Is Numbered Air Force higher than MAJCOM?
Subordinate to the MAJCOMs are the Numbered Air Forces (NAF). There are twenty-five NAFs, which are referred to as tactical echelons, providing operational leadership and supervision for the assigned operational units under them.
How many numbered air forces are in ACC?
FORCES AND ORGANIZATION These are organized under five active duty numbered air forces and the Air Force Warfare Center. The command also has responsibility for inland search and rescue operations in the 48 contiguous states.
How are Air Force squadrons numbered?
Squadrons are usually identified both numerically and by function. An example would be the 49th Security Forces Squadron or the 501st Maintenance Squadron. Two or more squadrons form a group. In the Air Force, groups are usually based upon the assignment of squadrons with similar functions.
How many numbered air forces are in Pacaf?
three Numbered Air ForcePACAF is home to three Numbered Air Force units which are 5th Air Force at Yokota Air Base, Japan; 7th Air Force at Osan AB, Republic of Korea; and 11th Air Force at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
What is Air Force 7 level called?
craftsmanIn this case, the “7” skill level is a “craftsman.” Upon promotion to E-5, Airmen begin training for the “7” (craftsman) skill level. This level of training includes correspondence courses, more on-the-job training, and for some jobs, a 7-level technical school.
Are there 2 types of Air Force Ones?
Description. The shoes are sold in 5 different styles, low, mid, superlow, high and super high. The mid comes with a connected strap. The high-top Air Force 1s come with a velcro strap; the mid-top strap is secured to the shoe while the high-top's strap is movable and removable on some versions.
What are Air Force soldiers called?
airmenMembers of the Air Force are airmen. Members of the Navy are sailors.
What is a group of airmen called?
A squadron in air force, army aviation, or naval aviation is a unit comprising a number of military aircraft and their aircrews, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force.
What rank commands a squadron?
A squadron is usually commanded by a major (O-4) or lieutenant colonel (O-5), however lieutenant colonel is the most common grade of rank for the "squadron commander" (SQ/CC) of most types of squadrons.
What does A6 mean in Air Force?
A6, the designation for air force headquarters staff concerned with signals, communications, or information technology.
How long can I stay in PACAF?
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- During the initial assignment briefing, orders officials will counsel Airmen (enlisted and officer) departing to their first permanent assignment that they will be serving the accompanied tour length of 36-months and that there is no longer a 24 month option.
What are the 7 commands of Air Force?
Air Head QuarterWestern Air Command.Eastern Air Command.Central Air Command.South-Western Air Command.Southern Air Command.Training Command.Maintenance Command.
How many Air Force numbers are there?
United States Air ForceSize328,820 active duty personnel 152,231 civilians 69,056 reserve personnel 110,000 air national guard personnel 5,217 aircraft 406 ICBMsPart ofUnited States Armed Forces Department of the Air ForceHeadquartersThe Pentagon Arlington County, Virginia, United States33 more rows
What Air Force bases are ACC?
List of bases under ACC:Mountain Home AFB, ID.Beale AFB, CA.Ellsworth AFB, SD.Nellis AFB, NV.Creech AFB, NV.Holloman AFB, NM.
Where are the numbered air forces?
NumberedAir ForceStationMajor CommandFirst Air Force (Air Forces Northern)Tyndall Air Force Base, FloridaACCSecond Air ForceKeesler Air Force Base, MississippiAETCThird Air Force (Air Forces Europe)Ramstein Air Base, GermanyUSAFE-AFAFRICAFourth Air ForceMarch Air Reserve Base, CaliforniaAFRC21 more rows
What does A6 mean in Air Force?
A6, the designation for air force headquarters staff concerned with signals, communications, or information technology.
What is the Air Force?
The U.S. Air Force is a military service branch organized within the Department of the Air Force, one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense.
Who manages the Air Force?
The Department of the Air Force is one of three military departments within the Department of Defense, and is managed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force, under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense.
What is the role of the USAF?
The proximity to friendly forces require precision strikes from these aircraft that are not always possible with bomber aircraft. Their role is tactical rather than strategic, operating at the front of the battle rather than against targets deeper in the enemy's rear. The Air Force is currently running the OA-X experiment, with the intent to procure an off-the-shelf light attack aircraft. Current USAF attack aircraft are operated by Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, and Air Force Special Operations Command.
What is the Air Force Fitness Test?
