United States Air Force (USAF) is one of the armed forces of the United States of America. The youngest of the five existing armed forces. In terms of personnel and aircraft numbers, they are the largest air force in the world. Among the subordinate branches of the army are strategic missile forces, space forces, air and missile defense forces, special purpose units, etc.
As of 30 September 2007, the United States Air Force stood at 328,600 persons in active service. In addition, 117,497 persons were on the reserve and 106,700 persons were in the National Guard Air Force. There were 4,093 manned aircraft in service (as well as 1,289 in the National Guard Air Force and 396 in the reserve), some 156 unmanned aerial vehicles, 2,130 airborne cruise missiles and 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The current U.S. Air Force was formed on September 18, 1947, shortly after the Second World War. Until then, they were part of the U.S. Army.
The organizational structures that preceded the U.S. Air Force:
- U.S. Naval Department of the U.S. Communications Corps (August 1, 1907 – July 18, 1914)
- U.S. Communications Corps Aviation Section (18 July 1914-20 May 1918)
- Department of Military Aeronautics (May 20, 1918 – May 24, 1918)
- U.S. Army Aviation Service (May 24, 1918 – July 2, 1926)
- U.S. Army Air Corps (July 2, 1926 – June 20, 1941)
- U.S. Army Air Force (June 20, 1941 – September 17, 1947)
Air Force SVG Structure
Air Force commands are divided into air armies, separate wings and other separate units.
Wings consist of groups (operational, technical, logistics, logistics, medical), each of which includes several squadrons, which in turn consist of several links.
General Air Force commands:
Air Combat Command (headquarters – Langley Airfield, Virginia). Includes 1st, 8th, 9th, 12th Air Armies and Air Force Warfare Center.
Air Education and Training Command (headquarters – Randolph Airfield, Texas). Includes the 2nd Air Force (technical training), 19th Air Force (flight training), Air University, Air Force Recruitment Service and individual units.
Air Mobility Command (headquarters – Scott Air Force Base, Illinois). Includes the 18th Air Force and the Expeditionary Training and Research Center.
Air Force Material Command (headquarters – Wright Patterson Air Base, Ohio). Includes production, research and logistics centers.
Air Force Reserve Command (headquarters – Robins Air Force Base, California). Includes 4th, 10th and 22nd Air Armies.
U.S. Air Force Space Command (headquarters – Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado). Includes the 14th and 20th Air Armies, Space Development and Innovation Center, Space and Missile Systems Center.
Pacific Air Force Command (headquarters – Hikkam Airfield, Hawaii). Includes 5th (Japan), 7th (Republic of Korea), 11th (Alaska) and 13th (Hawaii) air armies.
U.S. Air Force Europe and Africa (U.S. Air Force in Europe) (headquarters – Ramstein Air Base, Germany). Includes 3rd and 17th Air Armies.
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (headquarters – Hurlbert, Florida). Includes the 23rd Air Force.
Air National Guard (Washington).
Air Force Global Strike Command (headquarters – Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana). Established in August 2009, it will unite the strategic nuclear forces of the Air Force under a single command. The 20th Air Force (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) will come under command in December 2009, and in February 2010 (according to other data – in April 2010). – The 8th Air Force (strategic bombers).