ACO
GENERAL.
The Airspace Control Order (ACO) is developed from the Airspace Control Plan (ACP). It directs the use of joint airspace and details the approved requests for airspace control measures for specified periods. The ACO lists, but is not limited to, airspace control measures (ACMs) and procedures used on or over the area of operations. It is critical to mission success that airspace users receive pertinent airspace information as early in the planning cycle as possible. A change to the ACO should be distributed whenever a new area is established or an existing area deleted.
ACO Header
Decode the ACO header. See example below:
OPER/COBRA GOLD 07/C2WS/ATOTRNG/-//
MSGID/ACO/C2WS/705401/FEB/CHG/02//
REF/A/ACMREQ/ABCCC/23FEB2007/-/-/-//
REF/B/ACMREQ/CTG50.21/230800ZFEB2007/002/-/-//
ACOID/COBRA GOLD AO/23B//
GEODATUM/WGS 1984//
PERIOD/230600FEB2007/240559FEB2007//
GENTEXT/ACO MANAGEMENT INFORMATION/IDENTIFY
PROBLEMS PERTAINING TO THIS ACO TO THE JAOC
AIRSPACE MANAGEMENT CELL AT DSN 123-4567///-//
Decode the first dataset of the header. It identifies the type of message being received.
OPER/COBRA GOLD 07//
EXER/OFF 450 FTU TRAINING//
• Field 1 – Notice that the dataset identifier will be either OPER or EXER indicating the reason for the
message, followed by a "/".
• Field 2 – The second element in this dataset is the nickname of the exercise or operation codeword
itself; "COBRA GOLD".
For an EXER there may be one additional data block to display any additional identifiers for the exercise,
and then a double slash (//) to end the dataset.
Decode the second dataset in the header. It contains the Message Identification (MSGID).
MSGID/ACO/C2WS/705401/FEB/CHG/02//
• Field 1 – Message Text Format Identifier. This field must equal "ACO" when it is an ACO message.
• Field 2 – Originator or Issuing Agency
• Field 3 – Message Serial Number. If the ACO is numbered it would be indicated here.
• Field 4 – Month name. The presence of a month name does NOT by itself imply the ACO is valid
for the entire month.
• Field 5 – Qualifier. If this is a change it would indicate "CHG" here.
• Field 6 – Qualifier Serial Number. Indicating which change number it is. Much of the information in
these blocks may be "-" indicating a "no data" entry.