Area Of Responsibility (AOR) is a pre-defined geographic region assigned to a Combatant commanders of the Unified Command Plan (UCP), that are used to define an area with specific geographic boundaries where they have the authority to plan and conduct operations; for which a force, or component commander bears a certain responsibility. The term may also be used in other countries worldwide but it originated within the United States armed forces. This system is designed to allow a single commander to exercise command and control of all military forces in the AOR, regardless of their branch of service.