618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center)

618th Air Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center)

618th AOC (TACC) emblem
Active April 1, 1992 - Present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Type Air Operations Center
Role Inter-theater Airlift, Air Refueling and Aeromedical Evacuation
Part of

Air Mobility Command

Eighteenth Air Force
Garrison/HQ Scott AFB, Illinois
Commanders
Current
commander		 [Brig. Gen. Brian Robinson]

The 618th Air Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force (18AF/AFTRANS). It is stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The 618th AOC (TACC) is responsible for planning, scheduling, and tracking aircraft performing airlift, aerial refueling, and aeromedical evacuation operations around the world.[1] It serves as an Air Operations Center (AOC) for 18AF/AFTRANS, executing missions assigned by the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).[2]

Overview

Within the United States Department of Defense, the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) is responsible for providing air, land, and sea transportation. Air transportation is provided by the US Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC). Operations within AMC are conducted by the Eighteenth Air Force (18AF) which, in its capacity as a component of USTRANSCOM, is a Component Numbered Air Force (C-NAF) known as Air Force Transportation (AFTRANS). As in other C-NAFs, operations are planned by an Air Operations Center (AOC). The 618th AOC (TACC) serves as the AOC for 18AF/AFTRANS.

Founded as the Tanker Airlift Control Center in 1992, the 618th AOC (TACC) provides command and control for both military and contract air mobility aircraft. Military aircraft include the C-5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules and KC-135 Stratotanker. Civilian aircraft include those contracted to provide airlift services, as well as the Civil Reserve Air Fleet. The unit is composed of active duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard personnel.[1]

Current Commander

Brig. Gen. Brian Robinson

Organization

Because the 618th Air Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center) is a functional AOC focusing on air mobility operations, it is organized differently from the standard US Air Force AOC. The 618th AOC (TACC) is composed of eight directorates.[1]

The XOG directorate manages worldwide strategic channel airlift operations for passenger and cargo movement in the Defense Transportation System. The directorate also assists transportation officers worldwide with booking passenger movements for Department of Defense international travelers. Sixty-percent of AMC's daily missions are channel missions.
The XOO directorate plans and monitors Air Force and commercial airlift and air refueling missions to meet customer requirements for movement of passengers and cargo in support of National Command Authority-directed classified programs, nuclear airlift, fighter and bomber deployment and employment air refueling, and distinguished visitor airlift.
The XOP directorate is the single manager for integrating Global Reach by focusing airlift and mission support resources in response to directives and tasking from the National Command Authority. It projects mobility forces to achieve national goals and objectives in support of wartime needs, contingencies, aeromedical evacuation, exercises and humanitarian efforts, and is AMC's source for theater augmentation and contingency response assets.
The XOB directorate is responsible for matching validated airlift requirements with active duty and available Air Reserve Component units to support AMC's Global Mobility mission.
The XOC directorate, the largest directorate in the AOC, is a highly skilled command and control team exercising the AMC commander's authority and direction over AMC assigned and gained missions. It operates 24-hours-a-day, every day, providing first-class flight planning, diplomatic clearance, and integrated flight management services to aircrews from the moment a mission enters execution through mission completion.
The XOZ directorate acts as AMC's single point of contact for AMC mission execution serving as the command's representative to the Joint Staff, Air Force Watch Cell, National Military Command Center, U.S. Transportation Command, the DOD and other agencies. The "Senior" provides immediate oversight and decision making for all AMC command and control efforts.
The XON directorate maintains the 618th TACC's viability today and develops solutions for tomorrow's challenges. The directorate consists of three divisions providing timely, accurate and relevant data, technology and resource support across the 618th TACC. It serves as a force multiplier ensuring unrivaled execution of AMC's Global Mobility mission.
The XOW directorate provides weather products, services and briefings for mission planning and execution phases managed by the 618th TACC for strategic airlift and air refueling crews operating worldwide.

History

The 618th AOC (TACC), initially known as TACC, became operational April 1, 1992. Air mobility leadership sought to simplify the execution of the worldwide mobility mission. They created a highly efficient organization to centralize command and control operations previously located within numbered air forces and airlift divisions. TACC was redesignated as the 618th TACC on April 1, 2007, and remained under that designation until being renamed the 618th AOC (TACC) Aug. 30, 2010.[3]

Air Mobility leverages a tightly integrated AMC team that includes the 618th TACC, commanders across the spectrum, crews, support personnel and customers. The 618th AOC (TACC) optimizes the Global Air Mobility System while providing aircrews with mission details, support, training and authority necessary to successfully execute their missions. As an air operation center, commanding combat forces around the globe, the 618th AOC (TACC) is a committed partner for today and tomorrow's expeditionary Air Force.

Lineage

Assignments

Stations

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Official 618th AOC (TACC) factsheet
  2. ↑ Brockhoff, Justin. "618th Tanker Airlift Control Center enables Air Mobility Command's global reach." Air Mobility Command. 4 March 2009. Accessed 28 January 2011.
  3. ↑ Brockhoff, Justin. "618th Tanker Airlift Control Center redesignated as 618th Air Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center)." 618th AOC (TACC) home page. 30 August 2010. Accessed 28 January 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Robertson, Patsy. 618 Air Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center) (AMC). Air Force Historical Research Agency. 3 Nov 2010. Accessed 28 January 2011.

External links

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