![DASC Overhead Photo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/DASC_Overhead_Photo.jpg)
The Direct Air Support Center (DASC) is the principal
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
aviation
command and control
Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...
system and the air control agency responsible for the direction of air operations directly supporting ground forces. It functions in a decentralized mode of operation, but is directly supervised by the Marine
Tactical Air Command Center (TACC) or the Navy
Tactical Air Control Center (NTACC). During amphibious or expeditionary operations, the DASC is normally the first Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS) agency ashore and is usually categorized (i.e. scheduled or on call wave) as the
Ground Combat Element's (GCE's) senior
Fire Support Coordination Center (FSCC). The DASC's parent unit is the Marine Air Support Squadron (MASS) of the Marine Air Control Group (MACG).
Role
The DASC is responsible for processing immediate air support requests; coordinates aircraft employment with other
supporting arms; manages terminal control assets supporting GCE and combat service support
element forces; and controls assigned aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and itinerant aircraft transiting through DASC controlled
airspace
Airspace is the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere. It is not the same as aerospace, which is the ...
. The DASC controls and directs air support activities that effect the GCE commander's focus on close operations and those air missions requiring integration with the ground combat forces (
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
AS assault support and designated air reconnaissance). The DASC does not normally control
aircraft conducting deep air support (DAS) missions as detailed coordination of DAS missions is not required with ground forces. However, the DASC provides battle damage assessments (BDAs) and mission reports (MISREPs) from DAS missions to the GCE's senior fire support coordination center (FSCC) and TACC when required.
Capabilities
The DASC's equipment and capabilities are enhanced by the agency's ability to task organize based on the tactical situation. The MASS possesses numerous high-powered communications assets that cover the entire spectrum of single channel radio frequencies. Amongst command and control agencies, the DASC is notable for its high degree of mobility and ability to keep pace with supported ground units. In the most austere scenarios, the basic functions of coordinating and controlling aircraft and processing requests for air support can be accomplished by foot mobile Marines with man-portable radios.
History
World War II
As World War II progressed, the Marine Corps gained hard fought experience in the application of close air support during amphibious landings. Marine Aviation's primary role was supposed to be supporting the Marines on the ground however by mid-1944 this had not been the case because of earlier decisions made by Marine Corps aviation leadership in the Pacific. In late 1942, then
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
Admiral Ernest King convinced Marine Major General
Ross E. Rowell, commanding general of Marine Air Wings, Pacific, that there was no longer a need for Marines to get carrier qualifications since all of their aircraft were currently based out of land based strips. This lack of foresight led to Marine pilots not being able to fly from
escort carriers
The escort carrier or escort aircraft carrier (U.S. hull classification symbol CVE), also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the United States Navy (USN) or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft ...
which were providing the
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
during later amphibious landings. This would return to haunt the Marine Corps during the
Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November 1944 du ...
in which it was generally felt that close air support provided by pilots from the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
left much to be desired.
The lack of adequate air support was coupled with the feeling amongst other senior Marine aviators such as
Roy Geiger
General Roy Stanley Geiger (January 25, 1885 – January 23, 1947) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War I and World War II. In World War II, he became the first Marine Corps general to lead a field army.
Geig ...
and then Commandant
Alexander Vandegrift
General Alexander Archer Vandegrift, USMC (March 13, 1887 – May 8, 1973) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general. During World War II, he commanded the 1st Marine Division to victory in its first ground offensive of the war, the Bat ...
that Marine aviation was not paying attention to its primary purpose of providing close air support and was too concerned with shooting down enemy aircraft.
Sherrod Sherrod is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include:
Given name
* Sherrod Brown (born 1952), United States Senator
* Sherrod Martin (born 1984), American football player
* Sherrod Small, American comedian
* Sherrod E. ...
(1952), p.325. In August 1944, General Vandegrift flew to Hawaii to meet with
Admiral Nimitz and his staff and came up with the solution that Marine squadrons would be assigned to escort carriers providing planes for ships the Navy could not support, Marine aviation would take control of aircraft directly supporting ground troops during amphibious operations and ''Marine Air Wing Pacific'' would be renamed ''Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific''. This new role was not welcomed by Rowell and he became so negative that he was quickly replaced by MajGen
Francis P. Mulcahy in October 1944.
Sherrod Sherrod is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include:
Given name
* Sherrod Brown (born 1952), United States Senator
* Sherrod Martin (born 1984), American football player
* Sherrod Small, American comedian
* Sherrod E. ...
(1952), p.327.[ Mersky (1983), p.98.]