The US Air Force Fitness Test (AFFT) is designed to test the abdominal circumference, muscular strength/endurance and cardiovascular respiratory fitness of airmen in the USAF. As part of the Fit to Fight program, the USAF adopted a more stringent physical fitness assessment; the new fitness program was put into effect on 1 June 2010. The annual ergo-cycle test which the USAF had used for several years had been replaced in 2004. In the AFFT, Airmen are given a score based on performance consisting of four components: waist circumference, the sit-up, the push-up, and a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) run. Airmen can potentially earn a score of 100, with the run counting as 60%, waist circumference as 20%, and both strength test counting as 10% each. A passing score is 75 points. Effective 1 July 2010, the AFFT is administered by the base Fitness Assessment Cell (FAC), and is required twice a year. Personnel may test once a year if he or she earns a score above a 90%. Additionally, only meeting the minimum standards on each one of these tests will not get you a passing score of 75%, and failing any one component will result in a failure for the entire test.
What is the purpose of the badges in the Air Force?
In addition to basic uniform clothing, various badges are used by the USAF to indicate a billet assignment or qualification-level for a given assignment .
What is the color of the USAF uniform?
This is worn with a light blue shirt (shade 1550) and shade 1620 herringbone patterned necktie. Silver "U.S." pins are worn on the collar of the coat, with a surrounding silver ring for enlisted airmen. Enlisted airmen wear sleeve rank on both the jacket and shirt, while officers wear metal rank insignia pinned onto the epaulet loops on the coat, and Air Force blue slide-on epaulet loops on the shirt. USAF personnel assigned to base honor guard duties wear, for certain occasions, a modified version of the standard service dress uniform that includes silver trim on the sleeves and trousers, with the addition of a ceremonial belt (if necessary), service cap with silver trim and Hap Arnold Device (instead of the seal of the United States worn on the regular cap), and a silver aiguillette placed on the left shoulder seam and all devices and accoutrements.
What is the role of the Secretary of Defense in the Air Force?
When required to support operational missions, the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) directs the Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) to execute a Change in Operational Control (CHOP) of these units from their administrative alignment to the operational command of a Regional Combatant commander (CCDR).
List of Numbered Air Forces
The table below lists current and historical numbered air forces of the US Air Force, their C-NAF designation (if applicable), their current shield and station, and the major command (MAJCOM) to which they are currently assigned.
Named Air Forces
Named Air Forces operate at the same level as Numbered Air Forces. General Headquarters Air Force, the first named air force of the United States Army 's air arm, began operations in 1935. The GHQ Air Force became the Air Force Combat Command in 1941. Several of the numbered air forces began as named air forces.
When did the Air Force start having numbers?
Only very briefly, early in World War II, were air forces identified by an Arabic numeral (e.g., 1st Air Force). Beginning in 1942 the War Department required air forces to be numbered in single series beginning with a spelled-out numeral (e.g., First Air Force).
What is the Air Force element?
This nomenclature is used to account for manpower authorizations and to identify Air Force personnel on duty with organizations outside the Air Force. Although not a unit for organizational purposes, an element may, in some instances, function as a unit. Show Full Article.
What is a detachment in the Air Force?
Modern detachments are frequently mistaken for units, but in fact they are merely segments or parts of a unit, generally stationed away from the physical location of the parent unit. Detachments usually carry a number, such as Detachment 5, of a particular squadron. Any unit may have one or more detachments, and some Air Force organizations operate primarily through detachments. Very often, unit honors have been awarded to specific detachments in recognition of outstanding performance or achievement by detachment personnel. A detachment may be analogous to a unit under the Uniform Code of Military Justice when a commissioned officer is appointed by orders as its "commander." Thus, modern detachments are often mistaken for units because they have commanders and are subject to some of the same organizational actions applying to units, including designation, activation, assignment, and inactivation.
What is a wing in the USAF?
Today, wings are defined as a level of command below the NAF or higher headquarters. A wing has a distinct mission with significant scope. The USAF has three basic types of wings: operational, air base, and specialized mission. An operational wing has an operations group and related operational mission activity assigned to it. When an operational wing performs the primary mission of the base, it usually maintains and operates the base. In addition, an operational wing is capable of self-support in functional areas like maintenance, supply, and munitions, as needed. When an operational wing is a tenant organization, the host command provides it with varying degrees of base and logistics support. An air base wing usually maintains and operates a base, and often provides functional support to a major command headquarters. A specialized mission wing may be either a host wing or a tenant wing and performs a specialized mission such as intelligence or training.
What is the NAF in the military?
Today, the numbered air force (NAF) is defined as a level of command directly under a MAJCOM. NAFs are tactical echelons that provide operational leadership and supervision. Many NAFs are responsible for MAJCOM operations in a specific geographic region or theater of operations.
