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Seventeenth Air Force, also known as Air Forces Africa, has surpassed two significant milestones recently, making it possible to expand mission capability in Africa.
Maj. Gen. Ronald Ladnier, 17th AF commander, was designated the Joint Forces Air Component commander for U.S. Africa Command, and 17th AF now creates a daily “playbook” for all U.S. military flights within the combined joint operating area-Horn of Africa.
As the air component for U.S. Africa Command, AFAFRICA assumed full airspace control from U.S. Central Command on Jan. 5. This transition answered the call for more focused command and control of air operations on the continent. AFAFRICA now has the ability to manage the proper use of air resources, increasing safety and improving efficiency of air operations, said Maj. Randy Naylor, 617th Air and Space Operations Center ATO production chief.
The AOC is now developing a daily schedule of all air activities, or Air Tasking Order – the JFACC’s daily game plan. A continuously monitored system provides visibility of all flight activities over a 24-hour period, he said.
The recently established 617 AOC, collocated with 17th Air Force’s HQ at Ramstein, is a command and control hub linking all U.S. air operations on the continent. The main focus of the AOC will be coordination, integration and deconfliction of military aircraft flying in designated airspace. Chat rooms are set up for the mission director to communicate with local operating units so that they are able to track and deconflict with other flights, Major Naylor said
“A month ago we didn’t have the authority over the airspace,” Major Naylor said. “The JFACC acts as an umbrella over all airspace planning and coordination. Now that we have the lead, we can work in a better partnership with forces operating in Africa.”
Policies, procedures and system requirements for airspace users were built from the ground up, creating one of many challenges. Basic templates were used from Air Forces Central but new missions and coordination efforts had to be tailored to AFAFRICA’s mission, he said.
The primary mission for AFCENT is focused on combat operations, and the AFAFRICA mission is focused more on airlift and intelligence gathering in support of training and engagement with partner nations. Now, orders are focused on how the JFACC uses airspace and guidance on what missions will be flown, who can use the airspace and when, the major said.
The process of creating the guiding documents began in the last of week of September and went up to USAFRICOM for final approval in December.
“We had incredibly detailed products provided in a very minimal, highly restrictive time schedule,” Major Naylor said.
General Ladnier expressed his enthusiasm for the progress 17th AF has made in such a short amount of time.
“We have accomplished a great deal, and it shows how much work has gone into this,” he said. “It also represents what the Air Force is about – making the joint team more successful.”