On 21 October 1944 the Marine Corps stood up a new unit titled the ''Provisional Air Support Command'' (PASC) at
Marine Corps Air Station Ewa,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
under the command of Colonel
Vernon E. Megee. This new unit was tasked with allowing the landing force commander to exercise full control of supporting aircraft during amphibious operations. The PASC was composed of a headquarters element and four Landing Force Air Support Control Units (LFASCU) with leadership being provided by some of the best and brightest Marine Aviators as they rotated back to the Pacific from supporting establishment billets. The LFASCUs were 87 man units commanded by a colonel. By the end of November 1944 the personnel and equipment for LFASCU-1 were appropriately formed and they commenced training in air support problems at MCAS Ewa. PASC leadership also experimented with radar controlled bombing in December 1944 when they coordinated to use an
SCR-584 radar
The SCR-584 (short for '' Set, Complete, Radio # 584'') was an automatic-tracking microwave radar developed by the MIT Radiation Laboratory during World War II. It was one of the most advanced ground-based radars of its era, and became one of th ...
from the
8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
The 8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (8th AAA Bn) was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1942 as the 8th Defense Battalion, its original mission was the air and coastal defense of advance ...
on
Kauai
Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest island ...
to direct simulated bombing missions with
SB2C and
SBD
SBD may refer to:
* Douglas SBD Dauntless, a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber
* San Bernardino International Airport, airport identifier code SBD
* Savings Bank of Danbury, a bank headquartered in Connecticut
* Schottky bar ...
dive bombers. Early results from these tests were positive.
By early January 1945, LFASCU-1 reported to the
V Amphibious Corps
The V Amphibious Corps (VAC) was a formation of the United States Marine Corps which was composed of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions in World War II. The three divisions were the amphibious landing force for the United States Fifth Fleet ...
in preparation for the
assault on Iwo Jima. LFASCU #1 departed Hawaii on 1 February 1945 whilst LFASCUs 2-4 remained in the vicinity of MCAS Ewa training for future operations.
LFASCU-1 went ashore at
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high.
...
on 24 February 1944 establishing their position a half a mile from the base of
Mount Suribachi
is a -high mountain on the southwest end of Iwo Jima in the northwest Pacific Ocean under the administration of Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan.
The mountain's name derives from its shape, resembling a '' suribachi'' or grind ...
. On 1 March 1945 at 1000 LFASCU-1 assumed control of close air support missions. This marked the first time that the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
had officially delegated this authority ashore during an amphibious operation. LFASCU-1 operated on Iwo Jima until 11 March 1945 when they were pulled out in order to begin preparations for follow on operations.
LFASCU-2 departed Hawaii on 17 February 1945 on board the and LFASCU-3 left six days later on board . All three of these units were tasked with providing support for the upcoming
invasion of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...
which was scheduled for 1 April 1945. All three LFASCUs came ashore on the first day of the invasion and established their agencies. LFASCU 1 in support of the V Amphibious Corps, while LFASCU-2 supported the
Army's XXIV Corps and LFASCU-3 coordinated close air support for the higher headquarters of the
Tenth United States Army
The Tenth United States Army was the last army level command established during the Pacific War during World War II, and included divisions from both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps.
History
The headquarters of the Tenth Army was formed ...
. During the course of the battle the three LFASCUs handled a total of 10, 506 close air support sorties.
1945 - 1950
At the end of World War II the LFASCUs were disbanded as they rotated back to the United States. The air support functionality remained as part of the Headquarters Squadron of the Marine Air Control Group until 1 July 1947 when Marine Tactical Air Control Squadrons 1 and 2 were formed. The original mission of the Marine Tactical Air Control Squadrons was to provide the facilities required for centralized control of air operations in support of
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Fleet ...
operations. This meant they supported both the establishment of the Marine Tactical Air Control Center and the coordination of close air support for the
ground combat element. Their mission was accomplished via the accomplishment of four tasks:
*(1) Supervise the deployment and sighting of assigned Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadrons (MGCIS);
*(2) Install, operate and maintain a Tactical Air Control Center (TACC) or Tactical Air Direction Center (TADC);
*(3) Receive and correlate requests for
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
(CAS);
*(4) Operate and maintain facilities for electronic control of CAS operations.
Korean War
![Devastate Charlie Sign](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Devastate_Charlie_Sign.jpg)
Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron 2 (MTACS-2), the precursor to today's MASS-2, operated an Air Support section and conducted operations during the Korean War at the
Pusan Perimeter
The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter ( ko, 부산 교두보 전투) was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the ...
,
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved so ...
,
Battle of Seoul,
Battle of Chosin Reservoir
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin (), was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "''Chōshin'', instead of t ...
