United States Air Force

Order of Battle · United States

United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the largest air arm on earth and the oldest it has ever been — about 4,865 aircraft averaging 31.75 years, flown by three components across roughly 160 installations, and locked in a permanent argument with Congress over which ageing aeroplanes it may retire before their replacements arrive.

United States Air Force badgeService badgeUnited States Air Force
National markingThe star and bars, in use since 1947
Low-visibilityGrey outline star and bars since the 1980s
WAFin markingTwo-letter wing code above the colour band; Nellis wears WA
1,815Combat aircraft
165Active air bases
1947Founded
37Types retired
CountryUnited StatesFounded1947StatusActiveHeadquartersThe Pentagon, Arlington, VirginiaCommanderGeneral Kenneth S. Wilsbach
The story

The United States Air Force story: from the Army’s air arm to the world’s largest air force

1946–1960: LeMay, Strategic Air Command and the doctrine that ate the budget

The United States Air Force is younger than most of the aircraft that made it. Its lineage runs back to a single officer and two enlisted men in the Aeronautical Division of the Signal Corps on 1 August 1907, through an Air Service that arrived in France in 1917 with no American-designed combat aircraft of its own, to the Army Air Corps of the 1930s and the Army Air Forces of 1941, which at their peak fielded 2.4 million people and nearly 80,000 aircraft. Independence was won by argument as much as by war. Billy Mitchell was court-martialled in 1925 for saying in public what the bomber generals believed in private; twenty-two years later the National Security Act created the Department of the Air Force, and on 18 September 1947 Stuart Symington was sworn in as its first Secretary. Carl Spaatz became Chief of Staff of a service that had spent four decades insisting it should exist.

1950–1975: the MiG-15 shock, a fighter with no gun, and the birth of Red Flag

The new service organised itself around one idea: that a fleet of long-range bombers with nuclear weapons could win a war by itself. Strategic Air Command was formed in March 1946 and handed in October 1948 to Curtis LeMay, who found crews that could not hit a target in a practice raid on Dayton and rebuilt the command around alert, air refuelling and relentless inspection. By 1957 it held about 224,000 people and more than 2,000 bombers, and it consumed the greater part of the budget. What it bought was real deterrence and the Berlin Airlift, which showed in 1948 that airpower could sustain a city as well as flatten one. What it cost was everything else. Tactical aviation was starved, fighter pilots trained to deliver nuclear weapons rather than to fight other fighters, and the service forgot how to do the thing it had been founded on.

1981–1999: stealth, Desert Storm, the peace dividend and the base closures

Korea produced the first bill. On 8 November 1950 an F-80 shot down a MiG-15 in the first jet-versus-jet combat in history, and then the MiG-15 proved better than everything the Air Force had in theatre; F-86 Sabres were rushed to the peninsula within weeks. The Air Force advertised a ten-to-one kill ratio that later research with Soviet records has not sustained. Vietnam produced a much larger bill. Missile-armed F-4 Phantoms with no gun, radar missiles that hit less than one time in ten, and rules of engagement that forbade shooting at what could not be seen brought kill ratios close to parity, the worst in the service’s history. The reckoning was thorough and it worked: the gun-armed F-4E, dedicated Aggressor squadrons flying Soviet tactics, the Fighter Weapons School, the teen series of F-15, F-16 and later stealth aircraft, and from November 1975 Red Flag at Nellis, built on the finding that a crew’s first ten combat missions were the ones that killed them.

1997–2018: 187 Raptors, a tanker scandal and a trainer that would not arrive

Stealth was the reward for that decade of self-examination. The F-117A first flew in secret in June 1981, was denied until November 1988, and on 17 January 1991 opened Desert Storm over Baghdad, flying about two per cent of coalition sorties against forty per cent of the strategic targets. Then the Soviet Union disappeared and the bill came the other way. The B-2 was cut from 132 aircraft to 21 at roughly two billion dollars each, a fleet too small to matter bought at a price too high to repeat. The fighter force fell from 24 wing equivalents to 13. Five rounds of base closures between 1988 and 1995 shut dozens of installations, and on 1 June 1992 Strategic Air Command and Tactical Air Command were dissolved into Air Combat Command and Air Mobility Command. On 27 March 1999 an SA-3 battery over Serbia shot down an F-117, which ended the idea that stealth meant invisible.

2019–2026: the Pacific pivot, the B-21, and the aeroplane Congress will not let go

The two decades after that are a catalogue of programmes that arrived late, small or not at all. The F-22 flew in 1997 as the finest air superiority fighter ever built and was capped at 187 aircraft by Robert Gates in 2009, down from 750; the line closed and cannot sensibly be reopened. The F-35A, the largest defence programme in history, was restructured in 2010, reached initial operational capability in 2016 and full-rate production only in March 2024. The tanker replacement began with a leasing arrangement so corrupt that a Boeing executive and an Air Force acquisition official went to prison, was awarded to a European-American team in 2008 and overturned, and finally produced the KC-46 in 2019 — whose camera system for the boom operator still does not work properly and is now promised for 2027. The T-7A trainer, ordered in 2018, slipped from 2024 to 2028.

So the Air Force of 2026 flies 4,865 aircraft at an average age of 31.75 years, the oldest fleet in its history, and spends its political capital arguing with Congress about which old aeroplanes it may retire before new ones exist. The strategic direction is clear enough: Agile Combat Employment and dispersal across the western Pacific, the B-21 Raider flying since November 2023 with at least 100 planned from 2027, the F-47 in development, and the space mission gone to a separate service since December 2019. The friction is equally clear. The E-7A was cancelled in June 2025 and part-restored in March 2026, leaving an airborne early warning gap. The A-10, condemned since 2014, was extended again in April 2026 to 2030 because the Middle East kept needing it. It remains the largest and most capable air force in the world, and the one with the least margin for another decade of programmes that do not deliver.

The new service organised itself around one idea: that a fleet of long-range bombers with nuclear weapons could win a war by itself.United States Air Force · verified 2026-09-13
At a glance

The United States Air Force in numbers

Service

Native name
United States Air ForceMotto "Aim High … Fly-Fight-Win"; core values "Integrity first, Service before self, Excellence in all we do"
Founded
18 September 1947National Security Act signed 26 July 1947. Lineage runs from the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, 1 August 1907, through the Air Service (1918), Air Corps (1926) and Army Air Forces (1941)
Part of
Department of the Air Force, United States Armed ForcesShares the department with the United States Space Force, a separate service since 20 December 2019
Headquarters
The Pentagon, Arlington, VirginiaSecretary of the Air Force Troy Meink
Major commands
  • Air Combat Command — Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia
  • Air Mobility Command — Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
  • Air Force Global Strike Command — Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana
  • Air Education and Training Command — JBSA-Randolph, Texas
  • Air Force Materiel Command — Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
  • Air Force Special Operations Command — Hurlburt Field, Florida
  • Pacific Air Forces — Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
  • US Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa — Ramstein Air Base, Germany
  • Air Force Reserve Command — Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
  • Air National Guard — The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia

The 2026 almanac groups these differently, as five institutional commands reporting to the Chief of Staff (ACC, AETC, AFMC, AFRC, ANG) and ten service component commands reporting through the Secretary (PACAF, AFGSC, AMC, USAFE-AFAFRICA, AFNORTH, AFSOC, AFCYBER, AFSPACE, AFCENT, AFSOUTH). The list above is the familiar MAJCOM set

Chief of Staff
General Kenneth S. Wilsbach24th Chief of Staff of the Air Force, sworn in 3 November 2025; a career F-15C and F-22 pilot and former commander of Pacific Air Forces and Air Combat Command. He succeeded General David W. Allvin, who retired early after two years

Strength

Active-duty personnel
319,11930 September 2025: 61,437 officers, 253,612 enlisted, 4,070 Air Force Academy cadets
Air National Guard personnel
105,12030 September 2025; the almanac counts 108,400 airmen and civilians together
Air Force Reserve personnel
95,61930 September 2025: 65,465 Selected Reserve and 30,154 Individual Ready Reserve. The Selected Reserve is the figure normally compared with the other components
Civilians
183,146Department of the Air Force total, including Space Force support
Total aircraft
4,865Total Aircraft Inventory at 30 September 2025, average age 31.75 years. Add roughly 120 aircraft the table does not carry — VC-25A, E-11A, U-28A, C-146A, OA-1K, EA-37B, A-29B, gliders and QF-16 target drones — and the figure is nearer 5,000
Combat aircraft
2,119

  • 1,978 fighter and attack
  • 141 bomber

Of the fighter and attack force, 508 are Air National Guard and 92 Air Force Reserve

Tankers and transports
1,143

  • 510 tanker
  • 633 transport

263 tankers and 277 transports belong to the reserve components

Trainers
981

  • 490 T-38
  • 442 T-6A
  • 43 T-1A
  • 3 T-7A
  • 3 UV-18B

All active duty; the trainer fleet averages 38.9 years

Uncrewed
191

  • 182 MQ-9A Reaper
  • 9 RQ-4B Global Hawk

24 of the MQ-9As are Air National Guard. RQ-170 and classified types are not published

Annual budget
USD 214.7 billionAir Force portion of the FY2026 enacted Department of the Air Force budget of USD 292.8 billion; the balance is the Space Force (USD 31.7 billion) and the non-blue pass-through funding the Air Force administers but does not control. The FY2027 request was substantially larger

Infrastructure

Active installations
about 160 worldwideCounting methods differ sharply: the Air Force lists roughly 60 to 70 active-duty main bases in the United States, the Air National Guard about 180 sites, and about a dozen overseas main operating bases. Totals between 160 and 190 are all defensible depending on whether Guard sites and small stations are included
Air National Guard
90 wings

  • About 180 installations and sites
  • Units in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands
  • 936 aircraft

Most Guard flying wings sit on civil airports as Air National Guard Bases or Stations rather than on Air Force installations

Air Force Reserve Command
about 35 wingsHeadquarters Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; three numbered air forces and 295 aircraft. Many Reserve units are associate units that share active-duty aircraft rather than owning their own, which is why the Reserve aircraft count is small next to its personnel
Overseas main operating bases
  • Ramstein Air Base and Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
  • RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
  • Aviano Air Base, Italy
  • Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
  • Kadena, Misawa and Yokota Air Bases, Japan
  • Osan and Kunsan Air Bases, South Korea
  • Andersen Air Force Base, Guam
  • Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
  • Lajes Field, Azores

Guam and Hawaii are American territory but are counted as overseas for basing purposes. Al Udeid is host-nation owned

Ranges
  • Nevada Test and Training Range — about 2.9 million acres, home of Red Flag
  • Utah Test and Training Range
  • Barry M. Goldwater Range, Arizona
  • Eglin Range Complex, Florida
  • Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex — Red Flag-Alaska
  • Melrose Range, New Mexico
  • Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida
  • Poinsett Range, South Carolina

The Nevada range is the largest contiguous block of overland special use airspace in the western world

The Boneyard
3,100 to 4,000 aircraftThe 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona: 2,600 acres of desert holding aircraft from all US services. Sources give figures between about 3,100 and 4,000 depending on year and whether stored engines and hulks are counted; it returns roughly USD 500 million of spare parts a year
Structure

How the United States Air Force is organised

Nine major commands and three components. The Regular Air Force flies every day; the Air National Guard answers to its state governor until it is federalised; the Air Force Reserve is federal from the start. Together they are the Total Force, and on several fleets the reserves hold more aircraft than the active service.

GeneralKenneth S. WilsbachChief of Staff of the Air Force · in office since 2025
Headquarters, United States Air Force
Staff

Headquarters, United States Air Force

The Pentagon, Arlington

The Chief of Staff, the Air Staff and the Secretariat at the Pentagon: doctrine, programme, budget and the interface to the Joint Chiefs.

Combat

Air Combat Command

ACC
Joint Base Langley-Eustis

The fighter, bomber, reconnaissance and battle-management force, and the parent of the Nellis training enterprise and Red Flag.

Mobility

Air Mobility Command

AMC
Scott Air Force Base

Every tanker and transport: the C-17, C-5, C-130 and the KC-135 and KC-46 fleets that make the rest of it global.

Strike

Air Force Global Strike Command

AFGSC
Barksdale Air Force Base

The bombers and the intercontinental ballistic missile force: B-52, B-1, B-2, the coming B-21, and the Minuteman III fields.

