The Call for Change: The Future of the Air Operations Center

The air component commander currently uses the air operations center to plan, execute, and assess air operations within his area of responsibility. The AOC structure identified in joint and Air Force doctrine starts with the idea that all aspects of the air operations center are located in the same place. However, a question raised in the past few years based on the ongoing conflicts concerns the idea of split AOC operations. The other services view the AOC as a command and control node with divisions that can be geographically separated to better support their operations. To examine this problem the methodology used was a problem solution approach. The research starts with a brief look at the history of air operations centers and how the process developed over time. The research then looked at those agencies that interact with the air operations center to include sister service organizations and external extensions of the air operations center. This paper then examines previous examples of how the standard air operations center structure has operated in the past and compares that to the use of split air operations center operations. Also examined were the advantages and disadvantages of each AOC structure to include technological feasibility, opportunity to understanding and contribute to JFC and JFACCs intent, and the impact to other functional component commanders. In conclusion, it was identified that the current standard AOC structure provides the best results to commanding and controlling air operations in a theater-wide area of responsibility.