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Allen-Vanguard Acquired by Defence Investment Specialist Operating Partners Group

Thursday, October 22nd, 2026

Allen-Vanguard, a global leader in Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA), has entered a new era with new owners, Operating Partners Group (OPG). Specialist defence investors OPG have taken ownership of Allen-Vanguard, expanding its defence technology portfolio to complement and reinforce its existing European businesses and increase its global force protection capability.

An established and well-renowned provider of RF solutions for well over two decades, Allen-Vanguard’s pedigree in delivering integrated, platform-agnostic EW sensors, counter-RCIED and counter-UAS solutions is unquestionable.

Allen-Vanguard solutions have traditionally been protecting personnel and vehicles in operational theatres, conflict zones or where there is an increased risk profile across the globe. With the deployment of their ‘SP3’ Transceiver, a wider range of EW sensors and solutions follows, growing the adaptable range of capabilities trusted by NATO nations, major aid agencies, governments and other non-governmental organisations on every continent. With agility, engineering rigour and an innovative approach, Allen-Vanguard continues to set the benchmark for countering the wide gamut of complex RF problems faced by modern forces.

OPG is a specialist defence investment firm whose portfolio comprises leading electronic warfare businesses across Europe. OPG is led by its Founder and Managing Director, Miles Graham, who brings more than 30 years’ experience across government, McKinsey consulting and private equity investing. He is supported by a team with deep expertise in defence, technology, investing and operations, which work hands-on with senior management to build long-term value.

Bobby Strawbridge, President of Allen-Vanguard, said: “Allen-Vanguard has a proud and successful history in delivering RF solutions for complex operational issues. Unfortunately, recent months have taken us through an unavoidable and difficult receivership process. We have appreciated the continued support of our employees, customers, suppliers and other business partners throughout the process, which has allowed us to emerge stronger. Looking to the future, I am pleased to report that we have secured new owners willing and able to invest in the long-term growth of the business.

OPG has the strategic vision, deep insight and necessary connections into current operational theatres to leverage an extensive ecosystem of similarly agile RF companies to reinforce Allen-Vanguard’s expertise and deliver a true capability multiplier. I am very encouraged that we have been able to find a positive way forward.”

Miles Graham, Founder and MD of OPG, said: “We are delighted to be investing in Allen-Vanguard, a brand with such strong and long-standing heritage. We have been hugely impressed by the team, their product range, technology roadmap and strong customer-focused ethos. Allen-Vanguard is an excellent addition to our electronic warfare portfolio. We see clear synergy with the agility and RF capability required to meet current operational demands and also see a real opportunity to bring IP and capabilities from across our existing businesses to Canada and global markets. Our backing will support Allen-Vanguard to build on its established force protection strengths and expand into adjacent areas such as signals intelligence. We’re excited to work with Bobby and the team as the business enters a new era.”

Posted in CEMA, EW, Industry, International, Press Release | No Comments »

G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech

Friday, October 16th, 2026

The U.S. Army is seeking innovative electromagnetic spectrum operations solutions from eligible small businesses across the U.S. through the Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD) U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) Accelerated Capability Event (ACE) 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech. This platform offers participants the opportunity to engage with the Department of War (DoW), earn prize money and submit a Direct to Phase II Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal. G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech is a focused open-topic competition designed to identify cutting-edge technology solutions that will drive significant advancements in military capabilities while addressing complex challenges and enhancing national security.

The U.S. Army FUZE Program, in partnership with the USAREUR-AF, is executing the Spectrum Enabled Warfare competition as part of the G-TEAD Accelerated Capability Event (ACE) series. This competition addresses Army’s need to gain and maintain spectrum superiority by identifying high-potential solutions and accelerating transition through funding and integration into live USAREUR-AF-led exercises. Integrating into a USAREUR-AF-led exercise is critical to: (1) validate capabilities under operationally realistic conditions, (2) inform acquisition and integration decisions, and (3) address near-term gaps to sense, understand, exploit, attack, and protect across a contested electromagnetic environment and connected cyberspace.

