Background | EW is a critical capability for NATO but it is recognized that, across NATO and partner nations, there is a shortfall in researchers and developers in this area. There is a need to:
• Identify the requirements for the future EW engineer (this will be a combination of base underpinning topics that are likely already benchmarked to accepted standards, but also providing the EW contextual aspects which are often missing, thus bringing together academic excellence with EW contextual challenges);
• Provide appropriate education (comprising academic levels and also contextual understanding) and qualifications across NATO; and
• Encourage young scientists / engineers to view a career as an EW engineer (i.e. the application of S&T, or of STEM, to EW) as an exciting and fulfilling opportunity. |
Objectives | The objectives are to:
• Define attributes and both core and specialist skill set(s) for the EW Engineer of the Future (Sharing of S&T roadmaps might aid as input);
• Back cast skills definition to reflect on training provision (i.e. degree modules, combinations, added EW context);
• Use this analysis to also inform design of a possible NATO STO Summer School focused on the EME / EW; and
• Consider these requirements in the context of civilian (government, academic, and industrial) and military EW personnel.
It is anticipated that there will be several flavors of the EW Engineer of the Future, possibly divided by EM band (RF, EO/IR, etc.) and / or by engineered implementation (ECM, ESM, EPM), or some combination thereof. There will also be increasing need for classical and quantum knowledge, indeed hybrid engineered solutions are likely in the “generation-after-next” frame of reference. |