What is a DRU in the Air Force?
Direct Reporting Unit (DRU) A subdivision of the Air Force, directly subordinate to the Chief of Staff. A DRU performs a specialized or restricted mission that does not fit into any of the MAJCOMs. A DRU has many of the same administrative and organizational responsibilities as a MAJCOM.
What is a squadron section?
Squadron sections are sometimes confused with units. For example, a Headquarters Squadron Section, or Patient Squadron Section, although including "squadron" in their designations, are not squadrons; they are merely segments of units and, in the example of a Headquarters Squadron Section, a function responsible for the administrative control of members assigned to the unit. Squadron sections exist because HQ USAF discontinued the generic designation "Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron" in Air Force Letter 20-5, 18 July 1951. At the same time, HQ USAF authorized establishments at group and above to have a "headquarters squadron section" as an integral part of their headquarters.
What is the Air Force?
The U.S. Air Force is the air combat branch of the U.S. military. In general terms, the Air Force's job is to prepare and train, and when needed, fight the aerial aspects of any military conflict the U.S. becomes involved in. The Air Force vision statement is: "Global Vigilance, Reach, and Power.".
How does the Air Force work?
The Air Force also works to secure air superiority in a given theater -- the geographic area in which battle takes place -- by eliminating aerial threats, such as another nation's fighter planes or bombers. Much of the Air Force's role, however, is strategic.
What is the Air Force's vision statement?
The Air Force vision statement is: "Global Vigilance, Reach, and Power.". Their mission statement, updated in 2005, is to "deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests -- to fly and fight in Air, Space, and Cyberspace.". The Thunderbirds.
How is the Air Force divided?
The Air Force is divided into major commands. Within the United States, the commands are divided by function. Outside the U.S., they are divided by geographic area.
What is the youngest branch of the military?
The U.S. Air Force is the youngest American military branch, forming in the 20th century after the invention of the airplane. Tasked with protecting the nation’s skies and supporting ground troops, the Air Force relies on the most technologically advanced military aircraft in the world. Operating those planes are highly trained pilots backed by ...
Why is the Air Force divided into groups?
The breakdown of Air Force units is more flexible (and more chaotic) than other military branches in part due to the Air Force’s high mobility, as well as the need to thoroughly integrate their efforts with those of the other armed forces.
When did the Air Force become independent?
An overall reorganization of the U.S. military in 1947 lead to the creation of the U.S. Air Force, finally making it an independent and equal branch of the military within the Department of Defense. Photo courtesy of the United States Air Force.
Overview
Organization
The Department of the Air Force is one of three military departments within the Department of Defense, and is managed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force, under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense. The senior officials in the Office of the Secretary are the Under Secretary of the Air Force, four Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force and the General Counsel, all o…
Mission, vision, and functions
According to the National Security Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 502), which created the USAF:
In general, the United States Air Force shall include aviation forces both combat and service not otherwise assigned. It shall be organized, trained, and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained offensive and defensive air operations. Th…
According to the National Security Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 502), which created the USAF:
In general, the United States Air Force shall include aviation forces both combat and service not otherwise assigned. It shall be organized, trained, and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained offensive and defensive air operations. Th…
History
The U.S. War Department created the first antecedent of the U.S. Air Force, as a part of the U.S. Army, on 1 August 1907, which through a succession of changes of organization, titles, and missions advanced toward eventual independence 40 years later. In World War II, almost 68,000 U.S. airmen died helping to win the war, with only the infantry suffering more casualties. In practice, the U.S. Army …
Culture
The culture of the United States Air Force is primarily driven by pilots, at first those piloting bombers (driven originally by the Bomber Mafia), followed by fighters (Fighter Mafia).
In response to a 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates accepted in June 2009 the resignations of S…
Personnel
The classification of any USAF job for officers or enlisted airmen is the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC).
AFSCs range from officer specialties such as pilot, combat systems officer, special tactics, nuclear and missile operations, intelligence, cyberspace operations, judge advocate general (JAG), medical doctor, nurse or other fields…
Aircraft inventory
The U.S. Air Force has a total force of 5,217 aircraft as of June 2021. Of these, 4,131 are in active service. Until 1962, the Army and Air Force maintained one system of aircraft naming, while the U.S. Navy maintained a separate system. In 1962, these were unified into a single system heavily reflecting the Army and Air Force method. For more complete information on the workings of this system…
See also
• Air & Space Forces Association
• Air Force Combat Ammunition Center
• Air Force Knowledge Now
• Airman's Creed