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607 ACOMS manages AOC ‘nerve center’ during KR/FE 10

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Steve Grever
  • 7th Air Force Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  The Key Resolve/FOAL Eagle 10 exercise tests joint and combined command and control capabilities to ensure the Republic of Korea and U.S. alliance is prepared to defend the ROK against any outside aggression. One critical component to keeping the Korean Air Operations Center's C2 systems up and running is the 607th Air and Space Communications Squadron here.

According to Master Sgt. Gillie Zamora, communications focal point section chief, the 607 ACOMS's mission is to operate and maintain command and control systems, combat information systems, circuits, radios and computer networks for the KAOC. He also said the squadron supports 7th Air Force, Air Operations Center and Air Force Forces staffs with reliable, secure communications to enable theater-wide air, space and cyberspace operations throughout the Korean theater of operations.

"During Key Resolve, we are supporting all components that extend beyond the AOC throughout the theater," said Sergeant Zamora. "We have deployed communications packages to three remote sites in support of the land and sea components. This provides reach-back capability to the [Combined Forces Air Component commander] for the Marines, Army and Navy."

The 607 ACOMS is comprised of 140 Airmen and 25 contractors from a variety of communications career fields. They also have 25 augmentees from 10 different Air Force bases to support the increased workload during KR/FE 10.

"This manning is sized for armistice operations tempo," said Lt. Col. Arnold Saunders, 607 ACOMS commander. "During KR/FE 10, we pull in 25 augmentees to build up those workcenters most sensitive to the ops tempo surge."

According to Colonel Saunders, their mission is two-fold during KR/FE 10. The first part of their mission involves maintaining KAOC weapons system that includes Korea AOC's C2 and combat information systems, tactical datalinks, secure telephones, video teleconferencing systems, radios and warfighting networks.

The second part involves setting up a contingency satellite communications network to connect the AOC and air bases around the peninsula to the Global Information Grid, which is a globally interconnected, end-to-end set of information capabilities for collecting, processing, storing, disseminating and managing information on demand to warfighters, policy-makers and support personnel.

"Performing both of these missions make theater-wide air, space and cyberspace operations possible," said Colonel Saunders. "The [satellite communication] network helps keep the Air Component wired together, even if we lose terrestrial (think cables in the ground) connectivity."

For 607 ACOMS, the difference between armistice and exercise operations is more a change in degree than in kind.

"During exercises, the kinds of systems and equipment we work on don't change, but the demands on them go way up," said Colonel Saunders.

During armistice, the 607 ACOMS maintains the AN/USQ-163 "Falconer" Air and Space Operations Center weapon system by ensuring the system is updated with the latest hardware and software to meet the needs of the warfighter, said Sergeant Zamora.

"During a contingency, the warfighter will place stress loads on the system that we must be able to sustain which truly tests our capabilities," he said. "Plainly, without communications, the warfighter would not be able to perform the AOC mission."
When the 607 ACOMS ramps up operations, they daily ticket load increases by 700 percent. Normal operations usually average between 60 and 70 tickets per week.

"We are the nerve center of all communications for the warfighter," said Sergeant Zamora. "Without our involvement, the warfighter would not be able to effectively execute command, control and communications to achieve their wartime and armistice missions."

While the 607 ACOMS is focused on supporting KR/FE 10 with critical communications support, they also have their sights set on the big picture of how they impact the Air Force as a whole.

"When it comes to communications, supporting the AOC has been the closest to the Air Force's mission to Fly, Fight and Win that I've experienced," said Sergeant Zamora. "Our contribution has direct impact for 'bombs on target' and it is very satisfying to see how we directly support the warfighter."