Training

Air Education and Training Command

AETC
Joint Base San Antonio

Recruiting, basic training, undergraduate pilot training and every technical school. The command that makes airmen.

Materiel

Air Force Materiel Command

AFMC
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Test, development, depot maintenance and the laboratories. Edwards, Wright-Patterson, Eglin, Arnold, Hill, Tinker and Robins.

Special ops

Air Force Special Operations Command

AFSOC
Hurlburt Field

The gunships, the MC-130s and the CV-22s: the air component of US special operations.

Pacific

Pacific Air Forces

PACAF
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, Korea and Guam. The theatre the whole service is now rebuilding itself around.

Europe and Africa

US Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa

USAFE-AFAFRICA
Ramstein Air Base

Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the rotational bases east of them, plus the African continent.

Flying units

The Total Force

Fifty states, three territories and the District of Columbia

The Regular Air Force, the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve. On several fleets the reserves hold more aircraft than the active service.

Regular Air Force

219 units at 84 bases

Full-time federal service. Flies every day, and holds the test, training and expeditionary wings.

57th WingUnited States Air Force Warfare Center53rd Test and Evaluation GroupUnited States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron99th Air Base Wing412th Test WingUnited States Air Force Test Pilot School31st Test and Evaluation SquadronNASA Armstrong Flight Research Center9th Reconnaissance Wing548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group355th Wing

207 more in the order of battle below

Air National Guard

173 units at 92 bases

Answers to its state governor until it is federalised. On several fleets it holds more aircraft than the active service.

214th Attack Squadron168th Wing131st Bomb Wing150th Special Operations Wing141st Air Refueling Wing176th Wing154th Wing184th Wing126th Air Refueling Wing149th Fighter Wing189th Airlift Wing116th Air Control Wing

161 more in the order of battle below

Air Force Reserve

60 units at 42 bases

Federal from the start, and largely part-time. Associate wings share the active service’s aircraft rather than owning their own.

926th Wing940th Air Refueling Wing943rd Rescue Group442nd Fighter Wing307th Bomb Wing78th and 91st Attack Squadrons349th Air Mobility Wing944th Fighter Wing419th Fighter Wing446th Airlift Wing477th Fighter Group931st Air Refueling Wing

48 more in the order of battle below

In service

What the United States Air Force flies today

Every type on charge, linked to its Book of Beasts page where one exists. Counts are aircraft on the books, not aircraft available on a given day.

Type Role In service Since Units Notes
Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt IIIn service Close air support and forward air control 163 1976 — 163 at 30 September 2025, down about a quarter since 2024; 715 built. The most evenly split fleet in the Air Force — the reserve components hold 89 of the 163.
McDonnell Douglas F-15C/D EagleIn service Air superiority fighter 75 1979 — 75 at 30 September 2025; average age 30.1 years. All but three sit in the Air National Guard.
Boeing F-15E Strike EagleIn service All-weather strike fighter 217 1988 — 217 at 30 September 2025, all active duty; 236 built for the Air Force.
Boeing F-15EX Eagle IIIn service Air superiority and heavy strike fighter 13 2021 — 13 delivered by mid-2026; the planned buy was 104, then 129, and the FY2027 request raised it to 267. Treat anything above 129 as a request, not a contract.
General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting FalconIn service Multirole fighter 826 1979 — 826 at 30 September 2025, average age 33.9 years. Block 25/30/32/40/42/50/52; C and D models from 1984. More than 2,200 were bought.
Lockheed Martin F-22A RaptorIn service Stealth air superiority fighter 184 2005 — 184 at 30 September 2025 of 195 built (8 test aircraft, 187 production). About 32 are older Block 20 aircraft the Air Force wants to retire as they are not combat-coded.
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIIn service Stealth multirole fighter 500 2011 — 500 at 30 September 2025, average age 4.9 years. The Air Force programme of record is 1,763 aircraft; recent annual buys have run at 24 to 48, well below the 60 once planned.
Air Tractor and L3Harris OA-1K Skyraider IIIn service Armed overwatch and close air support 14 2025 — 14 delivered since the first on 3 April 2025; 62 planned for Air Force Special Operations Command.
Embraer and Sierra Nevada A-29B Super TucanoIn service Light attack and combat aviation advisory 3 2020 — A handful held by the 6th Special Operations Squadron for advising partner air forces; open sources give two to six.
Rockwell B-1B LancerIn service Heavy conventional bomber 45 1985 — 45 at 30 September 2025 of 100 built; 17 were retired in 2021 to fund the rest.
Northrop Grumman B-2A SpiritIn service Stealth heavy bomber 20 1993 — 20 of 21 built; one was destroyed at Andersen in 2008 and one written off after a 2022 landing accident. The original programme was 132 aircraft.
Boeing B-52H StratofortressIn service Heavy bomber and cruise missile carrier 76 1961 — 76 at 30 September 2025, average age 62.8 years — the oldest fleet in the Air Force. 744 B-52s were built, 102 of them H models, the last delivered in October 1962.
Lockheed Martin AC-130J GhostriderIn service Gunship 30 2017 — 30 at 30 September 2025, the planned fleet complete; average age 6.2 years.
Lockheed Martin MC-130H and MC-130J Commando IIIn service Special operations infiltration and refuelling 65 1966 — 65 at 30 September 2025, average age 36.1 years; MC-130J Commando II from 2011, the last MC-130H Combat Talon II leaving as they arrive.
Bombardier and Northrop Grumman E-11A BACNIn service Airborne communications relay 7 2011 — 7 in service, 9 planned.
Boeing E-3G SentryIn service Airborne warning and control 16 1977 — 16 at 30 September 2025, average age 44.9 years, down from 31 a decade ago as the fleet is retired ahead of a replacement.
Boeing E-4B NightwatchIn service National airborne operations centre 4 1974 — 4 aircraft, average age 50.4 years.
Lockheed Martin EC-130H Compass Call and EC-130J Commando SoloIn service Electronic attack and information operations 8 1982 — 8 at 30 September 2025, average age 50.0 years; the EC-130H is being replaced type for type by the EC-37B.
Gulfstream, L3Harris and BAE Systems EA-37B Compass CallIn service Electronic attack 4 2024 — 4 delivered, 10 planned; initial operational capability planned for 2026.
Boeing RC-135V/W Rivet Joint, RC-135S Cobra Ball and RC-135U Combat SentIn service Signals and measurement intelligence 26 1964 — 26 at 30 September 2025 plus two TC-135W trainers; average age 62.5 years. All are converted KC-135 or C-135 airframes.
Boeing WC-135R Constant PhoenixIn service Atmospheric sampling 3 1965 — 3 WC-135R conversions replacing the WC-135W; average age 61.6 years.
Lockheed U-2S Dragon LadyIn service High-altitude reconnaissance 31 1956 — 31 at 30 September 2025 including four two-seat TU-2S trainers; average age 41.6 years.
Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global HawkIn service High-altitude long-endurance reconnaissance drone 9 2001 — 9 Block 40 aircraft left of a fleet that once numbered more than 30; the Block 20 and Block 30 aircraft were retired in 2021 and 2023.
General Atomics MQ-9A ReaperIn service Armed medium-altitude long-endurance drone 182 2007 — 182 at 30 September 2025, average age 7.2 years. The Air Force tried to stop buying them in 2020 and then kept buying.
Boeing KC-135R/T StratotankerIn service Aerial refuelling 375 1957 — 375 at 30 September 2025, average age 62.7 years; 803 were built. The single most reserve-heavy fleet in the Air Force — 218 of 375 belong to the Guard and Reserve.
Boeing KC-46A PegasusIn service Aerial refuelling and airlift 96 2019 — 96 at 30 September 2025 by the almanac count; Air & Space Forces Magazine gave 89 accepted in mid-2026, the difference being aircraft built but not yet accepted.

More

188 are planned, up from 179.
Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King IIIn service Combat search and rescue tanker 39 2011 — 39 at 30 September 2025, average age 8.0 years.
Boeing C-17A Globemaster IIIIn service Strategic and tactical airlift 222 1993 — 222 at 30 September 2025 of 223 delivered to the Air Force; average age 22.2 years. Production ended in 2015 and cannot be restarted.
Lockheed Martin C-5M Super GalaxyIn service Strategic outsize airlift 52 1970 — 52 C-5M conversions of an original 131 aircraft; average age 37.4 years. The C-5A and C-5B were rebuilt with GE F138 engines and new avionics between 2009 and 2018.
Lockheed Martin C-130H and C-130J HerculesIn service Tactical airlift 269 1974 — 269 tactical Hercules at 30 September 2025 on the almanac’s single line.

More

Other inventories split them at roughly 120 to 130 C-130H and 145 to 155 C-130J, so treat the H and J shares as approximate; the totals agree to within about ten aircraft.
Lockheed Martin LC-130H HerculesIn service Ski-equipped polar airlift 10 1975 — 10 aircraft, all with the 109th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard; average age 39.1 years.
Lockheed Martin WC-130J HerculesIn service Weather reconnaissance 10 1999 — 10 aircraft, all with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Air Force Reserve; average age 23.5 years.
Beechcraft C-12C/D/F/J HuronIn service Operational support and attache transport 30 1975 — 30 at 30 September 2025, average age 48.2 years.
Learjet C-21AIn service Operational support airlift 19 1984 — 19 at 30 September 2025, average age 39.5 years; 80 were leased from 1984.
Boeing VC-25AIn service Presidential transport 2 1990 — 2 aircraft, tail numbers 28000 and 29000, based at Joint Base Andrews with the 89th Airlift Wing.
Boeing C-32A/BIn service Distinguished visitor transport 4 1998 — 4 C-32A at 30 September 2025, average age 26.0 years, plus two C-32B special mission aircraft.
Gulfstream C-37A/BIn service Distinguished visitor transport 16 1998 — 16 at 30 September 2025, average age 23.5 years; Gulfstream V and G550 airframes.
Boeing C-40B/C ClipperIn service Distinguished visitor and staff transport 11 2002 — 11 at 30 September 2025, average age 20.7 years; 737-700 airframes.
Pilatus U-28A DracoIn service Special operations intelligence and light transport 30 2006 — 30 in Air Force Special Operations Command; retirement planned by 2029.
Sierra Nevada C-146A WolfhoundIn service Special operations light transport 20 2011 — 20 converted Dornier 328 airframes, contractor-maintained.
de Havilland Canada UV-18B Twin OtterIn service Parachute training 3 1977 — 3 aircraft, average age 51.0 years, flown by the Air Force Academy.
Bell Boeing CV-22B OspreyIn service Special operations tiltrotor 53 2007 — 53 at 30 September 2025, average age 11.8 years.
Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk and HH-60W Jolly Green IIIn service Combat search and rescue 77 1982 — 77 at 30 September 2025 covering both marks, average age 29.9 years. The HH-60W buy was cut from 113 to 75, and the Air Force has since asked to trim it further.
Leonardo and Boeing MH-139A Grey WolfIn service Missile field security and support 17 2023 — 17 at 30 September 2025, average age 1.9 years; 42 planned, down from an original 84.
Bell UH-1N IroquoisIn service Missile field support and distinguished visitor lift 61 1970 — 61 at 30 September 2025, average age 52.6 years — the second oldest fleet in the Air Force after the B-52.
Bell TH-1H IroquoisIn service Helicopter training 28 2006 — 28 at 30 September 2025, average age 43.5 years; rebuilt UH-1H airframes.
Beechcraft T-6A Texan IIIn service Primary trainer 442 2000 — 442 at 30 September 2025, average age 19.0 years.
Northrop T-38C TalonIn service Advanced trainer and companion trainer 490 1961 — 490 at 30 September 2025, average age 57.8 years; 1,187 were built between 1961 and 1972.
Beechcraft T-1A JayhawkIn service Advanced airlift and tanker trainer 43 1992 — 43 at 30 September 2025, down from 178; average age 30.4 years.
Boeing and Saab T-7A Red HawkIn service Advanced jet trainer 3 2025 — 3 aircraft, the first operational example handed to Air Education and Training Command at JBSA-Randolph on 5 December 2025; 351 are planned.
F-16826
F-35A500
T-38490
T-6A442
KC-135375
C-130269
C-17A222
F-15E217

On order

Type Ordered First delivery Notes
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIOn order 1,263 2026 The Air Force programme of record is 1,763 aircraft and 500 were on strength at 30 September 2025, leaving about 1,260 to buy.

