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United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces of the United States and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. Initially born as the United States Army Air Corps, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947. It was the last branch of the U.S. military to be formed.

Its role is "To provide sovereign options for the defense of the United States and its global interests. To fly and fight in Air, Space, and Cyberspace"

Seal of the United States Department of the Air Force

Operational Commands

The USAF is organised into several Major Commands to carry out its various functions.

The USAF has the following major commands:

Headquarters, United States Air Force
- Tactical Air Command
- Strategic Air COmmand
- Military Airlift Command
- Air Force Special Operations Command
- Air Force Cyber Command
- Air Force Space Command
- Air Education & Training Command
- Air Force Material Command
- Air Force Reserve Command
- Pacific Air Forces
- United States Air Forces in Europe
- Air National Guard
  - 38 States
  - 2 Territories
  - District of Columbia

Logo of the US Air Force

Flying Units and Equipment

Strategic Air Command

Strategic Air Command (SAC) is responsible for the USAF's strategic bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and strategic reconnaissance aircraft. It also operates strategic command aircraft such as the E-4 National Emergency Airborne Command Post. Although it provides aircraft and aircrews to all Unified Combatant Commands, it normally reports to United States Strategic Command.

1 Squadron of Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
5 Squadrons of Rockwell B-2B Lancer
6 Squadrons of Boeing B-52H Stratofortress
6 Squadrons of LGM-118 Peacekeeper ICBM
25 Squadrons of LGM-30G Minuteman III
2 Squadrons of Lockheed U-2R
1 Squadron of Boeing RC-135
1 Squadron of Boeing EC-135
2 Squadrons of Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk

Tactical Air Command

Tactical Air Command is repsonsible for battlefield-level (tactical) air combat to include air superiority (offensive and defensive counterair), light bombardment, tactical nuclear strike, tactical reconnaissance, close air support of ground troops, and battlefield air interdiction of enemy forces. It is also responsible for tactical ballistic missiles and tactical cruise missiles, although the latter role in the 1980s and 1990s was often delegated to United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). TAC also assists AFRC and the ANG in the air defence of the continental United States.

Strike Aircraft

2 Squadrons of Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
3 Squadrons of Northrop Grumman FB-23 Black Widow II [1],[2]
13 Squadrons of General Dynamics F-111

Tactical Fighters

5 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor
20 Squadrons of Boeing F-15C/D Eagle
25 Squadrons of Boeing F-15E Stike Eagle
12 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 50)
20 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 40)

Attack Aircraft

9 Squadrons of Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

Missiles

6 Squadrons of BGM-109H Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missiles
8 Squadrons of MGM-31C Pershing II Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

5 Squadrons of General Atomics MQ-1 Predator
1 Squadron of General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper

Electronic Warfare/Surveillance Aircraft

2 Squadrons of Grumman/General Dynamics EF-111A Raven
1 Squadron of Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint STARS
2 Squadrons of Boeing E-3C Sentry

Air Force Special Operations Command

1 Squadron of Lockheed Martin AC-130H Spectre
1 Squadron of Lockheed Martin AC-130U Spectre
2 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin MC-130H Combat Talon II
2 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin MC-130P Combat Shadow
2 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin MC-130W Combat Spear
4 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin HC-130 Hercules
1 Squadron of Lockheed Martin EC-130E Commando Solo II
1 Squadron of Lockheed Martin EC-130H Compass Call
1 Squadron of Lockheed Martin EC-130E Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC)
2 Squadrons of Sikorsky MH-53J/M Pave Low
4 Squadrons of Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk

Military Airlift Command

Tactical Transports

16 Squadrons of Lockheed C-130E/H/J Hercules

Strategic Transports

9 Squadrons of Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
2 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy

Tankers

3 Squadrons of McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
10 Squadrons of Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Executive Transports

2 Gulfstream C-20
2 Squadrons of LearJet C-21
10 Gulfstream C-37
8 Boeing C-40 Clipper
3 Boeing C-32
2 VC-25 (Air Force One)

Air Education & Training Command

AETC's mission is to "develop America's Airmen today... for tomorrow." The command recruits, trains, and educates Airmen for the United States Air Force.

ATEC conducts virtually all USAF training, from basic recruit training to fast jet training.

23 Squadrons of Northrop T-38 Talon
21 Squadrons of Beechcraft T-6 Texan II
21 Squadrons of Cessna T-37 Tweet
9 Squadrons of Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk
1 Squadron of Boeing T-43
1 Squadron of Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
5 Squadrons of Boeing F-15A/B Eagle
4 Squadrons of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle
6 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (Block 15/25)
1 Composite Special Operations Squadron
1 Composite Airlift Squadron
Initial Flight Screening
- Contract to Doss Aviation

Air Force Space Command

Air Force Space Command is focussed on space surveillance, missile warning and defence, the US military space program including operating satellites, and launching military satellites.

Ground-Based Midcourse Defense
- 6 Squadrons of Ground Based Interceptor missiles

Air Force Reserve Command

The Air Force Reserve Command is a federal reserve of the US Air Force.

3 Squadrons of Boeing F-15A/B Eagle
4 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 30)
5 Squadrons of Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II
5 Squadrons of Lockheed C-130E/H Hercules
2 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy
8 Squadrons of Bell UH-1N Iroquois
3 Squadrons of Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Air National Guard

The Air National Guard comprises 38 state Air National Guards, the District of Columbia Air National Guard, the Guam Air National Guard, the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, and the Virgin Islands Air National Guard. Many of these units do not make up full USAF 20 aircraft squadrons, therefore the numbers shown below indicate equivalent groups (batches of 20 aircraft)

7 Squadrons of Boeing F-15A/B Eagle
16 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 30)
6 Squadrons of Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II
10 Squadrons of Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
10 Squadrons of Lockheed C-130E/H Hercules
2 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy
2 Squadrons of LearJet C-21

Aerial Weapon Systems

Uniforms

Rank Insignia

Officers

Enlisted Men

Flag

Flag of the United States Air Force

@@ Line 124: / Line 124: @@
 ==Air Education & Training Command==
+AETC's mission is to "develop America's Airmen today... for tomorrow." The command recruits, trains, and educates Airmen for the United States Air Force.
+ATEC conducts virtually all USAF training, from basic recruit training to fast jet training.
+*23 Squadrons of Northrop T-38 Talon
+*21 Squadrons of Beechcraft T-6 Texan II
+*21 Squadrons of Cessna T-37 Tweet
+*9 Squadrons of Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk
+*1 Squadron of Boeing T-43
+*1 Squadron of Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
+*5 Squadrons of Boeing F-15A/B Eagle
+*4 Squadrons of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle
+*6 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (Block 15/25)
+*1 Composite Special Operations Squadron
+*1 Composite Airlift Squadron
+*Initial Flight Screening
+**Contract to Doss Aviation
 ==Air Force Space Command==

United States Air Force