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                                        flFTER ~CTION

            ITEM:    ~viation Fragging ~uthority

            OBSERV~TION:     The Marine Liaison Staff at CENT~F did not have the
            authority to task USMC air assets.

            DISCUSSION:    ~s 3oint Forces flir Component Commander (JFflCC)
            COMUSCENTflF was responsible for planning and executing air
            operations in support of CINC objectives.     On several occasions
            contingency plans had to be developed on short notice.    On one
            occasion the Combat Plans section at CENTflF had nine hours to
            develop~ a draft flir Tasking Order(flTO) in support of contingency
            operations.    Without the authority to speak for the MEF on air
            tasking, telephone coordination was attempted.    Not being  on the
            scene , the MEF and Wing could not realistically provide the
            information required.    The result was an inordinate delay in
            p anning.    USMC support of joint objectives is not as simple as
       ~A~ providing numbers of excess sorties.     The Marine Corps desires


;:;-~~ ~~~;~?;I$~{s~oOrtaiend should, have influence over the tasking of excess
          ;~";~LESSONS LEfiRNED: We can expect the ~FflCC concept to continue in
            future joint operations.    The authority to speak for the MEF/MEB
            on issues of air tasking must be co-located with the JFflCC.

          %J~ ~ECoMMENDnTIo~:  That in future joint operations and exercises
~~-~-~    `~~`f:~;the MflGTF commander ensure that some authority to task USMC air
                     is co-located with the 3FflCC or his equivalent.


       * *-~-

          -~~~NOT CLEfiRLY PRESENTED. fiRE WE fiSKING FOR TfiSKING flUTHORITY fiT THE
    - ------MfiRLNO LEVEL (UNLIKELY TO fiCHIEVE)?  IN THE CfiSE OF THE 48-50
        -* :);~{SORTIES PROVIDED TO 3FfiCC DfiILY, THESE WERE NOT `~EXCESS SORTIES
    -*      fiS PER THE OMNIBUS fiGREEMENT, BUT' RfiTHER "LONG RfiNGE
          - ;~INTERDICTION" WHICH THE 3FfiCC- EMPLOYS IN FIGHTING THE DEEP flIR
- --  -~   ¼&WfiR.  REGfiRDING "EXCESS SORTIES", WHY SHOULD THE MfiGTF/fiCE WfiNT
        - , TO RETfiIN "INFLUENCE OVER THE TfiSKING OF EXCESS SORTIES"?  BY
           -*        OF THEIR BEING DECLfiRED EXCESS, THEIR MISSION TfiSKING IS
      *     GIVEN UP TO TO THE ~FfiCC.

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