Running the Joint: Air Force Efforts to Build a Joint Task Force Headquarters

Abstract

JTF HQ) capability, with the expectation that other numbered air forces would follow. After declaring initial operation capability in December 2018, 9 AF began to move toward full operating capacity. In the spring of 2020, 9 AF was called on to lead Task Force-Southeast, supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. In August 2020, wings and direct reporting units from 9 AF and the 12th Air Force were integrated to form the 15th Air Force (15 AF), which continues the 9 AF mission to prepare to deploy as a service-retained JTF HQ or Air Expeditionary Task Force headquarters.Before 9 AF was integrated into 15 AF, 9 AF leadership and Headquarters Air Force (HAF) asked the RAND Corporation to examine how JTF HQs are formed and identify those factors that influence the selection of a unit to lead a Joint Task Force (JTF). RAND was also asked to explore how the U.S. Air Force (USAF) can prepare for the unique requirements of leading joint operations. This report outlines those issues associated with "getting ready" (how the USAF can prepare to lead joint operations) and "getting the call" (how the USAF can posture itself to increase and enhance its JTF leadership opportunities). RAND conducted this research through discussions with 9 AF staff, observation of ongoing unit training, engagement with individuals across the U.S. Department of Defense, quantitative analysis of trends in JTF formation from 1990 to 2017, and case studies of the recent joint operations Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, Joint Forces Command-United Assistance, and Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.This study provides insights for 15 AF personnel as they continue the work of 9 AF to prepare for the JTF HQ mission. It also supports USAF leaders, particularly those engaged in policy formulation and resource allocation decisions, by framing the organization, training, and equipping issues that influence the USAF's ability to stand up a JTF HQ. More broadly, it may be of interest to airmen, other military personnel, and members of the larger defense community who seek to better understand the operational level of war, the JTF construct, and the USAF's efforts to enhance its joint leadership capabilities. It builds on a previous RAND study, What It Takes: Air Force Command of Joint Operations, which sought to help the Air Force understand the requirements of an effective JTF HQ.