Numbered Air Force

A Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a type of organization in the

1. ^ ^{a b c} Air Force OrganizationAFI 38–101, . 16 March 2011.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Manpower & Quality Readiness and Contingency ManagementAFI 38-205, . 18 June 2002.
3. ^ The Tongue and QuillAFH 33-337, . 1 August 2004.
4. ^ ^{a b} Ravenstein, Charles (1986). Organization and Lineage of the United States Air Force. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. 
5. ^ Schaffel, Kenneth (1991). The Emerging Shield: The Air Force and the Evolution of Continental Air Defense, 1945–1960. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. 
6. ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency – Numbered Air Forces
7. ^ Nalty, Bernard (1997). Winged Shield, Winged Sword: A History of the United States Air Force, Volume 1. Washington, DC: Air Force History and Museums Program. 
8. ^ Factsheets : Second Air Force (AETC)
9. ^ McPeak, Merrill (1995). Selected Works: 1990–1994. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air University Press. 
10. ^ Operations and OrganizationAFDD 2, . 3 April 2007.
11. ^ Factsheets : 1st AF Mission. Accessed 29 January 2011.
12. ^ "Air Force Announces Decision On Location Of 24th Air Force". Aero-News Network. Retrieved 13 August 2009. 
13. ^ McCullough, Amy, "ISR Agency Becomes 25th Air Force", Air Force Magazine: Journal of the Air Force Association, November 2014, Volume 97 No. 11, p. 22
14. ^ ^{a b c} Ravenstein, Charles A. (1996), The Organization and Lineage of the United States Air Force. United States Air Force Historical Research Center ISBN 0-912799-17-X
15. ^ United States Air Forces Central Factsheet

References

• Organizational structure and hierarchy of the United States Air Force

See also

Source:^[14]

Air Force	Shield	Station	Major Command	Comments
Air Forces Iceland		Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland	USAFE	Established in 1952. Performed air defense of Iceland and North Atlantic. Inactivated 28 June 2006
Air Materiel Force, European Area		Châteauroux-Déols Air Base, France	Air Force Logistics Command	From 1954 to 1962 served as the primary USAF logistical organization in Europe
Air Materiel Force, Pacific Area		Tachikawa Air Base, Japan	Air Force Logistics Command	Originated during World War II in 1944, served as the primary USAF logistical organization in the Pacific. Inactivated 1962.
Aviation Engineer Force		Wolters Air Force Base, Texas	Continental Air Command	Controlled aviation engineer organizations of the United States Army, on duty with the United States Air Force, 1951–1956
Central Air Defense Force		Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri	Air Defense Command	Controlled ADC Radar and Interceptor units in the central United States, 1951-1960.
Crew Training Air Force		Randolph Air Force Base, Texas	Air Training Command	Provided training for air crews, 1952-1957.
Eastern Air Defense Force		Stewart Air Force Base, New York	Air Defense Command	Controlled ADC Radar and Interceptor units in the eastern United States, 1949-1960.
Flying Training Air Force		Randolph Air Force Base, Texas	Air Training Command	Provided flying training for combat crews and flying training leading to an aeronautical rating, 1951-1958.
Japan Air Defense Force		Nagoya Air Base, Japan	Far East Air Force	This air defense organization was established to replace the 314th Air Division, 1952–1954
Pacific Air Force/FEAF (Rear)		Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii Territory	Far East Air Force	Established to control Air Force operations in the Pacific and Far East during the move of the Far East Air Forces (FEAF) from Japan to Hawaii, 1954–1957
Technical Training Air Force		Randolph Air Force Base, Texas	Air Training Command	Provided officer candidate training, indoctrination (basic) training, and technical training to Air Force personnel, 1951-1958.
USAF Special Operations Force		Eglin Air Force Base, Florida	Tactical Air Command	When the USAF Special Air Warfare Center became too large and cumbersome for center status, it was elevated to a named air force, 1962-1974.
Western Air Defense Force		Hamilton Air Force Base, California	Air Defense Command	Controlled ADC Radar and Interceptor units in the western United States, 1951-1960.
United States Air Forces Central		Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina	Air Combat Command	Established in 1983. Air component of United States Central Command, a regional unified command. Responsible for air operations (either unilaterally or in concert with coalition partners) and developing contingency plans in support of national objectives for USCENTCOM's 20-nation area of responsibility in Southwest Asia.[15]

Currently, United States Air Forces Central provides airpower in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

Since World War II other named air forces have existed in both operational and support commands. Air Forces Iceland, and the Central, Eastern, Japan, and Western Air Defense Forces, have provided air defense capability. The USAF Special Operations Force controlled operational special forces. The Crew, Flying, and Technical Training Air Forces served Air Training Command both in the air and on the ground. Pacific Air Force/FEAF (Rear) controlled both operational and support forces of Far East Air Forces. Air Materiel Force, European Area, and Air Materiel Force, Pacific Area, on the other hand, served primarily as logistical support establishments.^[14]

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.^[14]