The operational challenge on the Eastern Flank is the enablement of U.S. Army forces, operating within a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and joint coalition framework, to sense, understand, exploit, attack, and protect across a contested electromagnetic environment and connected cyberspace. To deter peer aggression and preserve freedom of maneuver, V Corps must protect tactical command and control networks while delivering synchronized, non-lethal and lethal effects at depth against adversary command, control, communications, and targeting architectures.

Gaining and maintaining spectrum superiority against dense anti-access / area denial systems requires a modular, coalition-interoperable architecture that operates in congested radio frequency (RF) environments, executes multi-echelon precision effects, and hardens friendly formations against persistent electromagnetic and cyber disruption during competition, crisis, and conflict. The Army requires capabilities that are scalable, upgradeable, and intuitive for Soldiers across military occupational specialties, and maintainable at the tactical edge without routine reliance on field service representatives for minor repairs or adjustments.

The Army is seeking to evaluate capabilities to participate in one of three demonstration tracks (eligible for SBIR follow-on contacts) as part of this Spectrum Enabled Warfare ACE:

Capability 1: Electromagnetic Support / Tactical Surveillance
Capability 2: Autonomous Network Management
Capability 3: Electromagnetic Environment Visualization and Battle Damage Assessment Tools

Phase I

This topic is accepting DP2 submissions with a cost limit of $2,000,000 and a period of performance of 12-18 months. Only finalists and final winners of G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition are permitted to submit a proposal for this topic. In order for proposers to submit a DP2 proposal, they must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential military and/or commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results.

Phase II

Produce prototype solutions that will be easy to operate by a Soldier. These products will be provided to select Army units for testing and experimentation with end Users in a realistic field environment. Feedback from testing and experimentation will be provided directly to Small Businesses to iterate rapidly on recommended modifications or improvements for Army operational use. In addition, companies will work with Army partners to develop a draft technology transition and commercialization plan for DoW and commercial markets.

Phase III Dual Use Applications

Complete the maturation of the company’s technology developed in Phase II to technology readiness level 8/9 and produce prototypes to support scaling and fielding of the technology with the Army and pursue commercialization pathways.

Duration: 12-18 months

Close Date: 10/30/2026

Amount Up To: Up to $2,000,000

Full competition details including details on the topic areas of interest can be found in Appendix A section of the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech RFI at www.xtech.army.mil/competitions.

Posted in Army, Contracts, EW | No Comments »

Maryland Guard Activates New Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion

Saturday, September 26th, 2026

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — Governor Wes Moore and Maj. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, the 31st adjutant general of Maryland, hosted the Maryland National Guard’s activation ceremony for the 628th Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion at historic Fort Washington Park, located along the Potomac River in Prince George’s County, Sept. 13, 2026.

The 628th IEW Battalion provides multi-domain intelligence analysis and exploitation, targeting support, and collection capabilities to enable the 28th Infantry Division’s operations across the air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace domains.

“Maryland is leading the future of national defense, and the 628th is the first National Guard intelligence and electronic warfare battalion built entirely from the ground up,” said Moore. “You all are at the tip of the spear. This battalion is a prime example of a commitment to workforce development, because you truly represent our best and our brightest.”

Over the last 15 months, Lt. Col. Asa Coates, commander of the 628th IEW, Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan McGlone, and other Maryland Army National Guard leaders recruited talent and established the capabilities necessary to activate the battalion while still supporting real-world missions for combatant commanders and other large-scale exercises. During the ceremony, Coates and McGlone unfurled the battalion colors alongside the commanders and first sergeants representing the battalion’s four subordinate companies.

“Building the 628th IEW Battalion from scratch was demanding, but at the same time very rewarding,” said Coates. “We have some phenomenal soldiers in this battalion, and I cannot thank you all enough.”

