Photo By Staff Sgt. Natalie Fiorilli | U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Mike Conley, left, commander of Air Force Special Operations...... read more read more
Highlighting the critical partnership between Air Combat Command and Air Force Special Operations Command, Gen. Adrian Spain, commander of ACC, and Chief Master Sgt. David Unterseher, ACC command chief, visited Hurlburt Field last month to meet with the AFSOC command team before conducting an in-depth immersion with the 505th Command and Control Wing.
The partnership between ACC and AFSOC is a powerful example of how major commands integrate overlapping capabilities, assets, and personnel to present a full range of warfighting options to the Joint Force.
Following their engagement with AFSOC leadership, the ACC command team turned their focus to the 505th CCW. The immersion provided Spain and Unterseher with a comprehensive look at how the 505th CCW directly supports ACC’s command priorities through a unique portfolio of integrated experimentation, testing, training, and tactics development.
“The innovation I witnessed at the 505th is exactly how we achieve decision advantage," said Spain. "This wing is building the command and control ecosystem that will seamlessly integrate our kinetic fires with effects across the electromagnetic spectrum. That level of information dominance is what allows us to outpace threats, buys down risk for our operators, and ensures our ability to deter, defend, and win decisively when called upon."
Throughout the day, the command team engaged directly with Airmen from across the wing, diving into the complexities of operational-level C2. Through a series of deep-dive mission briefs, they examined the advanced simulation and synthetic environment platforms used to train the force, test new capabilities, and drive rapid experimentation. These discussions showcased how the 505th is actively improving and accelerating long-range kill chains and developing the advanced tactics that will give the U.S. and its allies a decisive advantage in any contest.
“The level of technical expertise our enlisted Airmen bring to the C2 fight is simply astounding,” said Unterseher. “They are the engine that runs this enterprise, turning strategic concepts into tactical reality. The professionalism and dedication I saw at the 505th gives me full confidence that our C2 force is ready to meet any challenge, any time.”
The command team’s immersion highlighted the 505th’s pivotal and wide-ranging impact across the command. The mission briefs demonstrated that the wing’s efforts are integral to nearly all of ACC’s strategic priorities, from organizing, training, and equipping the C2 operators who orchestrate the Joint Force's combat power, to driving modernization efforts and developing the future leaders who will guarantee America’s air and space superiority.
Col. Ryan Hayde, commander of the 505th CCW, emphasized how the visit allowed the wing to showcase its direct contribution to the major command’s strategic vision.
“It was an honor to host General Spain and Chief Unterseher for their first visit and brief them on how the 505th is operationalizing ACC’s priorities,” said Hayde. “We demonstrated how our Airmen are solving the Air Force’s toughest C2 challenges, from developing tactics for the Air Operations Center of the future to designing the synthetic environments used to train warfighters to execute complex kill chains in contested operations. Our mission touches every ACC priority, and we are committed to providing the combat-ready forces and superior C2 capabilities that guarantee absolute mission dominance.”
From the foundational AOC formal training and advanced joint and coalition exercises to the cutting-edge experimentation with LRKCs and the rigorous testing of full-spectrum C2 systems, the deep dive provided the ACC command team with a comprehensive understanding of the wing's vital contribution, across all its squadrons, to generating air and space superiority.
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2026 15:25 |
| Story ID: | 565799 |
| Location: | HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, COMACC, AFSOC Partnership Highlighted During 505th CCW Immersion, by Debora Henley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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