The United States Air Force employs two kinds of AOCs: regional AOCs utilizing the AN/USQ-163 Falconer weapon system that support geographic
combatant commanders, and functional AOCs that support functional combatant commanders.[2] When there is more than one U.S. military service working in an AOC, such as when
naval aviation from the
U.S. Navy (USN) and/or the
U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) is incorporated, it is called a Joint Air Operations Center (JAOC). In cases of allied or coalition (multinational) operations in tandem with USAF or Joint air operations, the AOC is called a Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC).[1]
An AOC is the senior element of the Theater Air Control System (TACS). The Joint Force Commander (JFC) assigns a
Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) to lead the AOC weapon system. If allied or coalition forces are part of the operation, the JFC and JFACC will be redesignated as the CFC and CFACC, respectively.
Quite often the Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR) is assigned the JFACC/CFACC position for planning and executing theater-wide air forces. If another service also provides a significant share of air forces, the Deputy JFACC/CFACC will typically be a senior
flag officer from that service. For example, during
Operation Enduring Freedom and
Operation Iraqi Freedom, when USAF combat air forces (CAF) and mobility air forces (MAF) integrated extensive USN and USMC sea-based and land-based aviation and
Royal Air Force (RAF) and
Royal Navy /
Fleet Air Arm aviation, the CFACC was an aeronautically rated USAF
lieutenant general, assisted by an aeronautically designated USN
rear admiral (upper half) as the Deputy CFACC, and an aeronautically rated RAF
air commodore as the Senior British Officer (Air).
Divisions
There are five divisions in the AOC. These separate, but distinct, organizations fuse information that eventually becomes the
Air Tasking Order. Staffing of these divisions consists primarily of
USAF officers of various specialities in the ranks of
captain,
major and
lieutenant colonel, supported by a smaller cohort of enlisted airmen, typically in the rank of
staff sergeant and above. When conducting joint air operations,
U.S. Army and
USMC officers of similar rank and
USN officers in the ranks of
lieutenant,
lieutenant commander and
commander will also provide augmentative manning as required, the majority of whom will be aeronautically rated/aeronautically designated. Senior leadership oversight of the AOC is provided by USAF
colonels and
general officers and USN
captains and
flag officers.
Strategy Division (SRD)
Strategy Plans Team
Strategy Guidance Team
Operational Assessment Team
Information Operations Team
Combat Plans Division (CPD)
Target Effects Team
Master Air Attack Plan Team
Air Tasking Order Production Team
Command and Control Planning Team
Combat Operations Division (COD)
Offensive Ops Team
Defensive Ops Team
Personnel Recovery
Senior Intelligence Duty Officer
Joint Interface Control Officer
Weather Specialty Team
Naval Amphibious Liaison Element (NALE)
USN + USMC; NALE also provides personnel/support to CPD and ISRD
Also known as the Combined Air Operations Center, commands and controls the USAF operations from Northeast Africa across the Middle East to Central and South Asia.[7]
In addition to its augmentation role to PACAF's 607 AOC at Osan AB, South Korea, the 701 COS established its own AOC facility in the former
Southwest Air Defense Sector at March ARB (established 2004)