Date: 201706
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZLA.ARTCC, CA
Aircraft: Fighting Falcon F16
Operator: Military
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Tactical
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class A ZLA
ATC / advisory: Center ZLA
Second aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute; Supervisor / CIC
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Workload; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Contributing factors: Procedure; Company Policy; Airspace Structure; Staffing
Primary problem: Airspace Structure

Narrative: Shortly after receiving the Controller in Charge (CIC) position I noticed conflict alert activating at a Sector. I used the 'See All' scope to observe the sector. I noticed Aircraft X in conflict with an arrival that was descending. The controller at the sector had put a heading in the data block; so I thought he was taking care of the situation adequately. However; the aircraft did appear to get less than 6 miles away from each other. I immediately paged the two people who were on break the longest; and called the watch desk to inform them of the possible loss of separation. Three main factors contributed to this situation. Increased complexity and volume at the sector due to Optimization of Airspace and Procedures (OAPM). Although some of the routes help procedurally separate traffic; the new sectors have halved the previous sector's area; while increasing the vertical boundaries; effectively making the airspace 4 times more complex. I suggest an immediate reversion to the previous sector designs to prevent this from happening again. The new routes will still work in the old sectors.Staffing has been critically low for a long time. Lack of funds for overtime; management's unwillingness to negotiate a fatigue mitigating schedule; and training without the bodies needed are all contributing sub-factors. We need to hire more people; pay the extra money to train them; and create schedules that employees like; to reduce leave usage. If there had been a Radar Assist available; this situation probably would not have happened.The previous CIC had not properly staffed the area for the level of traffic we were experiencing. Although most controllers are willing to work through a busy push by themselves; this was a perfect example of why they shouldn't have to. The previous CIC is recently signed off as a CIC; but management has not provided the proper list of CIC seniority since he was certified. Rather than comply with Article 18; Section 8 g. of the CBA; management put this employee at the top of the CIC list. This means he has been CIC almost every time he is in the area. Although he my be a competent CIC; this has unfairly taken away the opportunity for others to be CIC. I believe it has also encouraged complacency; which I believe was a factor in this situation. Management should be adhering to the CBA.




Synopsis: ZLA ARTCC Controller reported a loss of separation between a flight of military aircraft and an arriving descending air carrier aircraft.