More

Recent annual buys have run at 24 to 48 rather than the 60 the plan assumed, and at that rate the programme runs into the 2040s. Deliveries were paused for a year in 2023 and 2024 while the Technology Refresh 3 hardware was made to work.
Boeing F-15EX Eagle IIOn order 116 2026 13 delivered of a programme that has been 144, then 104, then 129 aircraft; the FY2027 request proposed raising it to 267. The 116 figure is the balance of the 129 aircraft actually planned.

More

Deliveries go to Air National Guard wings at Portland, Fresno, Kingsley Field, New Orleans and Selfridge and to Kadena Air Base in Japan.
Boeing KC-46A PegasusOn order 92 2026 188 planned, up from 179, with 96 on strength at 30 September 2025.

More

The corrected 3D remote vision system is now due in 2027, four years late, and the Air Force has withheld payments repeatedly over boom, camera and fuel system deficiencies. A follow-on tanker competition for the aircraft after the KC-46 has been repeatedly deferred.
Boeing and Saab T-7A Red HawkOn order 348 2025 351 planned, 3 delivered, the first to Air Education and Training Command on 5 December 2025.

More

The low-rate production decision slipped from 2024 to 2026 and initial operational capability from 2024 to 2028 after high angle-of-attack and ejection seat problems.
Northrop Grumman B-21 RaiderOn order 100 2027 At least 100 planned and US Strategic Command has argued for up to 145. First flight 10 November 2023; two test aircraft were flying by late 2025.

More

The first operational aircraft go to Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, in 2027, then Whiteman and Dyess. Congress added USD 4.5 billion in 2026 to raise the production rate by about a quarter.
Boeing E-7A WedgetailOn order 2 2028 Selected in April 2022 to replace the E-3 with 26 aircraft, cancelled by the Pentagon in June 2025 on survivability and cost grounds in favour of space-based tracking, then part-restored: USD 400 million in September 2025 and a USD 2.43 billion award to Boeing in March 2026 for two prototypes, with FY2027 funding requested for five more development aircraft.

More

Only the two prototypes are firmly under contract, so the eventual fleet size is unknown.
Leonardo and Boeing MH-139A Grey WolfOn order 25 2026 42 planned against 17 delivered by 30 September 2025, down from an original requirement of 84.

More

It replaces the UH-1N in the missile fields; certification and weapons integration delays have stretched the programme by years.
Air Tractor and L3Harris OA-1K Skyraider IIOn order 48 2026 62 planned for Air Force Special Operations Command, 14 delivered since April 2025. Initial operational capability was targeted for 2026; it replaces the U-28A by 2029.
Gulfstream, L3Harris and BAE Systems EA-37B Compass CallOn order 6 2026 10 planned, 4 delivered. A one-for-one replacement of the EC-130H, moving the jamming suite onto a G550.
Boeing VC-25BOn order 2 2027 Two 747-8 airframes bought second-hand in 2017 and being converted into the next presidential aircraft.

More

The fixed-price contract has cost Boeing more than USD 2 billion in charges and delivery has slipped from 2024 to the late 2020s.
Sierra Nevada E-4C Survivable Airborne Operations CenterOn order 8 2036 Contracted to Sierra Nevada in April 2024 to replace the four E-4B Nightwatch aircraft using second-hand 747-8s.

More

Quantity is reported as up to eight and the schedule is long; treat both as provisional.
Formerly operated

Every type the United States Air Force has retired

37 types, from the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress to the McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender. Peak figures are airframes taken on charge over the whole service life, not fleet strength on any one date.

Type Role Peak Served Replaced by Notes
McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender Aerial refuelling and airlift 60 1981–2024 — 60 built; the last was retired at Travis Air Force Base on 26 September 2024.
Boeing E-8C Joint STARS Ground surveillance and battle management 17 1996–2023 — 17 aircraft on converted 707 airframes; the last was retired in 2023.
Boeing OC-135B Open Skies Treaty observation 3 1993–2021 — 3 aircraft; retired to the Boneyard in 2021.
Cessna T-37 Tweet Primary jet trainer 1,269 1957–2009 — 1,269 built; the last flight in Air Force service was in 2009.
Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk Stealth attack aircraft 59 1983–2008 — 59 production aircraft plus five development airframes; retired in April 2008, with a number kept airworthy at Tonopah for test and adversary work.
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter Strategic airlift 285 1965–2006 — 285 built; 270 were stretched to C-141B standard with a refuelling receptacle.
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark Strike aircraft and electronic warfare 563 1967–1998 — 563 built including 42 EF-111A Raven conversions; the F-111F left in 1996 and the EF-111A in 1998.
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Strategic reconnaissance 32 1966–1998 — 32 built; retired in 1990, briefly reinstated 1995 to 1998 by Congressional direction.
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Multirole fighter 2,874 1963–1996 — About 2,870 delivered to the Air Force of 5,195 built. The last RF-4C and F-4G left the Air National Guard in 1996; QF-4 target drones flew to 2016.
LTV A-7D Corsair II Subsonic attack aircraft 459 1968–1993 — 459 A-7D built for the Air Force; the type passed to the Air National Guard in the late 1970s and retired in 1993 after service in Panama and Desert Storm.
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly Light attack 577 1967–1992 — 577 built from the T-37 trainer; OA-37B forward air control aircraft flew with the Air National Guard to 1992.
Northrop and McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Advanced tactical fighter prototype 2 1990–1991 — 2 built; lost the Advanced Tactical Fighter competition to the YF-22 in April 1991.
Convair F-106 Delta Dart All-weather interceptor 340 1959–1988 — 340 built; the last Air National Guard aircraft retired in 1988 and many became QF-106 target drones.
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star Jet trainer 6,557 1948–1987 — 6,557 built; Air National Guard aircraft flew as target tugs and proficiency trainers to 1987.
Republic F-105 Thunderchief Supersonic fighter-bomber and Wild Weasel 833 1958–1984 — 833 built; 397 were lost over South East Asia. Reserve and Air National Guard aircraft flew to 1984.
McDonnell F-101 Voodoo Interceptor and photo reconnaissance 807 1957–1982 — 807 built; RF-101 reconnaissance aircraft and F-101B interceptors flew with the Air National Guard to 1982.
North American F-100 Super Sabre Supersonic fighter-bomber 2,294 1954–1979 — 2,294 built; the last Air National Guard F-100s retired in 1979.
Lockheed YF-12 Experimental interceptor 3 1963–1978 — 3 built; the planned F-12B interceptor buy was cancelled in 1968.
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter Aerial refuelling and transport 816 1950–1978 — 816 built; Air National Guard KC-97Ls, fitted with jet pods to keep up with receivers, flew to 1978.
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger All-weather interceptor 1,000 1956–1976 — About 1,000 built; Air National Guard aircraft flew to 1976 and drone conversions to 1986.
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter Interceptor and fighter-bomber 296 1958–1975 — 296 taken by the Air Force out of 2,578 built worldwide; Air National Guard aircraft flew to 1975.
Douglas A-1 Skyraider Close air support and combat rescue escort 150 1963–1972 — About 150 taken from Navy stocks for the Air Force and the South Vietnamese air force.
Republic F-84 Thunderjet and Thunderstreak Fighter-bomber 7,524 1947–1971 — About 4,450 straight-wing F-84B to F-84G and 2,713 swept-wing F-84F and RF-84F; Air National Guard F-84Fs flew to 1971.
Convair B-58 Hustler Supersonic medium bomber 116 1960–1970 — 116 built.
Boeing B-47 Stratojet Medium jet bomber 2,032 1951–1969 — 2,032 built; withdrawn from the bomber role in 1966, with RB-47 and EB-47 aircraft flying to 1969.
Northrop F-89 Scorpion All-weather interceptor 1,050 1950–1969 — 1,050 built; the last left the Air National Guard in 1969.
North American XB-70 Valkyrie Experimental strategic bomber 2 1964–1969 — 2 built; the production programme was cancelled in 1961 before the first flight.
North American F-86 Sabre Air superiority fighter 6,233 1949–1965 — About 6,200 delivered to the Air Force out of roughly 9,860 built worldwide; Air National Guard F-86Hs flew to 1965.
Boeing B-29 Superfortress Very heavy bomber 3,970 1944–1960 — 3,970 built; the last KB-29 tankers and WB-29 weather aircraft left service in 1960.
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy bomber 12,731 1938–1959 — 12,731 built; the last B-17s flew as SB-17 rescue and DB-17 drone directors until 1959.
Convair B-36 Peacemaker Intercontinental strategic bomber 384 1948–1959 — 384 built, including reconnaissance RB-36 variants.
Lockheed F-94 Starfire All-weather interceptor 855 1950–1959 — 855 built.
Lockheed P-80 and F-80 Shooting Star First operational American jet fighter 1,715 1945–1958 — 1,715 built; two reached Italy before the end of the Second World War.
North American P-51 Mustang Long-range escort fighter 15,586 1942–1957 — About 15,500 built. Redesignated F-51 in 1948, flown in Korea as a ground attack aircraft and retired from the West Virginia Air National Guard in 1957.
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Escort fighter and ground attack 15,636 1942–1953 — 15,636 built, more than any other American fighter; redesignated F-47 in 1948 and flown by Air National Guard units to about 1953.
Lockheed P-38 Lightning Long-range escort fighter and photo reconnaissance 10,037 1941–1949 — 10,037 built; the F-5 photo variants served into the post-war Air Force.
Consolidated B-24 Liberator Heavy bomber 18,482 1941–1946 — 18,482 built, more than any other American military aircraft ever.
Air bases

Where the United States Air Force flies from, at home and abroad

Black pins are active installations, hollow pins the Cold War bases that closed with the peace dividend and the BRAC rounds. Most Air National Guard wings share a civil airport, which is why so many of these names are the airport you fly out of on holiday.

Active air base Closed or reserveClick a pin to open the base page

The continental United States

48 of the 204 bases above sit outside the continental United States, so the world map has to pull back until the home airfields cannot be told apart. The same pins again, without the overseas bases.

