Information AboutUsaf |
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The United States Air Force ('''USAF''') is the Aerial Warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven Uniformed Services . Previously part of the United States Army , the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18 , 1947 .80 P.L. 235, 61 Stat. 495 (1947); Air Force Link, (2006)'' Factsheets: The U.S. Air Force ''. Retrieved April 7, 2006. The USAF is the largest and most technologically advanced Air Force in the world, with about 6013 manned aircraft in service (4,282 USAF; 1,321 Air National Guard ; and 410 Air Force Reserve ); approximately 160 Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle s, 2161 Air-Launched Cruise Missile s, and 580 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile s; and as of September 30 , 2006 , had 334,200 personnel on Active Duty , 120,369 in the Selected And Individual Ready Reserves , and 107,000 in the Air National Guard . An additional 10,675 personnel were in the Standby Reserve and the Air Force employed 168,558 civilian personnel. 1 The USAF is currently planning a massive Reduction-in-Force (RIF). Because of budget constraints, the USAF will reduce the service's current size by 40,000 full time equivalent positions by 2011, with approximately half to be eliminated in FY 2007. Approximately 35,000 active duty positions, or one year's cycle of enlistments and retirements, will be eliminated over 5 years.Air Force Print News, (2006). '' Force shaping necessary for AF budgetary management ''. Retrieved June 8, 2006. The current size of the active-duty force is roughly 70% of that of the USAF at the end of the first Gulf War in 1991. 2 1991 510,000; 2006 352,000 Not all of the United States' military combat aircraft are operated by the USAF. The United States Army operates its own helicopters, mostly for support of ground combatants. The Navy is responsible for the aircraft operating on its Aircraft Carrier s and Naval Air Station s, and the Marine Corps operates its own combat and transport aircraft. The Coast Guard also maintains transport and search-and-rescue aircraft, which may be used in a combat and law enforcement role. All branches of the U.S. military operate helicopters. The Department of the Air Force is headed by the civilian Secretary Of The Air Force who heads administrative affairs. The Department of the Air Force is a division of the United States Department Of Defense which is headed by the United States Secretary Of Defense . The highest ranking military officer in the department is the Chief Of Staff Of The Air Force . MISSION 1. According to the National Security Act Of 1947 (61 Stat. 502) which created the Air Force:
2. ยง8062 of Title 10 US Code ( 10 USC 8062 ) defines the purpose of the Air Force as:
3. The stated mission of the USAF today 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".Air Force Link, (2005). '' Air Force releases new mission statement ''. Retrieved December 8, 2005. HISTORY See Also: History of the United States Air Force The United States Air Force became a separate military service on 2006 . Prior to 1947, the responsibility for military aviation was divided between the Army (for land-based operations) and the Navy, for sea-based operations from Aircraft Carrier and Amphibious aircraft. The Army created the first antecedent of the Air Force in 1907 , which through a succession of changes of organization, titles, and missions advanced toward eventual separation 40 years later. The predecessor organizations of today's U.S. Air Force are:
The United States Air Force has been involved in many wars, conflicts, and operations since its conception; these include:
HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS The U.S. Air Force has taken part in numerous humanitarian operations. Some of the more major ones include the following:The primary source for the humanitarian operations of the USAF is the United States Air Force Supervisory Examination Study Guide (2005)
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION See Also: Organizational structure and hierarchy of the United States Air Force The Air Force is one of three Service Departments , and is managed by the (civilian) Department Of The Air Force . Guidance is provided by the Secretary Of The Air Force (SECAF) and the Secretary's staff and advisors. The military leadership is the Air Staff , lead by the Chief Of Staff . USAF direct subordinate commands and units are the Field Operating Agency (FOA), Direct Reporting Unit (DRU), and the currently unused Separate Operating Agency. The Major Command (MAJCOM) is the superior hierarchical level of command. The Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a level of command directly under the MAJCOM, followed by Operational Command ''(now unused)'', Division ''(also now unused)'', Wing , Group , Squadron , and Flight. OPERATIONAL ORGANIZATION > The above organizational structure is responsible for the peacetime Organization, Equipping, and Training of aerospace units for operational missions. When required to support operational missions, the National Command Authority directs a Change in Operational Control (CHOP) of these units from their peacetime alignment to a Regional Combatant Commander (CCDR). In the case of AFSPC, AFSOC, PACAF, and USAFE units, forces are normally employed in-place under their existing CCDR. Likewise, AMC forces operating in support roles retain their componency to USTRANSCOM unless chopped to a Regional CCDR. Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force CHOPPED units are referred to as "forces". The top-level structure of these forces is the Air And Space Expeditionary Task Force (AETF). The AETF is the Air Force presentation of forces to a CCDR for the employment of Air Power. Each CCDR is supported by a standing Component Numbered Air Force (C-NAF) to provide planning and execution of aerospace forces in support of CCDR requirements. Each C-NAF consists of a Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR) and AFFOR/A-staff, and an Air Operations Center (AOC). As needed to support multiple Joint Force Commanders (JFC) in the COCOM's Area of Responsibility (AOR), the C-NAF may deploy Air Component Coordinate Elements (ACCE) to liaise with the JFC. If the Air Force possesses the most strategic air assets in a JFC's area of operations, the COMAFFOR will also serve as the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC). Commander, Air Force Forces The Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR) is the senior Air Force officer responsible for the employment of Air Power in support of JFC objectives. The COMAFFOR has a special staff and an A-Staff to ensure assigned or attached forces are properly organized, equipped, and trained to support the operational mission. Air Operations Center The Air Operations Center (AOC) is the JFACC's Command And Control (C&2) center. This center is responsible for planning and executing air power missions in support of JFC objectives. Air Expeditionary Wings/Groups/Squadrons The AETF generates air power to support COCOM objectives from Air Expeditionary Wing s (AEW) or Air Expeditionary Groups (AEG). These units are responsible for receiving combat forces from Air Force MAJCOMs, preparing these forces for operational missions, launching and recovering these forces, and eventually returning forces to the MAJCOMs. Theater Air Control Systems control employment of forces during these missions. VOCATIONS The vast majority of Air Force members remain on the ground. There are hundreds of support positions which are necessary to the success of a mission. The classification of an Air Force job is the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC). They range from flight combat operations such as a gunner, to working in a dining facility to ensure that members are properly fed. There are many different mechanic type jobs. There are members in computer specialties, medical specialties, public affairs, hospitality, law, drug counseling, mail operations, Security Forces , and search and rescue specialties. Perhaps the most dangerous Air Force jobs are Pararescue , Combat Control , Combat Weather , Independent Duty Medical Technician, and Tactical Air Control Party , who deploy with Infantry and Special Operations units who rescue downed/isolated personnel, call in air strikes and set up landing zones in forward locations. Most of these are Enlisted positions. Nearly all enlisted jobs are "entry level," meaning that the Air Force provides all training. Some enlistees are able to choose a particular job, or at least a field before actually joining, while others are assigned an AFSC at Basic Training. After Basic Military Training, new Air Force members attend a technical training school where they learn their particular AFSC. Second Air Force, a part of Air Education and Training Command is responsible for nearly all technical training. Training programs vary in length; for example, 3M0X1 (Services) has 31 days of tech school training, while 1C2X1 (Combat Control) is 35 weeks long with 10 separate courses. 1N3X4 (Cryptologic Linguist) and 1A8X1 (Airborne Linguist)requires a language course ranging from 23 to 63 weeks, and a 4 to 5 month course. Some AFSCs have even longer training. AIRCRAFT See Also: List of military aircraft of the United States strategic bomber taking off]] The United States Air Force has over 7,500 aircraft commissioned as of 2004. 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/Air Force method. For more complete information on the workings of this system, refer to United States Department Of Defense Aerospace Vehicle Designations . Current aircraft of the USAF: Gallery of images |
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