Named Air Forces

Air Force	Shield	Station	Major Command	Comments
First Air Force (AFNORTH)		Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida	ACC	C-NAF supporting USNORTHCOM and Continental NORAD Region; composed primarily of Air National Guard units and personnel
Second Air Force		Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi	AETC
Third Air Force		Ramstein Air Base, Germany	USAFE- AFAFRICA	C-NAF supporting USEUCOM
Fourth Air Force		March Air Reserve Base, California	AFRC	Air Force Reserve NAF for all AFRC C-5, C-17, KC-135, KC-10 and C-40 units
Fifth Air Force		Yokota Air Base, Japan	PACAF	Air component to United States Forces Japan
Sixth Air Force				Redesignated United States Air Forces Southern Command in 1963. Inactivated in 1976.
Seventh Air Force (AFKOR)		Osan Air Base, Korea	PACAF	C-NAF supporting USFK
Eighth Air Force (AFSTRAT-GS)		Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana	AFGSC	C-NAF supporting USSTRATCOM
Ninth Air Force		Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina	ACC	C-NAF supporting USCENTCOM
Tenth Air Force		Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (former Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth, Texas	AFRC	Air Force Reserve NAF for all AFRC B-52 units gained by AFGSC; all AFRC E-3, F-22, F-15C/D, F-15E, F-16, A-10, HC-130, HH-60, C-145, U-28, MQ-1, MQ-9 and RQ-4 units gained by ACC, PACAF and AFSOC, all AFRC T-6, T-1 and T-38 "Associate" flying training units in support of AETC; 10 AF also has oversight for a single AFRC space wing in support of AFSPC
Eleventh Air Force		Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska	PACAF	Air Component for Alaskan Command and Alaska NORAD Region. Administrative HQ for PACAF Wings not in 5th AF or 7th AF AORs.
Twelfth Air Force (AFSOUTH)		Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona	ACC	C-NAF supporting USSOUTHCOM
Thirteenth Air Force (AFPAC)		Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii	PACAF	Inactivated 2012
Fourteenth Air Force (AFSTRAT-SP)		Vandenberg Air Force Base, California	AFSPC	C-NAF supporting USSTRATCOM
Fifteenth Air Force		Travis Air Force Base	AMC	Redesignated 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force in 2003. Inactivated in 2012.
Sixteenth Air Force		Izmir Air Base	USAFE	Redesignated 16th Air Expeditionary Task Force in 2006. Inactivated in 2008.
Seventeenth Air Force		Ramstein Air Base, Germany	USAFE- AFAFRICA	Inactivated in 2012. Redesignated 17th Expeditionary Air Force, supporting USAFRICOM.
Eighteenth Air Force (AFTRANS)		Scott Air Force Base, Illinois	AMC	C-NAF supporting USTRANSCOM
Nineteenth Air Force		Randolph Air Force Base, Texas	AETC
Twentieth Air Force		F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming	AFGSC
Twenty-First Air Force				Redesignated 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force in 2003. Inactivated in 2012.
Twenty-Second Air Force		Georgia	AFRC	Air Force Reserve NAF for all AFRC C-130 and WC-130 units
Twenty-Third Air Force (AFSOC)		Hurlburt Field, Florida	AFSOC	C-NAF supporting USSOCOM. Inactivated in 2013.
Twenty-Fourth Air Force (AFCYBER)		Lackland Air Force Base, Texas[12]	AFSPC	C-NAF supporting the sub-unified command, USCYBERCOM, and the unified combatant command, USSTRATCOM
Twenty-Fifth Air Force		Lackland Air Force Base, Texas	ACC	Redesignated from Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency on 29 September 2014.[13]

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. Note that the lineage of some numbered air forces is continued by non-NAF organizations (e.g., the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force continues the lineage of the Fifteenth Air Force). Boldface indicates a NAF or C-NAF that is currently active.

List of Numbered Air Forces

The role of numbered air forces was again changed in 2006 with the implementation of the Component Air Force (C-NAF) concept.^[10] Some numbered air forces have an additional mission as the Air Force Component Command exercising command and control over air and space forces supporting a Unified Combatant Command.^[2] C-NAFs have a second designation to identify their role. For example, First Air Force, a numbered air force assigned to Air Combat Command, is designated as Air Force Northern (AFNORTH) in its role as the air component of the United States Northern Command.^[11] Most C-NAFs have an Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) to provide command and control of air and space operations for the supported combatant commander.

The role of numbered air forces changed in the 1990s during the Air Force reorganization initiated by ^[9] Numbered air forces were reorganized into tactical echelons focused on operations, and their administrative staff functions were eliminated. This reorganization also reduced the number of major commands, and eliminated the air divisions to place numbered air forces directly in command of operational wings.

As part of a peacetime restructuring in March 1946, the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the Tactical Air Command (TAC), and the Air Defense Command (ADC).^[7] These commands reflected the basic air combat missions that evolved during the war, and each reported directly to General Carl Spaatz, the Commanding General, Army Air Forces. Numbered air forces served as an intermediate headquarters between these commands and the operational wings and groups. Eleven of the sixteen wartime air forces remained. The Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces were assigned to SAC; the Third, Ninth, and Twelfth Air Forces were assigned to TAC; and the First, Second, Fourth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Fourteenth Air Forces were assigned to ADC. Second Air Force would later be transferred to SAC in 1949.^[8] The numbered air forces had both operational and administrative authority, and existed as a command level between major commands and air divisions. Although variations existed, and number air forces were often reassigned, this basic arrangement persisted throughout the Cold War.

Numbered air forces began as named organizations in the Fifth Air Force), the Panama Canal Air Force (became Sixth Air Force), the Hawaiian Air Force (became Seventh Air Force), and the Alaskan Air Force (became Eleventh Air Force).^[6] After World War II, the US Air Force continued to use both named and numbered air forces. While named air forces were used in both tactical and support roles, numbered air forces were generally employed only in tactical roles.^[4]

World War II Air Districts and Numbered Air Forces.

History

Numerical designations for Numbered Air Forces are written out (e.g., Eighth Air Force instead of 8th Air Force), but Arabic numerals are used in abbreviations (e.g., 8 AF).^[1][3] Units directly subordinate to a NAF are generally numbered 6XX (where XX is the NAF number).^[1] For example, the 618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center) is a unit subordinate to the Eighteenth Air Force.

. lieutenant general or a major general Numbered air forces are typically commanded by a [2]