Base ICAO Status Runway Units and aircraft
Al DhafraUnited Arab Emirates OMAM Active 13L/31R3,660 m13R/31L3,660 m
Al UdeidQatar OTBH Active 16L/34R3,750 m16R/34L3,750 m
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing: KC-135 Stratotanker, E-3 Sentry, RC-135 (variants), C-17 Globemaster III
  • Combined Air Operations Center: No assigned aircraft
  • United States Air Forces Central, forward headquarters: No assigned aircraft
Ali Al SalemKuwait OKAS Active 12L/30R2,990 mconcrete/asphalt12R/30L2,990 mconcrete/asphalt
Altus Air Force BaseOklahoma KLTS Active 18R/36L4,100 mconcrete18L/36R2,740 mconcrete, grooved
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing: C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus, KC-135R Stratotanker
  • 730th Air Mobility Training Squadron: C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
Andersen Air Force BaseGuam PGUA Active 06L/24R3,210 masphalt/concrete06R/24L3,410 masphalt/concrete
Arnold Air Force BaseTennessee KAYX Active 03/211,830 m
  • Arnold Engineering Development Complex: No assigned aircraft
AvianoItaly LIPA Active 05/232,990 m
Barksdale Air Force BaseLouisiana KBAD Active 15/333,580 masphalt, porous mix
Beale Air Force BaseCalifornia KBAB Active 15/333,660 mconcrete
  • 9th Reconnaissance Wing: U-2S Dragon Lady, T-38 Talon
  • 940th Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
  • 548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group: No assigned aircraft
Camp LemonnierDjibouti HDAM Active 09/273,150 m
Cannon Air Force BaseNew Mexico KCVS Active 04/223,050 mconcrete13/312,500 masphalt, porous mix
Columbus Air Force BaseMississippi KCBM Active 13C/31C3,660 masphalt, porous mix13L/31R2,440 masphalt, porous mix13R/31L1,930 mconcrete
Creech Air Force BaseNevada KINS Active 08/262,740 m13/311,670 m
Davis-Monthan Air Force BaseArizona KDMA Active 13/314,160 mconcrete and asphalt
  • 355th Wing
  • 55th Electronic Combat Group: EA-37B Compass Call
  • 563rd Rescue Group: HH-60G Pave Hawk, HC-130J Combat King II
  • 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group: Stored aircraft of all types
  • 943rd Rescue Group: HH-60G Pave Hawk
  • 214th Attack Squadron: MQ-9A Reaper
  • 357th Fighter Squadron: A-10C Thunderbolt II
  • 492nd Power Projection Wing: MC-130J Commando II, OA-1K Skyraider II
Dover Air Force BaseDelaware KDOV Active 14/323,930 masphalt and concrete01/192,930 m
  • 436th Airlift Wing: C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17A Globemaster III
  • 512th Airlift Wing: C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17A Globemaster III
  • Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations: No assigned aircraft
Dyess Air Force BaseTexas KDYS Active 16/344,110 masphalt, porous mix
Edwards Air Force BaseCalifornia KEDW Active 05R/23L5,120 mconcrete05L/23R3,660 m07/252,440 mconcrete
Eglin Air Force BaseFlorida KVPS Active 12/303,660 masphalt and concrete02/203,050 m
Eielson Air Force BaseAlaska PAEI Active 14/324,430 mconcrete
Ellsworth Air Force BaseSouth Dakota KRCA Active 13/314,110 mconcrete
F. E. Warren Air Force BaseWyoming Active —
  • 90th Missile Wing: LGM-30G Minuteman III
  • 37th Helicopter Squadron: UH-1N Iroquois
  • Twentieth Air Force: No assigned aircraft
Fairchild Air Force BaseWashington KSKA Active 05/234,240 mconcrete
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R/T Stratotanker
  • 336th Training Group: No assigned aircraft
  • 141st Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
  • 36th Rescue Squadron: UH-1N Iroquois
Goodfellow Air Force BaseTexas Active —
  • 17th Training Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 312th Training Squadron: No assigned aircraft
Grand Forks Air Force BaseNorth Dakota KRDR Active 17/353,760 m
Hanscom Air Force BaseMassachusetts KBED Active 11/292,140 m05/231,560 m
  • Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (Hanscom): No assigned aircraft
  • 66th Air Base Group: No assigned aircraft
  • MIT Lincoln Laboratory: No assigned aircraft
Hill Air Force BaseUtah KHIF Active 14/324,110 masphalt, porous mix
Holloman Air Force BaseNew Mexico KHMN Active 07/253,940 masphalt, porous mix16/343,700 masphalt, porous mix04/223,220 masphalt, porous mix
Hurlburt FieldFlorida KHRT Active 18/362,930 mconcrete
  • Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command: No assigned aircraft
  • 1st Special Operations Wing: AC-130J Ghostrider, MC-130J Commando II, CV-22B Osprey
  • 492nd Special Operations Wing: OA-1K Skyraider II, AC-130J Ghostrider
  • 24th Special Operations Wing: No assigned aircraft
IncirlikTurkey LTAG Active 05/233,050 mconcrete
  • 39th Air Base Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 728th Air Mobility Squadron: No assigned aircraft
Joint Base Anacostia-BollingDistrict of Columbia Active —
  • 11th Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • United States Air Force Band: No assigned aircraft
  • United States Air Force Honor Guard: No assigned aircraft
  • Defense Intelligence Agency: No assigned aircraft
Joint Base AndrewsMaryland KADW Active 01L/19R3,440 mconcrete, grooved01R/19L2,970 masphalt and concrete
  • 89th Airlift Wing: VC-25A Air Force One, C-32A, C-37A/B
  • 316th Wing: UH-1N Iroquois
  • 113th Wing: F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
  • 459th Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
Joint Base CharlestonSouth Carolina KCHS Active 15/332,740 mconcrete03/212,130 m
  • 437th Airlift Wing: C-17A Globemaster III
  • 315th Airlift Wing: C-17A Globemaster III
  • 628th Air Base Wing: No assigned aircraft
Joint Base Elmendorf-RichardsonAlaska PAED Active 06/243,050 masphalt, porous mix16/342,280 m
  • 3rd Wing: F-22A Raptor, C-17A Globemaster III, E-3G Sentry
  • 673rd Air Base Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • Eleventh Air Force: No assigned aircraft
  • 477th Fighter Group: F-22A Raptor
  • 176th Wing: C-17A Globemaster III, HC-130J Combat King II, HH-60G Pave Hawk
Joint Base Langley-EustisVirginia KLFI Active 08/263,050 mconcrete
Joint Base Lewis-McChordMcChord FieldWashington KTCM Active 16/343,080 masphalt and concrete
  • 62nd Airlift Wing: C-17A Globemaster III
  • 446th Airlift Wing: C-17A Globemaster III
  • 1st Air Support Operations Group: No assigned aircraft
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-LakehurstNew Jersey KWRI Active 06/243,490 masphalt and concrete18/362,170 mconcrete
  • 305th Air Mobility Wing: C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing: C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 108th Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-HickamHawaii PHIK Active 08L/26R3,770 masphalt, grooved08R/26L3,660 masphalt, grooved04R/22L2,740 masphalt, grooved04L/22R2,120 masphalt, grooved
  • 15th Wing: F-22A Raptor, C-17A Globemaster III, C-37A/B
  • Headquarters Pacific Air Forces: No assigned aircraft
  • 647th Air Base Group: No assigned aircraft
  • 154th Wing: F-22A Raptor, KC-135R Stratotanker, C-17A Globemaster III
Joint Base San AntonioTexas KRND Active 15L/33R2,550 mconcrete15R/33L2,550 masphalt, porous mix16/343,520 mconcrete
  • 502nd Air Base Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 12th Flying Training Wing: T-38C Talon, T-6A Texan II, T-1A Jayhawk
  • 37th Training Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • Headquarters Air Education and Training Command: No assigned aircraft
  • Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber): No assigned aircraft
  • 433rd Airlift Wing: C-5M Super Galaxy
  • 149th Fighter Wing: F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
KadenaJapan RODN Active 05L/23R3,690 masphalt/concrete05R/23L3,690 masphalt/concrete
  • 18th Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker, E-3B/C Sentry, HH-60G Pave Hawk
  • 909th Air Refueling Squadron: KC-135R Stratotanker
  • 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron: E-3B/C Sentry
  • 33rd Rescue Squadron: HH-60W Jolly Green II
  • 353rd Special Operations Wing: MC-130J Commando II
  • 44th Fighter Squadron
  • 67th Fighter Squadron
  • F-15EX Eagle II basing: F-15EX Eagle II
Keesler Air Force BaseMississippi KBIX Active 04/222,330 masphalt, porous mix
  • 81st Training Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 403rd Wing: C-130J Super Hercules, WC-130J Super Hercules
  • 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron: WC-130J Super Hercules
Kirtland Air Force BaseNew Mexico KABQ Active 08/264,200 mconcrete03/213,050 mconcrete12/301,830 mconcrete
  • 377th Air Base Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center: No assigned aircraft
  • 58th Special Operations Wing: CV-22B Osprey, HC-130J Combat King II, HH-60G Pave Hawk
  • Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate: No assigned aircraft
  • 150th Special Operations Wing: CV-22B Osprey, HC-130J Combat King II
KunsanSouth Korea RKJK Active 18/362,740 mconcrete
Lajes FieldPortugal LPLA Active 15/333,310 m
  • 65th Air Base Group: No assigned aircraft
Laughlin Air Force BaseTexas KDLF Active 13C/31C2,700 m13L/31R2,530 masphalt, porous mix13R/31L2,000 m
Little Rock Air Force BaseArkansas KLRF Active 07/253,660 mconcrete
Luke Air Force BaseArizona KLUF Active 03L/21R3,050 m03R/21L3,020 mconcrete
MacDill Air Force BaseFlorida KMCF Active 05/233,480 masphalt, grooved
  • 6th Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
  • United States Central Command: No assigned aircraft
  • United States Special Operations Command: No assigned aircraft
  • 927th Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
Malmstrom Air Force BaseMontana KGFA Active —
  • 341st Missile Wing: LGM-30G Minuteman III
  • 40th Helicopter Squadron: UH-1N Iroquois, MH-139A Grey Wolf
Maxwell Air Force BaseAlabama KMXF Active 15/332,440 m
  • Air University: No assigned aircraft
  • 42nd Air Base Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • Air Force Historical Research Agency: No assigned aircraft
  • 908th Flying Training Wing: MH-139A Grey Wolf
  • Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters: No assigned aircraft
McConnell Air Force BaseKansas KIAB Active 01L/19R3,660 mconcrete01R/19L3,660 masphalt and concrete
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing: KC-46A Pegasus, KC-135R Stratotanker
  • 931st Air Refueling Wing: KC-46A Pegasus
  • 184th Wing: No assigned aircraft
Minot Air Force BaseNorth Dakota KMIB Active 12/304,020 masphalt and concrete
  • 5th Bomb Wing: B-52H Stratofortress
  • 91st Missile Wing: LGM-30G Minuteman III
  • 54th Helicopter Squadron: UH-1N Iroquois
MisawaJapan RJSM Active 10/283,050 masphalt/concrete
Moody Air Force BaseGeorgia KVAD Active 01R/19L2,830 mconcrete, grooved01L/19R2,440 masphalt, porous mix
  • 23rd Wing: A-10C Thunderbolt II, HH-60W Jolly Green II, HC-130J Combat King II
  • 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 41st Rescue Squadron: HH-60W Jolly Green II
MoronSpain LEMO Active 02/203,600 m
  • 496th Air Base Squadron: No assigned aircraft
  • Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa: MV-22B Osprey, KC-130J Hercules
Mountain Home Air Force BaseIdaho KMUO Active 12/304,120 masphalt, porous mix
Muwaffaq SaltiJordan OJMS Active 08/262,750 m13/313,010 m
NATO GeilenkirchenGermany ETNG Active 09/273,050 mconcrete/asphalt
  • NATO E-3A Component: E-3A Sentry
  • 470th Air Base Squadron: No assigned aircraft
Naval Support Facility Diego GarciaBritish Indian Ocean Territory FJDG Active 13/313,660 m
Nellis Air Force BaseNevada KLSV Active 03L/21R3,080 mconcrete03R/21L3,060 mconcrete
Offutt Air Force BaseNebraska KOFF Active 13/313,570 masphalt and concrete
  • 55th Wing: RC-135V/W Rivet Joint, RC-135S Cobra Ball, RC-135U Combat Sent
  • United States Strategic Command: No assigned aircraft
  • 595th Command and Control Group: E-4B Nightwatch
  • 557th Weather Wing: No assigned aircraft
OsanSouth Korea RKSO Active 09L/27R2,740 mconcrete09R/27L2,740 mconcrete
Pope ArmyNorth Carolina KPOB Active 05/232,290 mconcrete, grooved
  • 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group: No assigned aircraft
  • 18th Air Support Operations Group: No assigned aircraft
  • 21st Special Tactics Squadron: No assigned aircraft
Prince SultanSaudi Arabia OEPS Active 17L/35R4,000 m17R/35L4,000 m
RamsteinGermany ETAR Active 08/263,200 m09/273,000 m
  • 86th Airlift Wing: C-130J Super Hercules, C-21A, C-37A/B
  • 435th Air Ground Operations Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa: No assigned aircraft
  • NATO Allied Air Command: No assigned aircraft
Robins Air Force BaseGeorgia KWRB Active 15/333,660 masphalt, porous mix
  • Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex: C-130 Hercules, F-15 Eagle, C-17A Globemaster III
  • 461st Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 18th Airborne Command and Control Squadron: E-11A BACN
  • 116th Air Control Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 94th Airlift Wing: C-130H Hercules
Royal Air Force CroughtonUnited Kingdom Active —
  • 422nd Air Base Group: No assigned aircraft
Royal Air Force FairfordUnited Kingdom EGVA Active 09/273,050 m
Royal Air Force LakenheathUnited Kingdom EGUL Active 06/242,740 mconcrete/asphalt
Royal Air Force MildenhallUnited Kingdom EGUN Active 10/282,810 mconcrete/asphalt
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
  • 352nd Special Operations Wing: CV-22B Osprey, MC-130J Commando II
  • 501st Combat Support Wing: No assigned aircraft
Scott Air Force BaseIllinois KBLV Active 14L/32R3,050 mconcrete14R/32L2,440 masphalt and concrete
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing: C-40C Clipper, C-21A Learjet
  • Headquarters Air Mobility Command: No assigned aircraft
  • United States Transportation Command: No assigned aircraft
  • 932nd Airlift Wing: C-40C Clipper
  • 126th Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
Seymour Johnson Air Force BaseNorth Carolina KGSB Active 08/263,580 masphalt, porous mix
Shaw Air Force BaseSouth Carolina KSSC Active 04L/22R3,050 mconcrete04R/22L2,440 mconcrete
  • 20th Fighter Wing: F-16CM Fighting Falcon
  • Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central): No assigned aircraft
  • 25th Attack Wing: MQ-9A Reaper
  • United States Army Central: No assigned aircraft
Sheppard Air Force BaseTexas KSPS Active 15R/33L3,990 mconcrete15C/33C3,050 masphalt and concrete17/352,140 m15L/33R1,830 masphalt and concrete
SpangdahlemGermany ETAD Active 05/233,060 m
Tinker Air Force BaseOklahoma KTIK Active 18/363,380 masphalt, porous mix13/313,050 masphalt, porous mix
  • Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex: B-52H Stratofortress, B-1B Lancer, KC-135 Stratotanker
  • 552nd Air Control Wing: E-3G Sentry
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing: KC-135R Stratotanker
  • Strategic Communications Wing One: E-6B Mercury
Travis Air Force BaseCalifornia KSUU Active 03L/21R3,350 masphalt, porous mix03R/21L3,350 mconcrete
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing: C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing: C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
  • Contingency response forces: No assigned aircraft
Tyndall Air Force BaseFlorida KPAM Active 14L/32R3,050 mconcrete14R/32L3,080 masphalt, porous mix
Vance Air Force BaseOklahoma KEND Active 17R/35L2,810 masphalt, porous mix17C/35C2,810 masphalt, porous mix17L/35R1,530 mconcrete
Wake IslandWake Island PWAK Active 10/283,000 m
  • 611th Air Support Group detachment: No assigned aircraft
Whiteman Air Force BaseMissouri KSZL Active 01/193,780 mconcrete
Wright-Patterson Air Force BaseOhio KFFO Active 05L/23R3,840 masphalt, porous mix05R/23L2,130 m
  • Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command: No assigned aircraft
  • Air Force Research Laboratory: No assigned aircraft
  • Air Force Life Cycle Management Center: No assigned aircraft
  • National Air and Space Intelligence Center: No assigned aircraft
  • 88th Air Base Wing: No assigned aircraft
  • 445th Airlift Wing: C-17A Globemaster III
YokotaJapan RJTY Active 18/363,350 mconcrete
  • 374th Airlift Wing: C-130J Super Hercules, C-12J Huron, UH-1N Iroquois
  • 21st Special Operations Squadron: CV-22B Osprey
  • Fifth Air Force: No assigned aircraft
  • Headquarters United States Forces Japan: No assigned aircraft
Galena Forward Operating LocationAlaska PAGA Closed 2008 08/261,830 masphalt/concrete06/24790 mgravel
Naval Air Station KeflavikIceland BIKF Closed 2006 10/283,070 m01/193,050 m
Rhein-MainGermany EDDF Closed 2005 —
  • 435th Airlift Wing: C-130E Hercules, C-9A Nightingale
  • 61st Troop Carrier Group: C-54 Skymaster
Kelly Air Force BaseTexas KSKF Closed 2001 16/343,520 mporous european mix
  • 433rd Airlift Wing: C-5M Super Galaxy
  • 149th Fighter Wing: F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
  • San Antonio Air Logistics Center: Depot overhaul of engines and airframes
Reese Air Force BaseTexas Closed 1997 —
Royal Air Force ChicksandsUnited Kingdom Closed 1996 —
  • 6950th Electronic Security Group: No assigned aircraft
  • 7274th Air Base Group: No assigned aircraft
Castle Air Force BaseCalifornia KMER Closed 1995 13/313,600 masphalt/concrete
Griffiss Air Force BaseNew York KRME Closed 1995 15/333,600 mconcrete
K. I. Sawyer Air Force BaseMichigan KSAW Closed 1995 01/193,770 masphalt/concrete
Plattsburgh Air Force BaseNew York KPBG Closed 1995 17/353,580 masphalt/concrete
  • 380th Bombardment Wing: B-47 Stratojet, FB-111A, KC-135 Stratotanker
  • 556th Strategic Missile Squadron: SM-65 Atlas F intercontinental ballistic missile
Royal Air Force AlconburyUnited Kingdom Closed 1995 12/302,500 m
  • 423rd Air Base Group: No assigned aircraft
  • 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: RB-66 Destroyer, RF-4C Phantom II
  • 10th Tactical Fighter Wing: A-10A Thunderbolt II
  • 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron: F-5E Tiger II
  • 17th Reconnaissance Wing: TR-1A
SembachGermany Closed 1995 —
  • 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: RB-26 Invader, RF-84F Thunderflash
  • 38th Tactical Missile Wing: TM-61 Matador and MGM-13 Mace cruise missiles
  • 601st Tactical Control Wing: OV-10A Bronco, CH-53 support
BitburgGermany EDRB Closed 1994 05/232,500 mconcrete
King Salmon Air Force StationAlaska PAKN Closed 1994 12/302,710 m18/361,220 m
Loring Air Force BaseMaine KLIZ Closed 1994 01L/19R3,900 m01R/19L3,690 masphalt/concrete
Lowry Air Force BaseColorado Closed 1994 —
  • Lowry Technical Training Center: Ground training airframes only
  • United States Air Force Academy, temporary site: No assigned aircraft
Norton Air Force BaseCalifornia KSBD Closed 1994 06/243,050 mconcrete
  • 63rd Airlift Wing: C-141B Starlifter
  • Ballistic Missile Office: No assigned aircraft
Richards-Gebaur Air Force BaseMissouri Closed 1994 —
Royal Air Force Upper HeyfordUnited Kingdom Closed 1994 09/272,530 m
Bergstrom Air Force BaseTexas KAUS Closed 1993 18R/36L3,730 mconcrete
Chanute Air Force BaseIllinois Closed 1993 —
  • 3345th Technical Training Wing: Ground training airframes only
HahnGermany EDFH Closed 1993 03/213,800 m
Mather Air Force BaseCalifornia KMHR Closed 1993 04R/22L3,450 masphalt/concrete04L/22R1,850 m
Myrtle Beach Air Force BaseSouth Carolina KMYR Closed 1993 18/362,900 masphalt/concrete
Royal Air Force BentwatersUnited Kingdom Closed 1993 07/252,730 mconcrete
Royal Air Force WoodbridgeUnited Kingdom Closed 1993 09/272,740 mconcrete
WiesbadenGermany ETOU Closed 1993 —
  • Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe: No assigned aircraft
  • 7100th Air Base Wing: Support aircraft
Williams Air Force BaseArizona KIWA Closed 1993 12C/30C3,110 masphalt/concrete12L/30R2,840 mconcrete12R/30L3,170 mconcrete
Wurtsmith Air Force BaseMichigan KOSC Closed 1993 07/253,600 m
Eaker Air Force BaseArkansas KBYH Closed 1992 18/363,540 mconcrete
England Air Force BaseLouisiana KAEX Closed 1992 14/322,850 mconcrete18/362,130 masphalt/concrete
George Air Force BaseCalifornia KVCV Closed 1992 17/354,590 masphalt/concrete03/212,790 masphalt/concrete
Royal Air Force Greenham CommonUnited Kingdom Closed 1992 08/263,050 mconcrete
  • 501st Tactical Missile Wing: BGM-109G Gryphon ground-launched cruise missile
  • 51st Troop Carrier Wing: C-47 Skytrain and gliders
TorrejonSpain LETO Closed 1992 04/223,660 m
ClarkPhilippines RPLC Closed 1991 02/203,200 masphalt/concrete
ZweibruckenGermany EDRZ Closed 1991 03/212,680 mconcrete
  • 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: RF-4C Phantom II
  • 10th Military Airlift Squadron: C-23A Sherpa
Kincheloe Air Force BaseMichigan KCIU Closed 1977 16/342,200 mconcrete10/281,520 m
WheelusLibya HLLM Closed 1970 11/293,380 m03/211,830 m
  • Seventeenth Air Force: No assigned aircraft
  • 7272nd Flying Training Wing: Rotational USAFE fighter squadrons
  • 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: F-86D Sabre
NouasseurMorocco GMMN Closed 1963 —
  • Fifth Air Division: No assigned aircraft
  • 80th Air Depot Wing: Depot support
  • Strategic Air Command bomber rotations: B-36 Peacemaker, B-47 Stratojet

