Reachback Operations for Air Campaign Planning and Execution

<p>Air campaign planning and execution are two extremely complex tasks in modern warfare. Each day during a major regional contingency thousands of sorties from dozens of bases must be choreographed for maximum effect against the enemy to carry out the Joint Force Commander`s intent in concert with other friendly military activities. Today the Contingency Theater Automated Planning System (CTAPS) assists this task using a large assortment of modern computer tools. Although CTAPS is an enormous improvement over previous planning and execution methods using paper charts and grease pencils there remain deficiencies in the survivability deployability and supportability of the way the Joint Air Operations Center (JAOC) implements CTAPS otherwise known as the CTAPS architecture. However emerging communications capabilities coupled with existing or emerging distributed data processing technologies promise to improve these three deficiencies through reachback operations using data-linked but geographically separated computer workstations. This will allow most of the JAOC`s personnel and equipment to remain in a secure location rather than being deployed forward in the theater. This paper describes CTAPS and its architecture deficiencies; as well as a conceptual reachback system along with its advantages and drawbacks. Finally the paper recommends that the DOD through the services develop a reachback system for the JAOC.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>