Part 7. SYSTEM OPERATIONS SECURITY

Chapter 21. Operations Security: Tactical, Special, and Strategic

Section 1. Organizational Missions

21-1-1. SYSTEM OPERATIONS SECURITY MISSION

System Operations Security leads the Air Traffic Organization's (ATO) use of the agency's Air Navigation Services (ANS) authorities, expertise, and operational capability to help protect the United States and its interests from Air Domain related threats and hazards in the national defense, homeland security, law enforcement, and disaster response arenas. System Operations Security is also responsible for leading the ATO's Air Traffic Management (ATM) security efforts to mitigate the impacts of those threats and hazards on the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS).
NOTE-
1. To align with ICAO Document 9985, Air Traffic Management Security Manual, the FAA defines ATM security as the safeguarding of the ATM system from security threats and vulnerabilities; and the contribution of the ATM system to civil aviation security, national security and defense, and law enforcement.
2. To align with ICAO Document 9985, Air Traffic Management Security Manual, the FAA defines “air domain” as the global airspace; all manned and unmanned aircraft operating in the global airspace; all people and cargo present in the global airspace; and all aviation‐related infrastructure.
System Operation Security's collaboration with air traffic field facilities and interaction with Federal, State, and local interagency partners falls into three general mission areas, which broadly reflect the organization structure of the office's groups: Tactical Operations Security, Special Operations Security, and Strategic Operations Security.

21-1-2. TACTICAL OPERATIONS SECURITY MISSION

Tactical Operations Security is responsible for themanagement of ATO's real‐time ATM security-related operations. These tactical operations principally focus on: monitoring air traffic and using intelligence information to detect potential threats, validating those threats, and facilitating tactical responses in order to reinforce efforts to defeat those threats while mitigating safety and efficiency impacts on the NAS.

21-1-3. SPECIAL OPERATIONS SECURITY MISSION

Special Operations Security is principally responsible for the development and coordination of near‐term plans to provide ATM security related support to classified or sensitive operations undertaken by national defense, homeland security, and law enforcement interagency partners. Special Operations also serves as the primary interface with NORAD and other interagency partners for the development of protocols and plans to support the integration of live and exercise missions into the NAS, mitigating any safety and efficiency impacts.

21-1-4. STRATEGIC OPERATIONS SECURITY MISSION

Strategic Operations Security is principally responsible for supporting ATM security measures through development and coordination of procedures, plans, programs, exercises, and policies needed to effectively carry out ATO's efforts in the national defense, homeland security, law enforcement, and disaster response arenas while mitigating safety and efficiency impacts on the NAS. In addition, this group leads ATO's efforts on Continuity of Operations, disaster response, and other emergency operations.