No air base matches that search.

Order of battle

Who is stationed where in the United States Air Force

Flying units by installation, active duty first. Guard and Reserve wings are listed with their component, because on the KC-135 and the F-16 the reserves hold a larger share of the fleet than the Regular Air Force.

Nellis Air Force Base · KLSV99th Air Base Wing
57th WingComposite training and tactics wing · active
F-35A Lightning II, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-22A Raptor, A-10C Thunderbolt II, MQ-9A Reaper
United States Air Force Warfare CenterNumbered-air-force-equivalent centre · active
No assigned aircraft
53rd Test and Evaluation GroupOperational test group · active
F-22A Raptor, F-35A Lightning II, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, A-10C Thunderbolt II
United States Air Force Air Demonstration SquadronThunderbirds · Aerial demonstration squadron · active
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
926th WingReserve associate wing · afrc
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, MQ-9A Reaper
99th Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Creech Air Force Base · KINS432nd Wing / 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing
432nd WingAttack and reconnaissance wing · active
MQ-9A Reaper
26th Weapons SquadronWeapons school squadron · active
MQ-9A Reaper
78th and 91st Attack SquadronsReserve attack squadrons · afrc
MQ-9A Reaper
Edwards Air Force Base · KEDW412th Test Wing
412th Test WingFlight test wing · active
F-22A Raptor, F-35A Lightning II, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, B-1B Lancer, B-2A Spirit, B-52H Stratofortress, T-38C Talon, RQ-4B Global Hawk
United States Air Force Test Pilot SchoolTest pilot school · active
NF-16D VISTA, T-38C Talon
31st Test and Evaluation SquadronOperational test squadron · active
B-2A Spirit, F-22A Raptor, F-35A Lightning II, B-52H Stratofortress
NASA Armstrong Flight Research CenterCivil research centre · active
Gulfstream III and other testbeds, F-15B Eagle
Beale Air Force Base · KBAB9th Reconnaissance Wing
9th Reconnaissance WingReconnaissance wing · active
U-2S Dragon Lady, T-38 Talon
940th Air Refueling WingReserve air refuelling wing · afrc
KC-135R Stratotanker
548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance GroupIntelligence group · active
No assigned aircraft
Travis Air Force Base · KSUU60th Air Mobility Wing
60th Air Mobility WingAir mobility wing · active
C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
349th Air Mobility WingReserve associate wing · afrc
C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
Contingency response forcesContingency response · active
No assigned aircraft
355th WingHost and combat wing · active
—
55th Electronic Combat GroupElectronic attack group · active
EA-37B Compass Call
563rd Rescue GroupCombat rescue group · active
HH-60G Pave Hawk, HC-130J Combat King II
309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration GroupAircraft storage and regeneration group · active
Stored aircraft of all types
943rd Rescue GroupReserve rescue group · afrc
HH-60G Pave Hawk
214th Attack SquadronGuard attack squadron · ang
MQ-9A Reaper
357th Fighter Squadron1976–2026
A-10C Thunderbolt II
492nd Power Projection Wing2027–
MC-130J Commando II, OA-1K Skyraider II
Luke Air Force Base · KLUF56th Fighter Wing
56th Fighter WingFighter training wing · active
F-35A Lightning II, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
944th Fighter WingReserve associate fighter wing · afrc
F-35A Lightning II, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
21st Fighter SquadronPartner-nation training squadron · active
F-16A/B Fighting Falcon
Holloman Air Force Base · KHMN49th Wing
49th WingTraining wing · active
MQ-9A Reaper, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
54th Fighter GroupFighter training group · active
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
704th Test GroupTest group · active
C-12J Huron, T-38C Talon
Royal Air Force RPAS Formal Training UnitPartner training unit · active
MQ-9A Reaper
Cannon Air Force Base · KCVS27th Special Operations Wing
27th Special Operations WingSpecial operations wing · active
AC-130J Ghostrider, MC-130J Commando II, CV-22B Osprey, MQ-9A Reaper
318th Special Operations SquadronIntelligence and light aircraft squadron · active
U-28A Draco
Kirtland Air Force Base · KABQ377th Air Base Wing
377th Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Air Force Nuclear Weapons CenterAcquisition centre · active
No assigned aircraft
58th Special Operations WingSpecial operations training wing · active
CV-22B Osprey, HC-130J Combat King II, HH-60G Pave Hawk
Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy DirectorateResearch directorate · active
No assigned aircraft
150th Special Operations WingGuard special operations wing · ang
CV-22B Osprey, HC-130J Combat King II
Mountain Home Air Force Base · KMUO366th Fighter Wing
366th Fighter WingGunfighters · Fighter wing · active
F-15E Strike Eagle
428th Fighter SquadronPartner-nation training squadron · active
F-15SG Strike Eagle
Hill Air Force Base · KHIF75th Air Base Wing
Ogden Air Logistics ComplexDepot maintenance complex · active
F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10C Thunderbolt II, F-35A Lightning II
388th Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-35A Lightning II
419th Fighter WingReserve associate fighter wing · afrc
F-35A Lightning II
75th Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Fairchild Air Force Base · KSKA92nd Air Refueling Wing
92nd Air Refueling WingAir refuelling wing · active
KC-135R/T Stratotanker
336th Training GroupSurvival training group · active
No assigned aircraft
141st Air Refueling WingGuard air refuelling wing · ang
KC-135R Stratotanker
36th Rescue SquadronRescue training squadron · active
UH-1N Iroquois
Joint Base Lewis-McChord (McChord Field) · KTCM62nd Airlift Wing
62nd Airlift WingAirlift wing · active
C-17A Globemaster III
446th Airlift WingReserve associate airlift wing · afrc
C-17A Globemaster III
1st Air Support Operations GroupAir support operations group · active
No assigned aircraft
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson · PAED673rd Air Base Wing
3rd WingComposite wing · active
F-22A Raptor, C-17A Globemaster III, E-3G Sentry
673rd Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Eleventh Air ForceNumbered air force headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
477th Fighter GroupReserve associate fighter group · afrc
F-22A Raptor
176th WingGuard composite wing · ang
C-17A Globemaster III, HC-130J Combat King II, HH-60G Pave Hawk
Eielson Air Force Base · PAEI354th Fighter Wing
354th Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-35A Lightning II, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
168th WingGuard air refuelling wing · ang
KC-135R Stratotanker
Arctic Survival SchoolSurvival training detachment · active
No assigned aircraft
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam · PHIK15th Wing
15th WingComposite wing · active
F-22A Raptor, C-17A Globemaster III, C-37A/B
Headquarters Pacific Air ForcesMajor command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
647th Air Base GroupAir base group · active
No assigned aircraft
154th WingGuard composite wing · ang
F-22A Raptor, KC-135R Stratotanker, C-17A Globemaster III
Minot Air Force Base · KMIB5th Bomb Wing
5th Bomb WingBomb wing · active
B-52H Stratofortress
91st Missile WingMissile wing · active
LGM-30G Minuteman III
54th Helicopter SquadronMissile field support squadron · active
UH-1N Iroquois
Grand Forks Air Force Base · KRDR319th Reconnaissance Wing
319th Reconnaissance WingReconnaissance wing · active
RQ-4B Global Hawk
348th Reconnaissance SquadronReconnaissance squadron · active
RQ-4B Global Hawk
18th Airborne Command and Control SquadronAirborne communications squadron · active
E-11A BACN
National Air Security Operations Center – Grand ForksCustoms and Border Protection unit · active
MQ-9 Guardian
Malmstrom Air Force Base · KGFA341st Missile Wing
341st Missile WingMissile wing · active
LGM-30G Minuteman III
40th Helicopter SquadronMissile field support squadron · active
UH-1N Iroquois, MH-139A Grey Wolf
F. E. Warren Air Force Base · 90th Missile Wing
90th Missile WingMighty Ninety · Missile wing · active
LGM-30G Minuteman III
37th Helicopter SquadronMissile field support squadron · active
UH-1N Iroquois
Twentieth Air ForceNumbered air force headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Ellsworth Air Force Base · KRCA28th Bomb Wing
28th Bomb WingBomb wing · active
B-1B Lancer
89th Attack SquadronAttack squadron · active
MQ-9A Reaper
B-21 Raider beddown2027–
B-21 Raider
Offutt Air Force Base · KOFF55th Wing
55th WingReconnaissance wing · active
RC-135V/W Rivet Joint, RC-135S Cobra Ball, RC-135U Combat Sent
United States Strategic CommandCombatant command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
595th Command and Control GroupAirborne command post group · active
E-4B Nightwatch
557th Weather WingWeather wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Whiteman Air Force Base · KSZL509th Bomb Wing
509th Bomb WingBomb wing · active
B-2A Spirit, T-38A Talon
131st Bomb WingGuard bomb wing · ang
B-2A Spirit
442nd Fighter WingReserve fighter wing · afrc
A-10C Thunderbolt II
B-21 Raider beddown—
B-21 Raider
McConnell Air Force Base · KIAB22nd Air Refueling Wing
22nd Air Refueling WingAir refuelling wing · active
KC-46A Pegasus, KC-135R Stratotanker
931st Air Refueling WingReserve associate wing · afrc
KC-46A Pegasus
184th WingGuard intelligence wing · ang
No assigned aircraft
Scott Air Force Base · KBLV375th Air Mobility Wing
375th Air Mobility WingAir mobility wing · active
C-40C Clipper, C-21A Learjet
Headquarters Air Mobility CommandMajor command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
United States Transportation CommandCombatant command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
932nd Airlift WingReserve airlift wing · afrc
C-40C Clipper
126th Air Refueling WingGuard air refuelling wing · ang
KC-135R Stratotanker
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base · KFFO88th Air Base Wing
Headquarters Air Force Materiel CommandMajor command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Air Force Research LaboratoryResearch laboratory · active
No assigned aircraft
Air Force Life Cycle Management CenterAcquisition centre · active
No assigned aircraft
National Air and Space Intelligence CenterIntelligence centre · active
No assigned aircraft
88th Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
445th Airlift WingReserve airlift wing · afrc
C-17A Globemaster III
Tinker Air Force Base · KTIK72nd Air Base Wing
Oklahoma City Air Logistics ComplexDepot maintenance complex · active
B-52H Stratofortress, B-1B Lancer, KC-135 Stratotanker
552nd Air Control WingAirborne early warning wing · active
E-3G Sentry
507th Air Refueling WingReserve air refuelling wing · afrc
KC-135R Stratotanker
Strategic Communications Wing OneNavy airborne command post wing · active
E-6B Mercury
Altus Air Force Base · KLTS97th Air Mobility Wing
97th Air Mobility WingMobility training wing · active
C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus, KC-135R Stratotanker
730th Air Mobility Training SquadronReserve associate squadron · afrc
C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
Vance Air Force Base · KEND71st Flying Training Wing
71st Flying Training WingFlying training wing · active
T-6A Texan II, T-38C Talon, T-1A Jayhawk
5th Flying Training SquadronReserve associate training squadron · afrc
T-6A Texan II, T-38C Talon
Sheppard Air Force Base · KSPS82nd Training Wing
82nd Training WingTechnical training wing · active
No assigned aircraft
80th Flying Training WingFlying training wing · active
T-6A Texan II, T-38C Talon
Dyess Air Force Base · KDYS7th Bomb Wing
7th Bomb WingBomb wing · active
B-1B Lancer
317th Airlift WingAirlift wing · active
C-130J Super Hercules
345th Bomb SquadronReserve associate bomb squadron · afrc
B-1B Lancer
B-21 Raider beddown—
B-21 Raider
Laughlin Air Force Base · KDLF47th Flying Training Wing
47th Flying Training WingFlying training wing · active
T-6A Texan II, T-38C Talon, T-1A Jayhawk
96th Flying Training SquadronReserve associate training squadron · afrc
T-6A Texan II, T-38C Talon
Goodfellow Air Force Base · 17th Training Wing
17th Training WingTechnical training wing · active
No assigned aircraft
312th Training SquadronFire protection training squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Joint Base San Antonio · KRND502nd Air Base Wing
502nd Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
12th Flying Training WingPilot instructor training wing · active
T-38C Talon, T-6A Texan II, T-1A Jayhawk
37th Training WingBasic military training wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Headquarters Air Education and Training CommandMajor command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber)Numbered air force headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
433rd Airlift WingReserve airlift wing · afrc
C-5M Super Galaxy
149th Fighter WingGuard fighter wing · ang
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
Barksdale Air Force Base · KBAD2nd Bomb Wing
2nd Bomb WingBomb wing · active
B-52H Stratofortress
Headquarters Air Force Global Strike CommandMajor command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Eighth Air ForceNumbered air force headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
307th Bomb WingReserve bomb wing · afrc
B-52H Stratofortress
340th Weapons SquadronWeapons school squadron · active
B-52H Stratofortress
Little Rock Air Force Base · KLRF19th Airlift Wing
19th Airlift WingAirlift wing · active
C-130J Super Hercules
314th Airlift WingAirlift training wing · active
C-130J Super Hercules
913th Airlift GroupReserve associate airlift group · afrc
C-130J Super Hercules
189th Airlift WingGuard training wing · ang
C-130H Hercules
Columbus Air Force Base · KCBM14th Flying Training Wing
14th Flying Training WingFlying training wing · active
T-6A Texan II, T-38C Talon, T-1A Jayhawk
43rd Flying Training SquadronReserve associate training squadron · afrc
T-6A Texan II
Keesler Air Force Base · KBIX81st Training Wing
81st Training WingTechnical training wing · active
No assigned aircraft
403rd WingReserve airlift and weather wing · afrc
C-130J Super Hercules, WC-130J Super Hercules
53rd Weather Reconnaissance SquadronHurricane Hunters · Weather reconnaissance squadron · afrc
WC-130J Super Hercules