The battalion’s size and composition are designed to adapt to the specific intelligence and targeting requirements of division operations, providing commanders with capabilities to understand the operational environment and support decisions across multiple domains.

The battalion adopted the nickname “The Blackjacks” and the motto “Own the Shadows,” connects to Maryland’s history and the origins of military intelligence during the Civil War. Maryland General Harriet Tubman served as a guide, spy, and scout, gathering and relaying intelligence to Union Army operations along with a clandestine network of free and formerly enslaved individuals, known as The Blackjacks.

The 628th IEW Battalion operates “in the shadows” across less visible domains, including the electromagnetic spectrum, cyberspace, and multidisciplinary intelligence networks, while providing intelligence that enables military operations.

“The landscape of large-scale combat operations is shifting rapidly, and you are positioned directly at the inflection point,” said Col. Kristie Roy, commander of the 58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade. “In the conflicts of tomorrow, you will provide the 28th Infantry Division with the clarity needed to pierce the fog of war, enabling maneuver commanders to act decisively and win. The doctrinal footprint for future multi-domain warfare is being written right now. Because of your intellect, your discipline, and your dedication, this battalion is not just prepared to adapt to the future; you are leading it.”

The activation ceremony also recognized the “long-minded” Maryland National Guard leaders who helped establish the foundation for the state’s modern intelligence enterprise. Retired Maj. Gen. Linda L. Singh, former adjutant general of Maryland, was recognized for “relentlessly pursuing a modernized force structure” during her tenure. Retired Maj. Gen. Edward Leacock, former senior intelligence officer for the Army National Guard, was also recognized as “the godfather” of Maryland’s military intelligence community and he continues to mentor senior intel professionals today.

The activation of the 629th Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion in 2024 and its simultaneous changes to the organizational framework helped “fast-track” the 628th IEW’s expanding intelligence support to combatant commands around the world through lessons learned and sharing best practices.

“The establishment of this new unit sends a clear message that the Maryland National Guard is prepared to fight today and is preparing for what comes tomorrow with great urgency,” said Birckhead. “We’re building a force that can respond to emergencies here in the homeland and are also ready to respond internationally with sophisticated capabilities when the nation needs us.”

Story by MAJ Benjamin Hughes

Maryland National Guard Public Affairs Office

Posted in Army, EW, Forces Focus, Guest Post, ISR | No Comments »

IEW History: MG Odom Convenes Tactical Intelligence Conference (21 JUL 1982)

Monday, September 21st, 2026

On July 21-22, 1982, Maj. Gen. William Odom, the Army’s assistant chief of staff, intelligence, hosted a Tactical Intelligence Conference at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. With a goal of finding consensus on the Army’s long-awaited intelligence capstone field manual, FM 34-1 Intelligence and Electronic Warfare (IEW) Operations, the conference was an overwhelming success.

The 1970s ushered in dramatic change for Army intelligence. Specific reforms recommended by the Intelligence Organization and Stationing Study (IOSS) published in 1975 were being implemented: the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command had been established; responsibility for all intelligence training was consolidated at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School (USAICS); and planning was underway for a single Army intelligence production center—the Army Intelligence Agency. Additionally, organic combat electronic warfare intelligence (CEWI) units were being activated at corps and division levels; yet intelligence doctrine struggled to keep pace with this rapid organizational and operational change. As late as 1982, MI was still relying on doctrine published more than a decade earlier.

At USAICS at Fort Huachuca, Mr. Phil Young’s Doctrinal Literature Division, Directorate of Training and Doctrine, was tasked with producing all IEW doctrinal materials for the U.S. Army and some joint services. The office had several supporting FM 34-series echelon manuals—such as FM 34-20 MI Group (CEWI) (Corps) and FM 34-10 MI Battalion (CEWI) (Division)—in various stages of completion, as well as a rough coordinating draft of FM 34-1 completed as early as 1980.

