U.S. Air Force commanders and command chiefs from around the theater gathered for the bi-annual U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commanders Conference, which focused on advancing warfighting concepts.
Leaders from 5th, 7th, and 11th Numbered Air Forces, including wings, Air Operation Centers, Air Expeditionary Wings, the 353rd Special Operations Wing, and the 94th Army Air Missile Defense Command attended the event.
“This time together enables us to further sharpen our command and control (C2) and battle management processes,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. Kevin Schneider, PACAF commander. “We must focus on how orders are executed and give a hard look at the guidance coming from our headquarters to ensure our framework is strong.”
As part of the week’s C2 and battle management optimization focus, leaders tackled mission synchronization and prioritization efforts within the Indo-Pacific region.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, provided keynote remarks at the beginning of the conference, noting the criticality of optimizing for crises or conflict in the Indo-Pacific.
To address the scope and scale of this challenge, PACAF leaders worked through a concept drill focused on optimizing C2, maneuver, sustainment, and addressing the requirements and risks for a diverse series of possible contingencies.
During the drill and throughout the week, leaders challenged planning assumptions and resource allocation considerations, identified follow-on tasks, and sought opportunities for experimentation.
“We owe it to our warfighters to provide the clearest guidance and direction from our headquarters,” Schneider said. “Ultimately our focus remains providing the world’s best Air Force in the Pacific to contribute to the security, freedom, and prosperity for the United States of America.”
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