, the East Central Front, and the Western Front.
At the outbreak of the Korean War, MTACS-2 was severely understrength. Additional Marines were joined from other squadrons within Marine Air Control Group 2 to fill out the squadron's ranks prior to deployment.
After arriving in Pohang on 4 August, the Air Support Section assumed control of all
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
aircraft for
1st Provisional Marine Brigade
The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was a Marine (military), Marine infantry brigade of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) that existed periodically from 1912 to 1950. It was an ad hoc unit formed for specific operations and not considered a "p ...
engaged on the Pusan perimeter. For the
Inchon invasion
The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved s ...
, MTACS-2's Air Support Section disembarked at Inchon in support of the
1st Marine Division. When the 1st Marine Division sailed for
Wonsan
Wŏnsan (), previously known as Wŏnsanjin (), Port Lazarev, and Genzan (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwŏn Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...
, the squadron's Air Support Sections sailed with them. The Air Support section was with the 1st Marine Division from November 27 - December 10, 1950 during the
Battle of Chosin Reservoir
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin (), was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "''Chōshin'', instead of t ...
. They controlled the flow of aircraft in support of the division and also manned a portion of the western perimeter at Hagaru-ri where the Division Headquarters was located.
After the successful breakout of the Chosin Reservoir, the Air Support section was transported to Masan, on the southern coast of Korea. In August 1951, the Marine Air Support Radar Team 1 arrived from CONUS and was attached to MTACS-2. In March 1952, the Air Support section moved with the 1st Marine Division to the western front near Panmunjum. The Air Defense section continued to operate the TACC of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from its location at
K-3 Airfield. MASS-2 was one of the last USMC units to leave Korea after the war. They finally departed after Easter 1956.
Vietnam
![ANTPQ-10 Radar at MASS-3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/ANTPQ-10_Radar_at_MASS-3.jpg)
In April 1965, MASS-2 deployed to
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
as part of the
III Marine Amphibious Force
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and ...
and provided both Direct Air Support Centers and
Air Support Radar Teams (ASRTs) in support of ground combat units. MASS-3 entered Vietnam on 10 November 1966 when they disembarked from the at
Chu Lai
Chu Lai is a seaport, urban and industrial area in Núi Thành District, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai International Airport. It is also the site of the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone (Vietnamese: ''Với Khu Kinh T ...
. MASS-2 supported the
3rd Marine Division
The 3rd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry divisions in the Marine Corps and together with th ...
in the northern two provinces of
I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to:
France
* 1st Army Corps (France)
* I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...
while MASS-3 worked in support of the
1st Marine Division in the southern three provinces of I Corps. From 1966-1971, MASS-3 ASRTs controlled more than 38,010
AN/TPQ-10 missions, directing more than 121,000 tons of ordnance on 56,753 targets. (a 10:1 ratio) The ASRTs utilized the AN/TPQ-10 with great success, especially during the
Battle of Khe Sanh
The Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January – 9 July 1968) was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Quảng Trị Province, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War. The main US forces defending Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB) ...
, where poor weather made conventional close air support methods unreliable. The AN/TPQ-10 had a
Circular error probable
In the military science of ballistics, circular error probable (CEP) (also circular error probability or circle of equal probability) is a measure of a weapon system's precision. It is defined as the radius of a circle, centered on the mean, wh ...
and could handle up to 105 missions a day. The commander of the Khe Sanh defense, Col.
David E. Lownds, said "Anything but the highest praise would not have been enough."
[ Krulak (1984), p.113-119.] By the end of the war, the DASCs and ASRTs participated in virtually every major Marine combat operation.
The 1980s and the Gulf War
In the early 1980s, the AN/TPQ-10 was replaced by the more sophisticated AN/TPB-1D, which, after extensive service in
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
, was removed from service due to the growing technological sophistication of onboard navigation and weapons delivery systems in modern fixed and rotary wing aircraft. During Operation Desert Storm the DASC was operational for 984 hours. They controlled 4948 fixed wing missions and 839 rotary wing missions. During this time they received 375 immediate
joint tactical air requests (JTARs), 114 immediate
assault support requests (ASRs) and 153 immediate
medevacs.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
For the
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...