Two years later, tactical units were complaining about USAICS’ failure to produce a final version of the capstone manual. FM 34-1 was proving a significant challenge for Young’s office. Not only was Young struggling with significant personnel shortages, but the draft received some contentious feedback from the field. In a column in Military Intelligence Magazine, General Odom called out the “wholly unrealistic expectations” of the critics, stating “Two or three years ago, I doubt that we had adequate experience on which to base an effective draft of FM 34-1.” While he believed that “a great deal of experience has begun to accumulate from exercises and training,…we are nowhere near ready to write the ‘last word’ on doctrine in FM 34-1.” Still, he agreed, “it is high time to write the ‘first word’ on that doctrine.”

On July 21-22, 1982, General Odom convened a Tactical Intelligence Conference at USAICS. He brought in Army G-2s and tactical intelligence commanders from every corps and nearly every division to collaborate with the doctrine writers at USAICS. After personally helping nail down a definition of “doctrine,” Odom focused the attendees on five key areas of dissension: IEW operations, intelligence support to Operational Security (OPSEC), the all-source intelligence center, collection management, and joint and combined IEW operations.

After the conference, General Odom praised the level of competence and professionalism in the MI Branch, relating, “The wealth of insight was truly impressive, and I personally left the conference much richer from the experience.” The USAICS doctrine writers also felt enlightened but perhaps intimidated by the amount of material the July “crash effort” and a follow-on November session generated. Still, based on the two conferences’ recommendations, by the end of the year, Mr. Young’s division had hammered out a new FM 34-1 coordinating draft and staffed it for review by the major commands. A second coordinating draft—slimmer by 250 pages and focused on company and field grade officers performing IEW command and staff functions—was ready for staffing by Feb. 18, 1983. On Mar. 22-23, 1983, another meeting at Fort Huachuca led to the finalization of the manual’s content.

Finally, on Aug. 31, 1984, the long-awaited FM 34-1 IEW Operations was published, the first time Army intelligence field operations doctrine was compiled in a single source. It provided general doctrine for tactical IEW operations from Echelons Above Corps down to maneuver battalion levels. Mr. Young stressed, however, that the manual was still not “the last word” but, instead, would need to be updated with continual feedback from the field.

Article by Lori S. Stewart, USAICoE Command Historian. New issues of This Week in MI History are published each week. To report story errors, ask questions, request previous articles, or be added to our distribution list, please contact: TR-ICoE-Command-Historian@army.mil.

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BAE Systems Launches Shadow EW Compact Electronic Warfare Solutions

Sunday, September 20th, 2026

Cost-effective, low-SWaP electronics enable small airborne platforms to conduct missions in contested environments

BAE Systems has launched its Shadow EW™ family of compact electronic warfare (EW) solutions designed for a diverse and growing range of small airborne platforms. The solutions provide critical situational awareness and self-defense capabilities, improving mission effectiveness in contested environments.

Shadow EW represents a critical shift in how BAE Systems develops and delivers innovative, cost-effective EW solutions with the agility and scale required to support the demands of the U.S. Department of War.

BAE Systems can produce Shadow EW systems in high quantities at a low cost, backed by proven high-volume production capabilities and a skilled workforce. Shadow EW solutions utilize commercial microchips for high-performance computing and supply chain efficiency, allowing the company to accelerate production and delivery.

“The modern battlefield is changing at an unprecedented pace and all platforms, regardless of size, require adaptable electronic warfare capabilities to survive,” said Rebecca Cruz, Director, Shadow EW products at BAE Systems. “Shadow EW solutions provide flexible, configurable hardware paired with iterative software updates to counter rapidly evolving threats.”

Shadow EW products provide compact, low-cost EW capabilities that are optimized to support high-volume, affordable mass applications and rapid platform integration. These small, lightweight, power efficient products are developed around open architecture standards and field upgradeable, software defined capabilities. They support a full range of EW mission applications, including situational awareness, targeting, deception, survivability, and collaborative effects delivery.

