The Light and Dark Sides:
The nerve center for air and space operations within the US Central Command area of responsibility is the Southwest Asia combined air operations center, which orchestrates 24/7 air support throughout the AOR, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa. The coalition forces staffing the CAOC form what they call the “light” side—the creators of air tasking orders—and the “dark” side—the watchers of real-time surveillance imagery.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…