Maxwell Air Force Base · KMXF42nd Air Base Wing
Air UniversityProfessional military education university · active
No assigned aircraft
42nd Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Air Force Historical Research AgencyHistorical archive · active
No assigned aircraft
908th Flying Training WingReserve helicopter training wing · afrc
MH-139A Grey Wolf
Civil Air Patrol National HeadquartersAuxiliary headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Eglin Air Force Base · KVPS96th Test Wing
96th Test WingTest wing · active
F-15EX Eagle II, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, A-10C Thunderbolt II
33rd Fighter WingFighter training wing · active
F-35A Lightning II
53rd WingOperational test wing · active
F-15EX Eagle II, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, F-22A Raptor, F-35A Lightning II
350th Spectrum Warfare WingElectromagnetic warfare wing · active
No assigned aircraft
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)Army special forces group · active
No assigned aircraft
Hurlburt Field · KHRT1st Special Operations Wing
Headquarters Air Force Special Operations CommandMajor command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
1st Special Operations WingSpecial operations wing · active
AC-130J Ghostrider, MC-130J Commando II, CV-22B Osprey
492nd Special Operations WingSpecial operations training wing · active
OA-1K Skyraider II, AC-130J Ghostrider
24th Special Operations WingSpecial tactics wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Tyndall Air Force Base · KPAM325th Fighter Wing
325th Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-35A Lightning II
First Air Force (Air Forces Northern)Numbered air force headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
53rd Weapons Evaluation GroupWeapons evaluation group · active
QF-16 full-scale aerial target
Air Force Civil Engineer CenterEngineering centre · active
No assigned aircraft
MacDill Air Force Base · KMCF6th Air Refueling Wing
6th Air Refueling WingAir refuelling wing · active
KC-135R Stratotanker
United States Central CommandCombatant command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
United States Special Operations CommandCombatant command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
927th Air Refueling WingReserve associate wing · afrc
KC-135R Stratotanker
Moody Air Force Base · KVAD23rd Wing
23rd WingFlying Tigers · Composite wing · active
A-10C Thunderbolt II, HH-60W Jolly Green II, HC-130J Combat King II
93rd Air Ground Operations WingAir ground operations wing · active
No assigned aircraft
41st Rescue SquadronRescue squadron · active
HH-60W Jolly Green II
Robins Air Force Base · KWRB78th Air Base Wing
Warner Robins Air Logistics ComplexDepot maintenance complex · active
C-130 Hercules, F-15 Eagle, C-17A Globemaster III
461st WingAir control wing · active
No assigned aircraft
18th Airborne Command and Control SquadronAirborne communications squadron · active
E-11A BACN
116th Air Control WingGuard air control wing · ang
No assigned aircraft
94th Airlift WingReserve airlift wing · afrc
C-130H Hercules
Shaw Air Force Base · KSSC20th Fighter Wing
20th Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-16CM Fighting Falcon
Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central)Numbered air force headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
25th Attack WingAttack wing · active
MQ-9A Reaper
United States Army CentralArmy component command · active
No assigned aircraft
Joint Base Charleston · KCHS628th Air Base Wing
437th Airlift WingAirlift wing · active
C-17A Globemaster III
315th Airlift WingReserve associate airlift wing · afrc
C-17A Globemaster III
628th Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base · KGSB4th Fighter Wing
4th Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-15E Strike Eagle
916th Air Refueling WingReserve air refuelling wing · afrc
KC-46A Pegasus
307th Fighter SquadronReserve associate fighter squadron · afrc
F-15E Strike Eagle
Pope Army · KPOB43rd Air Mobility Operations Group
43rd Air Mobility Operations GroupAir mobility operations group · active
No assigned aircraft
18th Air Support Operations GroupAir support operations group · active
No assigned aircraft
21st Special Tactics SquadronSpecial tactics squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Joint Base Langley-Eustis · KLFI633rd Air Base Wing
1st Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-22A Raptor, T-38A Talon
Headquarters Air Combat CommandMajor command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
633rd Air Base WingHost air base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
192nd WingGuard associate fighter wing · ang
F-22A Raptor
Joint Base Andrews · KADW316th Wing
89th Airlift WingExecutive airlift wing · active
VC-25A Air Force One, C-32A, C-37A/B
316th WingHost wing · active
UH-1N Iroquois
113th WingGuard fighter wing · ang
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
459th Air Refueling WingReserve air refuelling wing · afrc
KC-135R Stratotanker
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling · 11th Wing
11th WingHost wing · active
No assigned aircraft
United States Air Force BandCeremonial band · active
No assigned aircraft
United States Air Force Honor GuardCeremonial unit · active
No assigned aircraft
Defense Intelligence AgencyDefence agency headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Dover Air Force Base · KDOV436th Airlift Wing
436th Airlift WingEagle Wing · Airlift wing · active
C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17A Globemaster III
512th Airlift WingReserve associate airlift wing · afrc
C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17A Globemaster III
Air Force Mortuary Affairs OperationsMortuary operations · active
No assigned aircraft
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst · KWRI87th Air Base Wing
305th Air Mobility WingAir mobility wing · active
C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
514th Air Mobility WingReserve associate wing · afrc
C-17A Globemaster III, KC-46A Pegasus
621st Contingency Response WingContingency response wing · active
No assigned aircraft
108th WingGuard air refuelling wing · ang
KC-135R Stratotanker
Hanscom Air Force Base · KBED66th Air Base Group
Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (Hanscom)Acquisition directorates · active
No assigned aircraft
66th Air Base GroupHost air base group · active
No assigned aircraft
MIT Lincoln LaboratoryFederally funded research centre · active
No assigned aircraft
Arnold Air Force Base · KAYXArnold Engineering Development Complex
Arnold Engineering Development ComplexGround test complex · active
No assigned aircraft
Ramstein Air Base · ETAR86th Airlift Wing
86th Airlift WingTheatre airlift wing · active
C-130J Super Hercules, C-21A, C-37A/B
435th Air Ground Operations WingAir ground operations wing · active
No assigned aircraft
521st Air Mobility Operations WingAir mobility operations wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces AfricaMajor command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
NATO Allied Air CommandNATO command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Spangdahlem · ETAD52nd Fighter Wing
52nd Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-16CM/DM Block 50 Fighting Falcon
480th Fighter SquadronWarhawks · Fighter squadron · active
F-16CM/DM Block 50 Fighting Falcon
726th Air Mobility SquadronAir mobility squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Aviano Air Base · LIPA31st Fighter Wing
31st Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-16C/D Block 40 Fighting Falcon
510th Fighter SquadronBuzzards · Fighter squadron · active
F-16C/D Block 40 Fighting Falcon
555th Fighter SquadronTriple Nickel · Fighter squadron · active
F-16C/D Block 40 Fighting Falcon
56th Rescue SquadronCombat rescue squadron · active
HH-60W Jolly Green II
Royal Air Force Lakenheath · EGUL48th Fighter Wing
48th Fighter WingLiberty Wing · Fighter wing · active
F-15E Strike Eagle, F-35A Lightning II
492nd Fighter SquadronMadhatters · Fighter squadron · active
F-15E Strike Eagle
494th Fighter SquadronPanthers · Fighter squadron · active
F-15E Strike Eagle
495th Fighter SquadronValkyries · Fighter squadron · active
F-35A Lightning II
493rd Fighter SquadronGrim Reapers · Fighter squadron · active
F-35A Lightning II
Royal Air Force Mildenhall · EGUN100th Air Refueling Wing
100th Air Refueling WingBloody Hundredth · Air refuelling wing · active
KC-135R Stratotanker
352nd Special Operations WingSpecial operations wing · active
CV-22B Osprey, MC-130J Commando II
501st Combat Support WingCombat support wing · active
No assigned aircraft
Royal Air Force Fairford · EGVA420th Air Base Squadron
420th Air Base SquadronAir base squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Bomber Task Force deploymentsRotational bomber deployment · active
B-52H Stratofortress, B-1B Lancer, B-2A Spirit
99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron detachmentHigh-altitude reconnaissance detachment · active
U-2S Dragon Lady
Royal Air Force Croughton · 422nd Air Base Group
422nd Air Base GroupCommunications and support group · active
No assigned aircraft
Incirlik · LTAG39th Air Base Wing
39th Air Base WingAir base wing · active
No assigned aircraft
728th Air Mobility SquadronAir mobility squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Lajes Field · LPLA65th Air Base Group
65th Air Base GroupAir base group · active
No assigned aircraft
Moron · LEMO496th Air Base Squadron
496th Air Base SquadronAir base squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – AfricaUS Marine Corps crisis response force · active
MV-22B Osprey, KC-130J Hercules
NATO Geilenkirchen · ETNGNATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force, E-3A Component
NATO E-3A ComponentNATO airborne early warning wing · active
E-3A Sentry
470th Air Base SquadronUS Air Force support squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Kadena Air Base · RODN18th Wing
18th WingComposite wing · active
KC-135R Stratotanker, E-3B/C Sentry, HH-60G Pave Hawk
909th Air Refueling SquadronAir refuelling squadron · active
KC-135R Stratotanker
961st Airborne Air Control SquadronAirborne early warning squadron · active
E-3B/C Sentry
33rd Rescue SquadronCombat rescue squadron · active
HH-60W Jolly Green II
353rd Special Operations WingSpecial operations wing · active
MC-130J Commando II
44th Fighter Squadron1971–2022
—
67th Fighter Squadron1971–2022
—
F-15EX Eagle II basing2026–
F-15EX Eagle II
Misawa Air Base · RJSM35th Fighter Wing
35th Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-35A Lightning II, F-16CM/DM Block 50 Fighting Falcon
13th Fighter SquadronPanthers · Fighter squadron · active
F-35A Lightning II
14th Fighter SquadronSamurais · Fighter squadron · active
F-16CM/DM Fighting Falcon
Yokota · RJTY374th Airlift Wing
374th Airlift WingTheatre airlift wing · active
C-130J Super Hercules, C-12J Huron, UH-1N Iroquois
21st Special Operations SquadronDust Devils · Special operations squadron · active
CV-22B Osprey
Fifth Air ForceNumbered air force headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Headquarters United States Forces JapanJoint headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Osan · RKSO51st Fighter Wing
51st Fighter WingFighter wing · active
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
36th Fighter SquadronFlying Fiends · Fighter squadron · active
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
Seventh Air ForceNumbered air force headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
25th Fighter Squadron1993–2025
A-10C Thunderbolt II
Kunsan Air Base · RKJK8th Fighter Wing
8th Fighter WingWolf Pack · Fighter wing · active
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
35th Fighter SquadronPantons · Fighter squadron · active
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
80th Fighter SquadronJuvats · Fighter squadron · active
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
Andersen Air Force Base · PGUA36th Wing
36th WingAir base wing · active
No permanently assigned aircraft
734th Air Mobility SquadronAir mobility squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Bomber Task Force deploymentsRotational bomber deployment · active
B-52H Stratofortress, B-1B Lancer, B-2A Spirit
Continuous Bomber Presence2004–2020
B-52H Stratofortress, B-1B Lancer, B-2A Spirit
Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia · FJDGUnited States Navy Support Facility; USAF Detachment 1, 36th Wing
Detachment 1, 36th Mission Support GroupUSAF airfield detachment · active
No assigned aircraft
730th Air Mobility SquadronAir mobility squadron · active
No assigned aircraft
Bomber Task Force deploymentsRotational bomber deployment · active
B-52H Stratofortress, B-1B Lancer, B-2A Spirit
Wake Island · PWAKPacific Air Forces Regional Support Center; 611th Air Support Group
611th Air Support Group detachmentAirfield operations detachment · active
No assigned aircraft
Al Udeid · OTBH379th Air Expeditionary Wing
379th Air Expeditionary WingAir expeditionary wing · active
KC-135 Stratotanker, E-3 Sentry, RC-135 (variants), C-17 Globemaster III
Combined Air Operations CenterTheatre air operations centre · active
No assigned aircraft
United States Air Forces Central, forward headquartersComponent command headquarters · active
No assigned aircraft
Ali Al Salem · OKAS386th Air Expeditionary Wing
386th Air Expeditionary WingAir expeditionary wing · active
C-130J Super Hercules, Rotational tactical airlift and ISR aircraft
Al Dhafra · OMAM380th Air Expeditionary Wing
380th Air Expeditionary WingAir expeditionary wing · active
U-2S Dragon Lady, RQ-4 Global Hawk, F-22A Raptor, F-35A Lightning II, KC-10A Extender, E-3 Sentry
99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance SquadronHigh-altitude reconnaissance squadron · active
U-2S Dragon Lady
Prince Sultan · OEPS378th Air Expeditionary Wing
378th Air Expeditionary WingAir expeditionary wing · active
F-22A Raptor, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, MQ-9 Reaper
Combined Air Operations Center and Southern Watch force1996–2003
F-15C Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry
Muwaffaq Salti · OJMSRoyal Jordanian Air Force; US 407th Air Expeditionary Group element
407th Air Expeditionary GroupAir expeditionary group · active
F-16 Fighting Falcon, MQ-9 Reaper
Camp Lemonnier · HDAMNaval Expeditionary Base; 449th Air Expeditionary Group
449th Air Expeditionary GroupAir expeditionary group · active
HC-130J Combat King II, C-130J Super Hercules