Production of the Shadow EW family of products will take place at BAE Systems facilities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with software and design work in Nashua, New Hampshire. For more information about Shadow EW, visit: www.baesystems.com/en-us/product/shadow-ew.

Posted in EW, Press Release | No Comments »

NestAI to Bring Adaptive AI into Electronic Warfare Platforms

Saturday, September 19th, 2026

Saab and NestAI partner to build defence systems that keep improving after they are fielded.

NestAI has entered a partnership with Saab to bring adaptive AI into selected parts of Saab’s electronic warfare platform. The capability is developed through NestOS, NestAI’s adaptive operating system for modern battlefield operations. For European armed forces, it marks a step toward sensor systems that do not just perform at delivery but continue to improve throughout their operational life.

Saab’s sensor technology, which already sets a high standard in the field, serves as the first step in a broader model for bringing adaptive AI into production defence systems. Developed with NestOS, the partnership adds an AI layer that optimises both performance and production efficiency, taking a proven product family to a new level of capability. The result is a system that continuously learns from operational data and adapts to changing conditions.

Speed and adaptability matter in today’s security environment. As threats evolve faster than procurement cycles, the ability to update and improve deployed systems without new hardware has become a strategic priority for armed forces across the continent. This collaboration represents a broader commitment to pioneering Nordic AI excellence in defence, built to deliver adaptive AI capability at speed without compromising the rigour that defence applications demand.

Under the partnership, Saab’s sensors will continue to improve over time, drawing on operational data processed through NestOS.

“European defence systems are fielded for decades. The threats they face change in months. Most systems have no way to close that gap after deployment. This partnership is about changing that, building the infrastructure for defence capability that evolves with the threat, not against it”, says Peter Sarlin, Founder and Executive Chairman, NestAI

“Saab and NestAI are bringing together leading defence and AI expertise to strengthen Nordic and European capability. By combining operational knowledge with advanced artificial intelligence, we are exploring how to lay the foundations for the next generation of secure, sovereign and mission-critical capabilities”, says Mikael Adelsberg, Chief Digital Officer at Saab.

Posted in AI / ML, EW, International, Press Release | No Comments »

Xtremis Wins Defense Innovation Unit’s Spectrum Strike Prize Challenge

Wednesday, September 16th, 2026

WEST FORK, Ark., Sept. 15, 2026 — Xtremis announced that its spectrumOS platform was selected as the winner of the Spectrum Strike Prize Challenge, a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) competition to modernize how the U.S. military plans, coordinates, and authorizes use of the electromagnetic spectrum – the frequencies allocated for activities like wireless communications and radar.

Xtremis was selected from 43 respondents after a multistage evaluation culminating in a live, hands-on demonstration at Fort Carson, Colorado. Government spectrum managers used spectrumOS to process operational data, model the radio-frequency environment, identify potential conflicts, and prepare spectrum authorization requests for review.

Project Spectrum Strike addresses a longstanding operational challenge: military spectrum authorizations can take 75 to 180 days and still rely heavily on manual processes and disconnected systems. Those timelines are increasingly strained by the rapid decision-making demands of modern warfare. DIU challenged participants to demonstrate an enterprise approach that could adapt to dynamic electromagnetic environments and sharply reduce planning and coordination time through automation.

“Today, the electromagnetic spectrum is a decisive maneuver space. Almost every aspect of modern warfare relies on effective, efficient navigation of this invisible environment, but the processes used to manage that access have not kept pace with wireless demand,” said Adam Jay Harrison, CEO of Xtremis. “What made Project Spectrum Strike particularly meaningful was putting spectrumOS directly in the hands of the people responsible for these decisions. Spectrum managers and electronic warfare personnel used the platform against an operationally relevant problem and saw what it could do. We are proud of the result and the team that built it.”

spectrumOS is Xtremis’ spectrum management and orchestration platform, helping military decision-makers see, understand, plan, and act with unprecedented speed and accuracy in complex electromagnetic environments. It combines agentic artificial intelligence, software automation, physics-based radio-frequency modeling, and real-time sensor data to accelerate time-intensive data processing, modeling, and coordination while preserving human authority over consequential spectrum decisions. This enables faster action without sacrificing the judgment and oversight complex operations require.

