The Daily Report got a glimpse yesterday of the world of Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 at the Air Force’s Pentagon Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center. Kicking off a briefing for reporters, Lt. Gen. Kevin Chilton, commander of 8th Air Force and the Combined Force Air Component Commander, described this year’s key goal—to enhance the performance and capability of combined air and space operations centers (CAOCs). Chilton explained that testers planned to expand the use of data links, extend networks to link operational and tactical levels of execution, and refine the coordination process for collecting, fusing, and distributing information. He noted that, over the last few months, the JEFX team has been slowly making project “tweaks,” including key software upgrades for CAOC command and control (C2) processes—all with a view toward increasing the speed of data flowing to decision-makers.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.