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Released: April 15, 2003

Innovation group paves way to standard AOC

By Capt. Danny Cooper
Air Force Command and Control Training Innovation Group Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (ACCNS) -- Developing and building a weapon system takes years of research and planning before the final product is ever declared fit for the fight.

Likewise, taking a weapon system that exists in many different forms and standardizing it into a single, identifiable and common weapon system is a weighty task. But, that is exactly what the Air Force and, in particular, the Air Force Command and Control Training and Innovation Group here is doing with the Air Operations Center.

As the U.S. military became spread out over more areas of responsibility, AOCs were created to orchestrate theater air operations and carry out objectives of the respective theater commander. Without any guide for commonality, what was increasingly developed were "ad-hoc" centers that were well suited for their individual missions but provided no standardization of operations or processes between centers, according to a report approved by Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. John Jumper last year.

As a result, in many instances people who worked in one center would have to learn completely new systems and procedures if assigned to another, which is likely under the Air and Space Expeditionary Force rotation construct.

When former CSAF Gen. Mike Ryan declared the AOC the newest weapon system in the Air Force, he also established the AOC as the premier tool in the U.S. military's arsenal for conducting an air campaign at the operational level of war.

This created the need for an AOC in the United States to look and operate the same and use the same systems, software and procedures as one found in theater operations such as Southwest Asia or the Pacific. The AFC2TIG is meeting that need.

The AFC2TIG is recognized as the Air Force's premier command and control group responsible for training, testing, experimenting and exercising command and control systems and processes.

"The AFC2TIG's unique blend of testing, experimenting, exercising and systems expertise coupled with the vast operational-level experience possessed by our military and contract subject matter experts makes us well-suited for the task of developing a baseline weapon system for advancing the operational conduct of air campaigns," said Col. Kevin Dunleavy, the AFC2TIG commander.

The 505th Operations Squadron and the Command and Control Warrior School are leading the efforts of the AFC2TIG.

The work of the 505th OS centers on two programs. One program's objective is to develop a volume of Air Force Instructions, operational and tactical techniques and procedures, doctrine documents and a manual for operations within the AOC. The other is called the Operational Command Training Program, which focuses on training C2 operators in exercises like Blue Flag, Ulchi Focus Lens and others around the world.

"With these efforts C2 warriors will have a commonality that allows a newly trained augmentee or an experienced AOC team member to step into any AOC across the DoD and immediately understand the processes and systems in place," said Lt. Col. Patrick Raglow, the 505th OS commander. "Eliminating that 'spin-up' time means more effort being focused on the fight."

The C2 Warrior School is developing an AOC Formal Training Unit to complement the 505th OS. Similar to other FTUs, the program will provide initial training to AOC crewmembers and declare them "basic mission capable" for their respective positions. The goal of the FTU will be to train nearly 1,600 students per year in approximately 13 different specialties.

"The FTU will ensure that prior to being assigned as a crewmember in an AOC, each person will have baseline training on the systems and processes in place," said Lt. Col. Michael Rollison, the C2WS commandant. "By making sure people are 'basic mission capable' before being assigned to an AOC, the centers can remain focused on their operational objectives and leave the majority of the training to us."

Achieving standardization in training, systems and processes takes time, but in the end the results will be passed on to the warfighter.

"The bottom line is that when all of this is achieved, and it will be sooner than later, is that our customers are going to benefit greatly from the enhancements," Colonel Dunleavy said. "The AOC's customers are the men and women fighting the battles and we owe it to them to be as prepared as possible at the operational level."