The US Air Force has successfully deployed its new Tactical Operations Center – Light (TOC-L) across multiple Indo-Pacific locations, a significant achievement that tested both mobility and operational readiness during a groundbreaking exercise. This deployment, which took place last summer, marked the first instance of such a movement for ground-based command and control (C2) systems.
As part of a Department Level Exercise series, the operation involved the transportation of two TOC-L kits from Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma to Misawa and Yokota Air Bases in Japan. Meanwhile, a third TOC-L system stationed in Guam provided operational support in that region.
Personnel were able to connect the portable command kits to various aircraft, other C2 agencies, and command leadership at multiple locations. This demonstrated the system’s capability to integrate and fuse data from diverse sensors and radars into a unified operational picture, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making.
Air Force officials highlighted the deployment as a logistical milestone and an essential phase in testing the service’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy. TOC-L is designed as a lightweight and mobile battle management system, which can be quickly deployed to establish command and control in dispersed locations. Unlike traditional ground-based centers like the Control and Reporting Center, TOC-L can consolidate hundreds of data streams from radars and sensors, providing a comprehensive air picture. This capability significantly improves decision-making for distributed forces while maintaining a smaller footprint that is more adaptable in austere environments.
The Air Force continues to innovate with TOC-L, currently developing iterations with Major Release 2 being worked on by Booz Allen Hamilton. This new version is expected to incorporate lessons learned from the recent REFORPAC exercise, including improvements in size, weight, power, and sensor connectivity. Testing for this updated version is scheduled to occur during the 2026 Valiant Shield exercise, where it will be further evaluated in multi-national operational scenarios.
The TOC-L initiative aligns with a broader shift towards more agile and distributed command-and-control solutions that support the ACE strategy. This approach is designed to enable operations from geographically dispersed sites, reducing reliance on centralized bases that are more susceptible to attack. Recent experiments have also explored integrating TOC-L with allied sensor networks, including connecting to Japan’s air picture, and enhancing rapid plug-and-play capabilities with various radar and intelligence systems. This ongoing development underscores the Air Force’s commitment to modernizing its operational capabilities in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
