TOPIC SPONSOR: PACAF/CC
Should it be a centralized or decentralized headquarters? Should the CAOC be forward-deployed or CONUS-based? Should component headquarters be co-located? How can we disperse the functions and personnel but keep the high-end C2 available to execute Airpower doctrinally (centralized controlled and decentralized execution)?
- Air Force Lessons Learned, "Dolittle Series 18: Multi-Domain Operations Wargame, 2018" Published as an AU Press LeMay Paper, 2019, 88 pgs.
- Blackwell, Maj. Luke R., "The Air Operations Center Weapons System: A Means to Enable ABMS for JADC2," GCPME ACSC thesis, 2022, 47 pgs.
- Corrado, Maj. Salvatore A., "Communicating in a Degraded Environment: Command and Control during Contested Operations," AFGC thesis, 2025, 49 pgs.
- To maintain Centralized Control and Decentralized Execution (CCDE) while dispersing forces, Corrado argues that strategic-level headquarters must focus on establishing clear commander's intent and boundaries during the joint planning process rather than attempting to micromanage tactical assets. High-end C2 must also establish and rigorously exercise enterprise-wide PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency) communication plans during peacetime. When the C2 network faces kinetic or cyber attacks and communications are severed, the distributed forces can operate autonomously based on that centralized intent, relying on their own judgment until reliable networks are restored.
- Martinez, Capt. Kyle S., "An Air Operations Center Cultural Shift in Strategy," SOS AUAR paper, 2020, 12 pgs.
- Razack, Capt. Richard, "Bring Back the FAC(A): Revitalizing Past Capabilities to Enable Centralized Control and Decentralized Execution," SOS AUAR paper, 2020, 24 pgs.