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Integrating the Air Operations Center (AOC) into the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept is critical to maintaining command and control (C2) in a degraded environment. During Exercise Northern Strike 25-2, the 110th Wing took this challenge head-on by rapidly deploying a joint team from Battle Creek Air National Guard Base to the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC).
“The purpose of the AOC Forward experiment was to demonstrate agile, operational C2 in contested and degraded environments, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ignacio Perez, the 217th Combat Operations Squadron deputy, strategy division. “After demonstrating the ability to rapidly deploy, the team set up and began using new technologies to generate air tasking orders. The team operated out of Battle Creek during the initial stages of the exercise until the scenario forced them to relocate.”
According to Perez, a U.S. Army helicopter then flew the team and their equipment more than 250 miles to Alpena CRTC, where they embedded with the 23rd Air Task Force.
"This experiment was more than a proof of concept—it was a demonstration of how the Michigan Air National Guard is relevant and postured for tomorrow’s missions," added U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Clow, 217th Air Operations Group commander. "We combined operational C2 expertise with distributed operations, leveraging ACE, modern technology, and joint integration to maintain mission effectiveness under degraded conditions. These are the scenarios that prepare our Airmen to lead and win alongside the Joint Force, anytime, anywhere."
The team included master air attack planners, ATO production technicians, airspace technicians, cyber defense operators, communications technicians, and the Michigan National Guard’s 51st Weapons of Mass Destruction–Civil Support Team (WMD-CST) deployable communication capabilities and operators.
“In addition to serving local, state, and federal authorities as Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive subject matter experts, the 51st WMD-CST possesses advanced communications systems that exceed the capabilities of many traditional communications units. U.S. Air Force Maj. Jeff Overhulse, 51st WMD-CST deputy commander. “The 51st WMD-CST demonstrated these capabilities, providing crucial communications and enabling key AOC Forward experiment objectives. The collaborative efforts by the Airmen and Soldiers of the 51st are a testament to the joint war-fighting spirit and the multi-capable nature of the WMD-CST program.”
The team used a variety of repurposed laptops preprogrammed with applications needed to conduct operations. They also utilized multiple commercial communication options to ensure success.
“Paired with multiple commercial communication options, C2Core enabled the team to push boundaries and test emerging technologies and concepts essential for success in peer competition.” Staff Sgt. Devin Wiley, 217th Air Communications Squadron client systems supervisor.
The integration of the AOC Forward into a joint, multinational exercise like NS 25-2 was a learning opportunity for all involved.
“This mission is purely experimental in nature. While it provided training simply by executing, our training goal is to learn and innovate on how we can best execute,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Cylde Inman, 217th COS, chief Standards and evaluations and assistant director of operations. “By integrating with 23 ATF, we are able to train those personnel on AOC operations as part of their certification as well as prove we could integrate globally across multiple classifications with coalition partners.”
While a few experiments like this have been conducted in the past, this iteration seized the initiative to understand the full spectrum of operations.
“A key experiment objective focused on understanding what the full spectrum of C2 ACE operations really means,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Micah Sage, an information warfare planner with the 217 AOG who oversaw full spectrum operations for the experiment. “What the joint team learned is exciting because it allows us to plan for future operations.”
The experiment also focused on the ability to detect and defend against various cyber threats.
“Our Airmen are trained to hunt for advanced threats, contain malicious actors, and harden networks against intrusion,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Paul Motycka, 272nd Cyber Operations Squadron cyber warfare operator. “By integrating with the AOC Forward experiment, we were able to showcase how cyber operators not only defend information systems, but also ensure mission assurance in contested environments. This experiment proves that cyber defense is inseparable from air operations—it’s how we guarantee that command and control remains resilient and effective against evolving threats.”
After completing documentation from this experiment, the 217 AOG plans to share its findings with AOC counterparts and program offices across the Air Force.
"Through Northern Strike 25-2, the 110th Wing has proven we are ready and relevant for the future fight," said U.S. Air Force Col. James Rossi, 110th Wing commander. "By empowering our Airmen to make decisions at the lowest level in a demanding, multi-domain environment alongside our joint and multinational partners, we’re honing the skills, adaptability, and teamwork needed to survive and operate in contested environments. This experiment showcased that readiness and scalability are not limited by location—they’re driven by the innovation, integration, and determination of our people”
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2025 09:29 |
| Story ID: | 546152 |
| Location: | BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 204 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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