Who is responsible for allocating available capabilities to defend the prioritized assets, resulting in a DAL?

The Airspace Control Authority (AADC) is responsible for allocating available capabilities to defend prioritized assets, which results in a Defense Allocation List (DAL). The AADC's primary function is to manage airspace in a way that optimally integrates and coordinates air and space operations. This includes making decisions about which assets need defense and how to allocate the resources available to protect them effectively.

The process of creating a DAL involves assessing threats, evaluating the capabilities of friendly forces, and determining the best mix of air defense assets to defend critical assets. This allocation process is crucial to ensuring that the most important assets receive adequate protection based on their priority and the current operational environment.

In contrast, while the Joint Force Commander and Operational Commander hold significant oversight and planning roles across broader operational contexts, they rely on the AADC's specialized expertise in airspace management and defense allocation. Strategic Air Command, being a historical command structure focused on delivering strategic bombing and deterrent forces, does not oversee the immediate allocation of defenses in a joint operational theater as defined in the context of this question.