Xtremis’ Spectrum Strike solution builds on the company’s established spectrum warfare work across the Department of War. The Advanced Dynamic Spectrum Reconnaissance (ADSR) system, a distributed electromagnetic spectrum situational awareness capability developed by Xtremis, has operated continuously with U.S. military and allied units since 2023. The Spectrum Strike selection follows other recent Department of War milestones, including selection for the Advanced Spectrum Coexistence (ASC) program and participation in the Army’s Project Convergence Capstone 6 (PCC6) experiment. Together, these efforts expand Xtremis’ role from persistent awareness and operational ground truth to spectrum planning, coexistence, and orchestration.

The Spectrum Strike result positions Xtremis in a large and growing mission area. A June 2026 GAO report found that the Department of War – the largest federal spectrum user by total frequency assignments – faces rising demand as it escalates deployments of spectrum-intensive systems. This demand will only increase as competition over spectrum access in modern conflict environments like Ukraine intensifies.

The commercial telecommunications and wireless industry faces a parallel constraint: wireless demand continues to grow while usable spectrum remains finite. U.S. wireless data consumption reached a record 132.5 trillion megabytes in 2025 after growing roughly 35 percent annually over the previous three years. Xtremis’ dual-use technology can provide the observation, verification, and assurance needed to reduce interference and support more intensive, authorized spectrum sharing. That capability can strengthen military spectrum advantage, help telecommunications providers expand capacity across 5G, emerging 6G, and other wireless services, and position Xtremis for substantial growth in defense and commercial markets.

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Army Awards the First Two Production Contracts Using the Rapid Electromagnetic Warfare & Signals Intelligence (REWSI) Call for Solutions

Monday, September 14th, 2026

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — The U.S. Army awarded nearly $196 million in production contracts to two defense technology companies to deliver advanced electromagnetic spectrum situational awareness, direction finding, geolocation, signal identification, and other advanced capabilities directly to Soldiers.

The awards mark the Army’s first production contracts executed under the Rapid Electromagnetic Warfare and Signals Intelligence (REWSI) Call for Solutions, an initiative under the Army Open Solicitation (AOS) and Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) framework. Both contracts include a five-year ordering period and were awarded by Army Contracting Command–Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG).

The contracts include:

Heaviside Industries Inc.: A $99 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract awarded Aug. 27, 2026, for the procurement, fielding, upgrades, and sustainment of the Heaviside MOTH spectrum analyzer. The device provides a small form factor distributed electromagnetic sensor that detects and reports sources within the electromagnetic spectrum at the tactical edge.

Research Innovations Inc. (RII): A $96.9 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract awarded Sept. 3, 2026, to procure capabilities supporting the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) Characteristics of Need (CoN) to the AI-driven RII Dragonfly sensors integrated aboard the Menet Aero Intrepid 1200 unmanned aircraft system.

“The first two awards represent an innovation in defense acquisition – transitioning the enterprise from a reactive posture of developing proprietary systems to match emerging threats, to a proactive strategy of leveraging market velocity to consistently outpace them,” said Col. Scott Shaffer, Project Manager for Electromagnetic Warfare and Collection (PM EW&C).

Led by PM EW&C, this rapid acquisition effort supports the Army’s EMSO CoN. The initiative streamlines the acquisition process, delivering capability faster across a diverse range of technologies to meet formation and echelon needs.

The Call for Solutions (Army Open Solicitation – W9128Z-26-S-A002), released on the VULCAN portal, supports a broader effort to establish a collection of commercial capabilities. Evaluations are currently being conducted on a rolling basis throughout the open period of the CSO.

Posted in Army, Contracts, EW, Press Release | No Comments »