No unit matches that search.

Timeline

United States Air Force milestones, 1914 to today

1907

1 August: the Aeronautical Division of the US Army Signal Corps is established with one officer and two enlisted men. The Army buys its first aeroplane from the Wright brothers in 1909.

1941

20 June: the Army Air Forces are established under General Henry "Hap" Arnold. By 1944 they field 2.4 million people and nearly 80,000 aircraft, the largest air force ever assembled.

1947

26 July: the National Security Act is signed. On 18 September Stuart Symington is sworn in as the first Secretary of the Air Force and the service becomes independent; General Carl Spaatz is the first Chief of Staff.

1948

26 June: the Berlin Airlift begins. Over fifteen months American and British crews fly 2.3 million tons into a blockaded city, and the new service proves that airpower can do something other than destroy. Strategic Air Command passes to General Curtis LeMay in October.

1950

8 November: an F-80C shoots down a MiG-15 in the first jet-versus-jet combat in history — and the MiG-15 proves so superior to everything else in theatre that F-86 Sabres are rushed to Korea within weeks.

1965

2 March: Operation Rolling Thunder opens over North Vietnam. Missile-armed F-4s with no guns and restrictive rules of engagement produce kill ratios close to parity, the worst in Air Force history.

1975

29 November: the first Red Flag exercise is flown at Nellis Air Force Base, built on the finding that a crew’s first ten combat missions were the most dangerous. Aggressor squadrons, the Fighter Weapons School and the teen series fighters come out of the same reckoning.

