Offensive counterair and TMD attack operations attempt to defeat or suppress threat capabilities to launch air and missile attacks. Defensive counterair and TMD active defense destroy threat aircraft and missiles that threaten the force. Combat functions provide a structure for integrating and synchronizing critical combat activities in time, space, and purpose. At every echelon, commanders use the available battle command system to visualize, plan, direct, coordinate, adjust, and control the combat functions. The combat functions exist at all echelons of command.
Successful operations occur when the combat functions interact horizontally and vertically.
Horizontal interaction occurs when all combat functions interact at the same echelon to maximize combat power. Vertical integration occurs when higher and lower echelons within each combat function interact to synchronize operations. Air and missile defense commanders synchronize their operations by integrating them horizontally with other combat functions and vertically within the air and missile defense combat function.