, the DASC for the
I Marine Expeditionary Force
The I Marine Expeditionary Force ("I" pronounced "One") is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group. It is ...
was provided by MASS-3 with augmentation from MASS-1 and MASS-6. MASS-3 was divided into a main body (DASC Main) and a forward echelon (DASC Fwd). The main was attached to the Main Headquarters of the
1st Marine Division while the forward was attached to the Division "Jump Command Post (CP)." The DASC (Fwd) was also a part of
Task Force Tripoli
Task Force Tripoli (TFT) was a United States Marine Corps air-ground task force formed after the fall of Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This ad-hoc formation was tasked with continuing the attack north to secure the city of Tikrit. It ...
which pushed north into
Tikrit
Tikrit ( ar, تِكْرِيت ''Tikrīt'' , Syriac language, Syriac: ܬܲܓܪܝܼܬܼ ''Tagrīṯ'') is a city in Iraq, located northwest of Baghdad and southeast of Mosul on the Tigris River. It is the administrative center of the Saladin Gover ...
at the end of the invasion. Air support Marines from MASS-1 provided a DASC for
Task Force Tarawa
Task Force Tarawa (TFT) was the name given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It was a Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanded by Brigadier General Richard F. NatonskiNatonski message. that was attached to ...
and staffed a DASC (Airborne) detachment out of
Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base
Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base is a Kuwait Air Force base that is home to 3 Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 C/D squadrons: 9 Squadron, 25 Squadron, and 61 Squadron. The base also has an area designated for operations by the U.S. Air Force and its allies.
Hi ...
in Kuwait. An additional Air Support Element from the
11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (11th MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 pe ...
supported British Forces on the
Al Faw Peninsula. Lastly, Air Support Liaison Teams (ASLTs) were provided to all of the regiments within the 1st Marine Division to affect coordination with the DASC.
The Marine Corps' concept for air support control proved to be very successful during OIF 1. DASC crews were able to clear targets much quicker than the
Air Support Operations Center
Air Support Operations Center (ASOC) is a USDoD term for a subsection of a Theater Air Control System ( TACS) located near a corps headquarters or some other land force headquarters, which directs and oversees close air support and similar sorts ...
that was working in support of
V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to:
France
* 5th Army Corps (France)
* V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...
. The DASC had four unique traits that streamlined the processing of air support requests for I MEF:
*1) Controlled both fixed wing and rotary wing air which provided additional aircraft for assignment and easier deconfliction;
*2) Had organic Marine Aviation in direct support;
*3) Crewed by professional aviation command and control Marines whose primary job is the coordination of close air support
*4) The agency was assigned at the division level vice corps level
MASS-3 returned to Iraq with the 1st Marine Division to provide air support in January 2004. They were based out of
Camp Blue Diamond in
Ramadi
Ramadi ( ar, ٱلرَّمَادِي ''Ar-Ramādī''; also formerly rendered as ''Rumadiyah'' or ''Rumadiya'') is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad and west of Fallujah. It is the capital and largest city of Al Anbar Governorate whi ...
and were replaced in January 2005 by MASS-1. The DASC moved to
Camp Fallujah
Camp Fallujah (formerly known as the MEK (''Mujahedin-E Khalq'') Compound) is a large compound in Fallujah, Iraq formerly used by the U.S. Marines from 2004 to 2009.
History
Before the Marine occupation, the Iranian dissident group called ...
near the city of
Fallujah
Fallujah ( ar, ٱلْفَلُّوجَة, al-Fallūjah, Iraqi pronunciation: ) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jew ...
in January 2006 around the same time that MASS-3 returned to Iraq to retake the air support mission in
Al Anbar Province. MASS-1 again switched out with MASS-3 in early 2007 and provided air support for the
2nd Marine Division
The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina ...
.
Tasks
* Receive the
Air Tasking Order (ATO) from the TACC (Marine or Navy) and coordinate planned direct air support.
* Receive, process and coordinate requests for immediate direct air support.
* Adjust planned schedules, divert airborne assets, and launch aircraft as necessary when delegated authority by the aviation combat element (ACE) commander and in coordination with the
Marine Air Ground Task Force
Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined ar ...
fires coordination center (FFCC) or GCE senior FSCC.
* Coordinate the execution of direct air support missions with other supporting arms through the appropriate FFCC/FSCC and, as required, with the appropriate MACCS agencies.
* Receive and disseminate pertinent tactical information reported by aircraft performing direct air support missions.
* Provide aircraft and air control agencies with advisory and threat information to assist in the safe conduct of flight.
* Monitor, record and display information on direct air support missions.
* Maintain friendly and enemy ground situation displays necessary to coordinate direct air support missions.
* Provide direct air support aircraft and other MACCS agencies with information concerning the friendly and enemy situation.
* Refer unresolved conflicts in supporting arms to the FFCC/FSCC fire support coordinator (FSC).
Current Units
Decommissioned air support units
Citations
References
;Bibliography
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External links
Air Force Review article on the DASC in Iraq
{{MACCS
United States Marine Corps aviation