Command Control and Communications Center
A Command Control and Communications Center, or C3, is a military organization that facilitates the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commanding officer over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of a given mission. They are usually considered remote locations specific to a particular mission or theater of operations, although the term may also refer to command and control systems within a centralized military system or facility.
It is defined as The exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission. Command and control functions are performed through an arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications, facilities, and procedures employed by a commander in planning, directing, coordinating, and controlling forces and operations in the accomplishment of the mission. Also called C3.
Commanding officers are assisted in executing these tasks by specialized staff officers and enlisted personnel. These military staff are a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units.
The purpose of a military staff is mainly that of providing accurate, timely information which by category represents information on which command decisions are based. The key application is that of decisions that effectively manage unit resources. While information flow toward the commander is a priority, information that is useful or contingent in nature is communicated to lower staffs and units for the purpose of mission prioritization and resource allocations, especially where logistical support is concerned.
The creation of C3 facilities are uncommon in starfleet, but are often seen as necessary when dealing with mission requirements that can not always be handled from the bridge or operations center of a starship due to mission scope, resource scope or staffing limitations. In 2414, the crew of the USS Rosenante established a C3 to coordinate and handle the massive influx of refugees fleeing conflict on Beta Aquillia IV during the coup by the Veil of the Sky.
