Operational Control of Global Airpower

This thesis examines operational control of bombers stationed in the United States but employed halfway around the world. When a contingency arises, operational control should be clear-cut from the beginning. Air Force doctrine concerning command and control is easily understood for assets that deploy into a theater. The mere issue of proximity to the commander makes control seem somewhat less confusing. However, when bombers generate under one combatant commander and execute their mission under the operational control of another combatant commander, the timing of when one commander relinquishes control and the other commander gains control is questionable. The study focuses on historic examples of bomber operational control and legislative influences to operational control. Determining when to change operational control comes down to identifying which combatant command has the mission that requires operational control and when CONUS bombers are ready for sustained operations under that command.