LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
In an effort to better serve combatant commanders and the nation, the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing will set in motion SENTINEL FOCUS 09, an event that will observe Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) operations that take part around the world and across all theaters of operations.
SENTINEL FOCUS 09 is the vision of Col. Dan Johnson, commander of the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing and is set to begin Aug. 2 and end Aug. 6.
Col. Johnson is initiating the event with the final goal of better optimizing the Air Force DCGS enterprise to present a more unified ISR capability to the Numbered Air Force Commanders and Joint Forces Commanders.
"SENTINEL FOCUS 09 will give us operational insight into Air Force DCGS enterprise best practices that need benchmarking and operational challenges that need addressing," said Col. Johnson. "Once we gain this insight, we will formulate solutions that will allow us to further develop competencies vital to sustaining full-spectrum ISR capabilities for the warfighter and our nation."
During the week-long event, observation teams will look at Air Force DCGS enterprise-wide operational missions to gain a more complete insight into its performance.
Armed with this knowledge, Col. Johnson said he will then focus the wing's efforts on where to align and standardize tasking, execution and assessment processes across the wing's assigned assets and federated mission partners.
In addition, SENTINEL FOCUS 09 is expected to help shore up the interfaces between respective Air Operation Centers and the Air Force DCGS enterprise. The outcome will produce solutions that will ultimately allow the NAFs to present a more refined effects-based ISR capability to their warfighting efforts.
Air Force DCGS Weapon Systems are located throughout the world, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Virginia as well as locations in Korea and Germany.