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Air Force Communications Agency is
a field operating agency that reports to Headquarters U.S.
Air Force Communications and Information, Washington, D.C.
With headquarters at Scott Air Force Base, IL, the agency
activated June 13, 1996.
Mission
As the technical arm of HQ USAF, Communications and Information,
the agency ensures integration and interoperability among command,
control, communications and computer (C4) systems across the Air
Force. It does this by developing and validating C4 architectures,
technical standards, technical reference codes, policies, processes
and procedures, and technical solutions.
The AFCA follows an overarching strategy for providing the warfighter
with responsive, advanced C4I system services. That strategy,
produced by HQ USAF/SC, is called HORIZON. It is a strategy for
leading the Air Force into an era of technological innovation
and better satisfying the warrior's requirements.
AFCA's challenge is to seek new, better ways to use today's technology.
Through vision and by understanding the needs of the people and
organizations it serves, the agency will turn today's technology
into tomorrow's answers.
Personnel
There are approximately 600 people assigned to the Air Force Communications
Agency, divided almost equally between active-duty military and
civilians.
Organization
The agency is organized into four functional areas: systems and
procedures, interoperability and technology, plans and analysis,
and resources.
The Directorate of Systems and Procedures develops and standardizes
policy and procedural guidance to ensure the C4 infrastructure
throughout the Air Force remains interoperable, secure and integrated.
It analyzes and recommends systems operations, maintenance support,
intelligence, and command and control concepts and policies for
Air Force-wide application and serves as the focal point for functional
management issues. The directorate conducts C4I professional management
seminars, provides communications support to the Secret Service
and provides operational oversight to Hammer ACE, a special-purpose
mobile communications unit to support aircraft accidents and other
peacetime emergency situations. It also provides support for local,
metropolitan, and wide area networking systems, and manages the
headquarters building's computer network.
The Directorate of Interoperability and Technology provides technical
support for C4 systems evaluations; resource allocation decisions,
feasibility studies and interoperability validations; and performs
initial applications engineering studies. The directorate participates
as the Air Force representative in standard forums; performs engineering
analysis, modeling and simulation efforts for C4 architectures
and proposed technical solutions. It also analyzes the performance
of C4 systems in various scenarios and performs architectural
prototyping and operational integration validation for C4 systems.
The Directorate of Plans and Analysis develops C4 architectural
guidance to support migration toward systems interoperability;
C4 policy and procedural documents to provide centralized guidance
on C4 systems; software concepts; and strategic plans, policies
and procedures for electronic data interchange and data administration.
The directorate performs software process assessments; maintains
Air Force data dictionaries; validates technical solutions and
requirements for compatibility, interoperability and integration;
and manages modeling and forecasting for C4 systems. It also functions
as the Air Force executive agent for communications service authorizations;
reviews C4 wartime operational requirements; manages the C4 war
planners' seminar; and performs special studies on roles and missions
for the agency and the C4 community.
The Directorate of Resources performs personnel, programming,
financial management, information management, public affairs,
customer interface and history functions. It also provides manpower
data on the Air Force C4 community to HQ USAF/SC staff; and develops
fee-for-service, unit cost resourcing and defense business operations
fund financial policies, processes and procedures on behalf of
HQ USAF/SC.
Vision Statement
Communicate and Dominate -- instant availability of information
to execute the warfighter's mission.
History
The Army Air Corps established the Army Airways Communications
System in 1938 to provide air-to-ground and ground-to-air communications
between aeronautical stations in the United States to promote
safety and simplify flying operations. AACS's secondary mission
was to provide point-to-point communications between ground radio
stations. The system's mission continued to grow through World
War II and, in 1946, it was redesignated Airways and
Air Communications Service.
The 1960s brought challenge and revolution to Air Force communications.
AACS changed to the Air Force Communications Service, and became
the Air Force's 16th major command July 1, 1961. On the 41st anniversary
of the establishment of the Army Airways Communications System,
the Air Force Communications Command was established Nov. 15,
1979. AFCC became a field operating agency July 1, 1991, changed
its name to Air Force Command, Control, Communications, and Computer
Agency May 28, 1993 and was redesignated Air Force Communications
Agency on June 13, 1996.
Point of Contact
Air Force Communications Agency, Public Affairs Office; 203 W.
Losey St., Room 1060; Scott AFB, IL 62225-5233; DSN 576-4396 or
(618) 256-4396; e-mail: afca-rmip@afca.safb.af.mil.
January 1997
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