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CENTCOM’S CAOC operates in distributed command, control environment

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amanda Savannah
  • U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs
SHAW AFB, S.C. --  The Combined Air and Space Operations Center in Southwest Asia provides operational command and control for coalition and joint air and space operations across the 20-nation U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility. 

This command and control, or C2, function is distributed among a host of geographically distributed units to facilitate uninterrupted planning and execution of the Combined Forces Air Component Commander's mission, which includes close air support, airlift, refueling, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, combat search and rescue, air defense, and airspace control. 

"The ability to maintain robust and redundant command and control in a joint and combined environment ensures continuous distributed mission execution to maintain dominance of the air, space and cyberspace domain," said Lt. Gen. Gary North, the Combined Forces Air Component Commander. 

"Because the U.S. military and coalition partners conduct so many mission sets over a large area, assured connectivity and layered redundancy is inherent in the effective application of airpower," said Lt. Col. Tracy Jones, U.S Air Forces Central Air C2 and Airfields deputy chief. 

Several forms of communication technologies such as redundant layers of satellite, landline, radio, and other types of communications, and systems such as the Theater Battle Management Core System , are used for command and control of joint air, space and cyberspace operations. 

"The TBMCS is a conglomeration of smaller systems; it is the mechanism with which we build the air tasking order, which is the CFACC's execution roadmap for a day's mission set in the AOR," Colonel Albrecht said. 

"To ensure Airmen prepare for and stay proficient in performing this distributed C2, they routinely exercise to enhance interoperability among the various air and space operations centers and standardize the skill sets of the battle staffs operating in them," said Maj. David Moeller, AFCENT Strategy and Long Range Plans chief. "These exercises provide the readiness training for personnel and hone the C2 processes that provide the Joint Force Commander unity of effort and effective maneuver forces in the air, space and cyberspace domain." Training exercises such as Blue Flag and Eagle Resolve highlight these AOC capabilities. 

C2 exercises also focus on partner-nation interoperability. The intent is to exercise and operate with coalition partners in order to develop a seamless operational environment with a common C2 language. Colonel Albrecht said this is especially important for ongoing military operations in Southwest Asia. 

"Our ability to work side-by-side with the armed forces of regional partner nations will continue to generate positive benefits for regional stability and security," Major Moeller said. Although exercises are important in keeping operators proficient in distributed C2, Airmen must also remember that C2 itself is evolving. 

"AFCENT C2 is unique because it has evolved over the past 20 years and has been continually refined and improved upon in both combat execution and peacetime exercising," said Major Moeller. "It is this dynamic and flexible structure that guarantees survivable and assured command and control across the CENTCOM AOR."