LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Current operations around the world, service transformation, new equipment acquisitions and new technology integration into weapon systems lend many challenges to the Air, Land, Sea Application Center.
A great example of a technological evolution is Internet relay chat, or mIRC, implemented to assist in command and control; however, without streamlined procedures for users, the chat caused confusion and delays for Airmen, Marines, Soldiers and Sailors utilizing it down range.
One individual called it the "wild west." To meet the need, the Air, Land, Sea Application Center produced Tactical Chat, which establishes business rules for using mIRC to "chat" or pass data. The manual has since been adopted by the U.S. Central Command J6, who mandated its use throughout the theater.
Additional publications include multi-service tactics, techniques, and procedures pamphlets for advising foreign forces and conducting tactical convoy operations. The Advising Foreign Forces manual is designed to help advisor team missions, such as provisional reconstruction teams and Coalition Air Force Transition Teams, enhance the advisor activities and improve inter-service coordination.
The Tactical Convoy Operations manuals assist U.S. convoys coming under attack from improvised explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms from insurgent forces. Furthermore, this publication is a quick-reference guide for convoy commanders operating in theater using best practices and common procedures for convoy operations among the services.
In addition to developing multi-service tactics, techniques and procedures publications for the warfighter, the Center produces the Air, Land, and Sea Bulletin tri-annually. This bulletin has five to seven articles focused around a predetermined topic written by subject-matter experts in the field.
The bulletin also offers warfighters the opportunity to share operational lessons learned and spread the word about recent developments in war-fighting concepts, issues and service interoperability. The intent is to create a cross-service flow of information among readers around the globe.
The Air, Land, Sea Applications Center is doing its part to support today's warfighter through reference publications and support manuals.
Editor's Note: This is the final article in the Air, Land, Sea Applications Center feature series.