strength lies in making the complex simple—translating advanced electromagnetic warfare (EW) concepts into language anyone can understand. He discusses the c...

In this special episode of From the Crows’ Nest , we’re coming to you from the heart of Rome, Italy, where AOC Europe 2025 is in full swing! Host Ken Miller sits down with three familiar voices to capture the pulse of the show floor and dive into the evolving landscape of Electromagnetic Operations (EMO). This year’s theme, “EMO in Transition – Learning from the Russo-Ukrainian War,” sparks timely...

In this episode of From the Crows' Nest, host Ken Miller is joined once again by John Knowles, Editor-in-Chief of AOC’s Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED) . They discuss service EW budgets and the technology trends that may influence the Fiscal Year 2026 defense budget that is expected to be released by mid-May. Specifically, they discuss key investments, including the Navy’s Next Generati...