Area Air Defense Commander (AADC)

The Area Air Defense Commander (AADC) is the warfare commander a US/NATO maritime task force or strike group assigns to coordinate air and missile defense across the force’s area of operations. The AADC sets the air-defense plan, weapons-control and engagement-zone status, and identification criteria, then deconflicts engagements among ships and aircraft to prevent gaps and fratricide. The role is part of the composite warfare commander (CWC) structure, alongside the sea combat commander and others, and relies on a shared air picture distributed over tactical data links.