Air Operations Center - AOC Flashcards
AOC / JAOC / CAOC
AOC - USAF Assets
JAOC - other services
CAOC - other countries
AOC Mission
The AOC provides operational-level C2 or air, space, and cyberspace operations. It is the focal point for planning, directing, and assessing air, space, and cyberspace operations to meet JFACC operational objectives and guidance.
A1
Personnel
A2
Intelligence
A3
Operations
A4
Logistics
A5
Plans
A6
Communications
A7
Installations
A8
Strategy
A9
Analysis
AOC Divisions
active only during war or for contingencies or exercises
Strategy
Combat Plans
ISR
Combat Ops
Air Mobility
Strat Div
The strategy division concentrates on long-range planning of air, space, and cyberspace (information) operations to achieve theater objectives by developing, refining, disseminating, and assessing the JFACC’s aerospace strategy
comprehensive Joint Air Operations Plan (JAOP)
Combat plans
The combat plans division (CPD) develops detailed short-range (tomorrow & day-after-tomorrow) execution plans for aerospace operations
ATO and ACO
master air attack plan (MAAP) planners then pair available attack assets with targets on the joint integrated prioritized target list (JIPTL)
overall flow of attacks
Combat Ops
The combat operations division (COD) is responsible for monitoring and executing the current ATO (i.e., “today’s war”)
The COD is also the focal point for monitoring the execution of joint and combined operations.
assumes responsibility for the ATO as soon as it is published
real time changes to the ATO/ACO to support mission requirements
ISR
husband the scarce air and space ISR resources under the command of the JFACC
first duty of the ISR branch is to assess the effects of the JFC’s strategy
Second, the ISR branch must detect enemy initiatives early enough that our forces may blunt them before they can be brought to bear against our troops
Finally, the ISR division must answer the mail, responding to the myriad requests for support by allocating resources to specific tasks both scheduled (via the ATO) and immediate (via a presence within the COD).
Air Mobility Division
seemingly unlimited demand with a limited supply of tankers and transports
Director of Mobility Forces is appointed outside the JFACCs chain of command
The DIRMOBFOR also advocates on behalf of the AMD to provide the right mix of tanker and cargo aircraft to support theater operations without handicapping operations in other theaters (and for other AMDs)
MEDEVAC
Component Liasons
Battlefield Coordination Detachment
Naval & Amphibious Liaison Element
MARLO
Special Operations Liaison Element
Coalition/Allied Liaison Officers (LNO)
Information Warfare Team
The NAF A8 provides the information warfare (IW) team
Judge Advocate
The judge advocate (JA) and their paralegals advise the JFACC and all the AOC divisions on issues regarding the rules of engagement (ROE) and the Law of Armed Conflict.
Weather Support Team
short and long term forecasts of atmospheric and solar conditions
Logistics Team
The logistics team ensures the ATO does not overreach our ability to provide bombs, bullets, and fuel to the flying squadrons.
AOC PLATFORM
Traditionally located at the biggest air base in the theater of operations, the AOC might be under canvas or occupy the penthouse of a five-star hotel
At least one big screen will display the Common Operating Picture (COP), a mosaic of data link inputs that represent a near-real-time graphic of aerial activity in the area or responsibility (AOR).
TBMCS
collection of Unix-based software applications that assist AOC teams to create, modify, publish, and transmit the ATO, ACO, SPINS, OPTASKLINK, and other directives and documents
AOC Sensors
It is completely reliant on data feeds from subordinate TACS units to create a picture of theater activity. These feeds come via data links
AOC Communications
A6
Telephones
2-3 UHF
UHF SATCOM (Bulk - The Current Operations Division will maintain two SATCOM links, one with the AWACS and Joint STARS battle management teams, and another with all of the data link participants. A third SATCOM will be available for the SOLE, and perhaps a fourth as a dedicated voice link with the Navy’s carrier air group.)
Air Defense Systems Integrator (ADSI) has become standard-issue to nearly every AOC (takes LINK11 / LNK16 / Misc Radar feed into one COP)
ATO
Each ATO covers a 24-hour period (NORAD 1 Month)
3 Day Cycle
1st 24 HRS (Targets / Units)
Next 12 HRS (WP Loads / T/O times / Refueling)
Pushed 12 Hrs Prior to Execution
24 HRS of Execution
So at any given time, there are three ATOs—today’s, tomorrow’s, and the day-after-tomorrow’s-in the AOC
In addition to the 3-day ATO cycle there is always an ATO in long-range production at the Strategy Division prior to the cycle and an ATO that is being assessed by the ISR Division after the execution of that ATO
ACO
Airspace Control Order (30 Days or Longer)
The ACO is the three-dimensional map of the theater airspace. It divides responsibility for airspace control between civil and military authorities, and between service branches and controlling agencies within the branch
OPTASKLINK
30-day or longer period. The OPTASKLINK gives each data link capable unit the detailed information on machine settings; codes and radio frequencies to be used; as well as identifying primary and alternate net control stations (NCS) and net time references (NTR) required to successfully join and participate in the theater data link architecture.
SPINS
Special Instructions for Airmen (SPINS)
directives that just don’t seem to fit into any other document – might alter or clarify guidance already in the ACO or ATO
