JP 3-01 Countering Air and Missile Threats - Defense Innovation ...

Chapter II
and air operations with the air component including coordination for shared assets and
fratricide prevention.
For further details concerning the JFSOCC, refer to JP 3-05, Special Operations.
6. Joint Force Air Component Commander
The JFC will typically designate responsibility for joint air operations to a JFACC.
Normally, the JFACC is the Service component commander having the preponderance of air
assets and the capability to plan, task, and control joint air operations. The need for a
JFACC is based on the JFC’s overall mission, CONOPS, missions and tasks assigned to
subordinate commanders, forces available, duration and nature of joint air operations desired,
and the degree of control required for joint air operations. Although not a joint air operation,
but a joint operation, counterair normally is an assigned responsibility of the JFACC. The
functions of the JFACC, AADC, and ACA must be integrated to ensure that joint air
operations, OCA, DCA, and airspace control are fully integrated and synchronized.
The responsibilities of the JFACC, AADC, and ACA are interrelated and are normally
assigned to one individual, but they may be assigned to two or more individuals when the
situation dictates. Based on the situation, if the JFC decides not to assign the JFACC,
AADC, or ACA as one individual, then close coordination between all three positions is
essential.
a. The JFACCs normally have OPCON over their own Service component forces and
TACON or direct support of the other forces/capabilities made available to the JFACC for
tasking. The JFACC generally uses centralized direction and planning with decentralized
execution for counterair operations. This parallels the JFACC using centralized control with
decentralized execution for joint air operations. These are not to be confused with the
surface AD control modes of centralized control, when higher echelon AD units direct target
assignments over their fire units, and the normal mode of decentralized control, when the
higher echelon monitors fire unit actions, making direct target assignments to units only
when necessary to ensure proper fire distribution or to prevent engagement of friendly
aircraft.
b. The responsibilities of the JFACC normally include, but are not limited to, joint air
operations planning, coordinating, allocating, and tasking, based on the JFC’s concept of
operations and air apportionment decision. Other responsibilities of the JFACC relating
to joint counterair operations include the following:
(1) Develop, coordinate, and integrate joint counterair planning with operations of
other components for JFC approval.
(2) Make an air apportionment recommendation to the JFC, after consulting with
other components and supporting commanders, which includes counterair, strategic attack,
interdiction, and close air support (CAS).
(3) Provide centralized direction for allocating and tasking joint counterair
capabilities and forces made available by the JFC.
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