Battle Staff Operations Team
Airborne Emergency Actions Officer: – A General officer that would take charge of Strategic Air Command (SAC) Forces when or if needed.
Operations Officer: – A Major/Lt Col was responsible for the mission. He/She directed the Battle Staff, Communications Team, and Flight Crew and acted as a intermediary between the crew and the Airborne Emergency Actions Officer, (AEAO) a SAC General Officer. The Ops’ Officer was a certified member of the Emergency Actions Team and a Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS) Officer.
Emergency Actions NCO: – A certified member of the Emergency Actions Team. This team would build and send the messages directing SAC forces if the SAC Command Center was unable. The NCO was also the WABNRES manger
Force Status NCO: – would track the status of all Alert and non-alert ICMBs, SLBMs, Bombers, Tankers, nuclear weapons, and brief the AEAO and/or CINCSAC. They would also assist the planning team when a re-plan was needed to strike a target.
Battle Staff Planning Team
Intelligence Officer(s): – briefed the entire battle staff on current intelligence matters, developed threat assessments, and identified emerging threats to the United States. Day-to-day missions only one officer flew, when generated there were two.
Planning Officer(s): – the second in command, headed the planning staff and advised the AEAO of the war plans available to the President of the United States. Day-to-day missions only one officer flew, when generated there were two.
Logistic Officer and NCO: – made sure that returning bomber and tanker forces had safe recovery bases to provide medical attention, food, and rest for the crew and expeditious repairs, refueling, and reloading for the aircraft. The officer flew Day-to-Day, when generated the NCO was the 2nd Logistics.
The Communications Team
Radio 1: – Was responsible for establishing and maintaining the UHF air-to-ground, air-to-air, KY-3 secure voice and Airborne Launch Control System links. The RO1 was usually the senior comm team member.
Radio 2: – Was responsible for High Frequency radios for global connectivity and being trained for RO1.
Radio Maintenance 2 or Airborne Performance Monitor: – Was responsible for monitoring the quality and and smooth operation of the A-A/A-G mux links. Also verified that ALCS data was of good quality. After the AFSAT mod the APM also monitor satellite command changes to verify that they had been accepted by the satellite.
Radio Maintenance 1: – Was responsible for all of the communications on the aircraft an expert at his craft that could troubleshoot anything from telephone systems to satellites. This person would also operate and tune the VLF/LF transmitter.
Data: – Maintained the data circuit to HQ SAC SATIN Relay. This was the primary source for record traffic. He could also establish data circuits with other WWABNCP aircraft over UHF or HF. He also operated the VLF/LF radio receivers and modulator.
AFSAT 1 & 2: – Operated the Air Force SATellite COMmunications terminal which provided clear and secure record communications with all of the WWABNCP assets and all SAC bombers, Missile LCFs and Wing CPs. An additional duty was to operate the VLF/LF Trailing Wire Antenna (TWA).