Air tasking order
Encyclopedia
An air tasking order is a means by which the Joint Forces Air Component Commander
(JFACC) controls air forces within a joint operations environment. The ATO is a large document written in United States Message Text Format (USMTF)
that lists air sorties for a fixed 24-hour period, with individual call signs, aircraft types, and mission types (i.e. close air support or air refueling). The ATO is created by an air operations center
which has command and control for a particular theater (i.e. Combined Air Operations Center for Southwest Asia). More specifically, the Combat Plans Division of the AOC is responsible for creating the ATO.
Use of the standardized USMTF
allows ATO processing by a variety of legacy computer models, newer software, and even word processors. Since 2004, the ATO has been standardized as an XML schema
by NATO Allied Data Publication-3 and US MIL-STD-6040.
"A method used to task and disseminate to components, subordinate units, and command and control agencies projected sorties, capabilities and/or forces to targets and specific missions. Normally provides specific instructions to include call signs, targets, controlling agencies, etc., as well as general instructions."
Joint Forces Air Component Commander
Joint Force Air Component Commander , is a United States Department of Defense doctrinal term.It refers to an individual of general officer rank that is responsible for air forces within a joint operations environment. The term "air forces" encompasses aircraft of Air Force and Naval variants, not...
(JFACC) controls air forces within a joint operations environment. The ATO is a large document written in United States Message Text Format (USMTF)
USMTF
United States Message Text Format is a Military Standard collection of information exchanges, currently defined in W3C XML Schema, which seeks to improve the interoperability of Joint military systems. The US national version is coordinated with NATO for coalition interoperability. The standard...
that lists air sorties for a fixed 24-hour period, with individual call signs, aircraft types, and mission types (i.e. close air support or air refueling). The ATO is created by an air operations center
Air Operations Center
An Air and Space Operations Center is a type of command center used by the United States Air Force. It is the senior agency of the Air Force component commander to provide command and control of air and space operations....
which has command and control for a particular theater (i.e. Combined Air Operations Center for Southwest Asia). More specifically, the Combat Plans Division of the AOC is responsible for creating the ATO.
Use of the standardized USMTF
USMTF
United States Message Text Format is a Military Standard collection of information exchanges, currently defined in W3C XML Schema, which seeks to improve the interoperability of Joint military systems. The US national version is coordinated with NATO for coalition interoperability. The standard...
allows ATO processing by a variety of legacy computer models, newer software, and even word processors. Since 2004, the ATO has been standardized as an XML schema
XML schema
An XML schema is a description of a type of XML document, typically expressed in terms of constraints on the structure and content of documents of that type, above and beyond the basic syntactical constraints imposed by XML itself...
by NATO Allied Data Publication-3 and US MIL-STD-6040.
Joint Publication Definition
As defined by Joint Publication 1-02, an air tasking order is:"A method used to task and disseminate to components, subordinate units, and command and control agencies projected sorties, capabilities and/or forces to targets and specific missions. Normally provides specific instructions to include call signs, targets, controlling agencies, etc., as well as general instructions."
See also
- Air Operations CenterAir Operations CenterAn Air and Space Operations Center is a type of command center used by the United States Air Force. It is the senior agency of the Air Force component commander to provide command and control of air and space operations....
(also known as an AOC, CAOC, or JAOC) - Joint Forces Air Component CommanderJoint Forces Air Component CommanderJoint Force Air Component Commander , is a United States Department of Defense doctrinal term.It refers to an individual of general officer rank that is responsible for air forces within a joint operations environment. The term "air forces" encompasses aircraft of Air Force and Naval variants, not...
(JFACC)