1981

18 June: the F-117A makes its first flight at Groom Lake. It is not acknowledged publicly until November 1988 and is not photographed properly until 1990.

1991

17 January: F-117s open Operation Desert Storm over Baghdad. In 43 days coalition air forces fly more than 100,000 sorties; the F-117 flies about two per cent of them against forty per cent of the strategic targets.

1992

1 June: Strategic Air Command and Tactical Air Command are dissolved into Air Combat Command and Air Mobility Command. The fighter force falls from 24 wing equivalents to 13 and five rounds of base closures between 1988 and 1995 shut dozens of installations.

1999

27 March: an F-117 is shot down over Serbia by an SA-3 battery using long-wavelength radar. It is the only stealth aircraft ever lost to enemy fire and it ends the assumption that low observability means invulnerability.

2009

Defense Secretary Robert Gates caps F-22 production at 187 aircraft, down from a planned 750. The line closes in 2011 and cannot realistically be reopened; the Air Force has been short of air superiority fighters ever since.

2016

2 August: the F-35A reaches initial operational capability at Hill Air Force Base. Full-rate production is not approved until 12 March 2024, more than twenty years after contract award.

2019

20 December: the United States Space Force is established as a separate service within the Department of the Air Force, taking the space mission, about 16,000 people and the missile warning and satellite control installations with it.

2023

10 November: the B-21 Raider makes its first flight at Palmdale. At least 100 are planned for delivery from 2027, the first new American bomber since the B-2 flew in 1989.

2026

20 April: Secretary Troy Meink extends three A-10 squadrons to 2030 after the FY2026 budget had proposed retiring all 162 aircraft. In March the E-7A programme, cancelled the previous June, is revived as a two-prototype development effort.

Combat record

Every war the United States Air Force has fought, 1916 to today

Twenty-one campaigns since 1916, across four names for the same air arm. The full record has every aircraft flown, every published loss, and where each figure comes from.

21conflicts
1916First
47,640Aircraft lost
44,383Killed
  • Operation Epic Fury 2026 Flew a 38-day campaign against Iranian air defences, ballistic missile and drone infrastructure, naval production and the nuclear industrial base, while defending coalition bases under sustained missile and drone attack
  • Operation Midnight Hammer 2025 Struck three Iranian nuclear sites in a single night with the only weapon and the only aeroplane able to reach them, supported by a large fighter and tanker package
  • Operation Rough Rider 2024-2025 Struck Houthi missile, drone and radar sites in Yemen to reopen Red Sea shipping, with bombers staging from Diego Garcia and fighters and Reapers flying from regional bases
  • Operation Inherent Resolve 2014-present Provided the great majority of coalition strike, tanker, reconnaissance and airlift sorties against the Islamic State, working through Iraqi, Kurdish and Syrian Democratic Forces ground partners
  • Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation Unified Protector 2011 Opened the no-fly zone with strikes on Libyan air defences, then handed the shooting to NATO partners while supplying most of the tanking, jamming and reconnaissance that kept the campaign flying

Open the full combat record

From the magazine

United States Air Force news from Afterburner

Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the United States Air Force and the aircraft it flies. This list refreshes itself — new Afterburner stories appear here automatically.

All stories in Afterburner

Questions & Answers

Everything people ask about the United States Air Force

How many aircraft does the US Air Force have?
4,865 aircraft at 30 September 2025, according to the Total Aircraft Inventory published in the 2026 USAF Almanac: 3,634 with the regular Air Force, 936 with the Air National Guard and 295 with Air Force Reserve Command. That count leaves out roughly a hundred special types such as the presidential VC-25A, the E-11A relay aircraft, the U-28A and the OA-1K, so the true figure is nearer 5,000. It is by a wide margin the largest air force in the world, and also the oldest: the average airframe is 31.75 years old.
How many people are in the US Air Force?
319,119 on active duty at 30 September 2025, according to the personnel tables in the 2026 USAF Almanac, made up of 61,437 officers, 253,612 enlisted airmen and 4,070 Air Force Academy cadets. Add 105,120 in the Air National Guard and 95,619 in the Air Force Reserve, of whom 65,465 are Selected Reserve, and 183,146 Department of the Air Force civilians, and the service describes a Total Force of more than 689,000 people. The civilian figure covers the whole department, so some of it supports the Space Force rather than the Air Force. Recruiting, which was in trouble in 2023, has recovered sharply: the active Air Force met its FY2026 goal of 32,750 enlisted accessions five months early, its strongest year since 2004.
What is the US Air Force budget?
USD 214.7 billion for FY2026. That is the Air Force share of an enacted Department of the Air Force budget of USD 292.8 billion; the balance is the Space Force at USD 31.7 billion and the pass-through money the department administers on behalf of other parts of the defence establishment but does not control — a quirk that makes the Air Force look considerably richer on paper than it is. The FY2027 request is far larger: USD 338.8 billion for the department, USD 267.7 billion of it Air Force, which the service called a record and a 38 per cent rise on the FY2026 enacted figure, with USD 7.4 billion for 38 F-35s, USD 3.9 billion for 15 KC-46s, about USD 7 billion for the B-21 and USD 2.7 billion for collaborative combat aircraft. A request is not an appropriation, so treat the FY2027 numbers as a proposal until Congress acts on them.
What fighter jets does the USAF fly?
Seven types, totalling 1,978 fighter and attack aircraft. The largest fleets are 826 F-16 Fighting Falcons and 500 F-35A Lightning IIs, followed by 217 F-15E Strike Eagles, 184 F-22A Raptors, 163 A-10C Thunderbolt IIs, 75 ageing F-15C/D Eagles almost all in the Air National Guard, and 13 new-build F-15EX Eagle IIs. The F-47, the Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, is in development to succeed the F-22.
What bombers does the US Air Force operate?
Three types and 141 aircraft: 76 B-52H Stratofortresses, 45 B-1B Lancers and 20 B-2A Spirits. It is the smallest bomber force the service has ever had, and at an average age of just under 50 years the oldest. The B-21 Raider first flew on 10 November 2023 and is due to reach Ellsworth Air Force Base in 2027; at least 100 are planned, replacing the B-1 and B-2 and leaving the B-52 alongside it.
How many air bases does the US Air Force have, and where are the overseas ones?
About 160 worldwide, though the count depends entirely on what you are willing to call a base. The Air Force runs roughly 60 to 70 active-duty main installations inside the United States; the Air National Guard adds about 180 sites, most of them enclaves on civil airports rather than Air Force property; and about a dozen are overseas main operating bases. Totals anywhere between 160 and 190 are defensible. The overseas main bases are Ramstein and Spangdahlem in Germany, RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, Aviano in Italy, Incirlik in Turkey, Kadena, Misawa and Yokota in Japan, Osan and Kunsan in South Korea, Andersen on Guam, Al Udeid in Qatar and Lajes Field in the Azores. Guam and Hawaii are American territory but are counted as overseas for basing purposes, and Al Udeid is host-nation property that the Air Force uses rather than owns.
What is the difference between the Air Force, the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve?
They are the three components of one Total Force. The regular Air Force is full-time federal service, 319,119 people and 3,634 aircraft. The Air National Guard is organised by state, reports to governors for domestic emergencies and to the President when federalised, and fields about 105,000 people, 90 flying wings and 936 aircraft, mostly from civil airports. Air Force Reserve Command is a federal reserve of about 95,600, with 295 aircraft of its own and many associate units that share active-duty aeroplanes. Some fleets lean heavily on the reserves: 218 of 375 KC-135 tankers and 342 of 826 F-16s are Guard or Reserve aircraft.
Is the Space Force part of the Air Force?
No. The United States Space Force has been a separate armed service since 20 December 2019. It sits inside the Department of the Air Force, which is why the two share a Secretary and a budget line, in the same way that the Marine Corps sits inside the Department of the Navy. Space Force guardians, satellites and installations are not Air Force assets and are not counted in Air Force aircraft or personnel figures.
How is the Air Force organised, and what are its major commands?
From the top down: major command, numbered air force, wing, group, squadron, flight. The wing is the unit that matters most in daily life — it holds a base and its mission, is commanded by a brigadier general or a colonel, and normally contains four groups: operations, maintenance, mission support and medical. Squadrons are where the work actually happens; the Air Force has roughly 3,300 of them and they range from seven people to more than 600. The familiar major commands are Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Air Mobility Command at Scott, Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale, Air Education and Training Command at JBSA-Randolph, Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson, Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and US Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa at Ramstein, alongside Air Force Reserve Command at Robins and the Air National Guard. The 2026 almanac now groups the same organisations differently, as five institutional commands reporting to the Chief of Staff and ten service component commands reporting through the Secretary, so both lists are current depending on which document you are reading.
What do the two letters on the tail of an Air Force aircraft mean?
They identify the aircraft’s home wing, and so in practice its base. WA is the 57th Wing at Nellis, LN the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, HL the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill, FF the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley, ED the 412th Test Wing at Edwards. Below the letters sit two small digits for the fiscal year in which the airframe was ordered and three larger ones taken from the end of its serial number, a presentation standardised in 1993; the coloured band across the top of the fin carries the wing or squadron identity. Codes travel with units, so the same two letters can mean quite different things twenty years apart.
What is the oldest aircraft in the US Air Force?
The B-52H, whose 76 aircraft average 62.8 years; the last one was delivered in October 1962 and none has been built since. Behind it come the KC-135 tanker fleet at 62.71 years, the RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft at 62.47, the T-38C trainer at 57.84 and the UH-1N helicopter at 52.59, all figures from the 2026 almanac inventory tables at 30 September 2025. The fleet as a whole averages 31.75 years, older than at any point in the service’s history. These are fleet averages rather than individual airframes, and after decades of re-winging, re-engining and structural rework an aircraft’s calendar age tells you less about it than its flying hours do.
What is the newest aircraft in the US Air Force?
The T-7A Red Hawk, at an average age of 1.1 years — but only three were on strength at 30 September 2025, the first having reached Air Education and Training Command on 5 December 2025, four years behind the original plan. The next newest fleets are the MH-139A Grey Wolf at 1.87 years, the F-15EX Eagle II at 2.5 and the KC-46A at 4.27. Two further types are only now entering service: the EA-37B Compass Call, which moves the jamming suite of the EC-130H onto a Gulfstream G550, and the OA-1K Skyraider II, a crop-duster airframe rebuilt into an armed overwatch aircraft for special operations, of which 18 had been delivered by May 2026.
Is the A-10 being retired?
Not yet, and the date keeps moving. The Air Force has tried to divest the A-10 since 2014 and Congress has blocked it repeatedly; the FY2026 budget proposed retiring all 162 remaining aircraft, but on 20 April 2026 Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink extended three squadrons of 18 aircraft each — two active-duty squadrons at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia and one Air Force Reserve squadron at Whiteman in Missouri — citing heavy use in the Middle East and the time needed to raise combat aircraft production. That leaves 54 aircraft flying through 2029 and 36 into 2030. No Air National Guard squadron was extended: Gowen Field sent its first jet to the boneyard in May 2025, and Selfridge plans its last A-10 deployment in 2026. Pilot training and depot-level maintenance for the type have already stopped, so the fleet is shrinking regardless. Of the 163 aircraft counted in 2025, 89 belonged to the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve.
Does the Air Force still fly the B-52 — and until when?
Yes. 76 B-52H Stratofortresses remain, 58 active duty and 18 with the 307th Bomb Wing of the Air Force Reserve, and they average 62.8 years old — the last was delivered in October 1962. New Rolls-Royce F130 engines and an AN/APG-79 radar are meant to produce the B-52J and keep it flying to about 2050, which would be a century of service for one airframe design. Both upgrades have run late and over cost, but no one has proposed retiring the aircraft.
Is the Air Force really retiring the F-22 Raptor before the F-35?
Not the fleet, and not yet. The Air Force asked to divest 32 Block 20 Raptors that are used for training and are not combat-coded, arguing that bringing them to Block 30 standard would cost more than USD 50 million each, about USD 3.3 billion in total, for aircraft it expects to retire in the 2030s anyway. Congress refused, and the House Armed Services Committee moved to prohibit F-22 retirements through fiscal 2032. So 184 Raptors remain of the 195 built, they are receiving Increment 3.2B software and a helmet-mounted cueing system, and the F-47 that is meant to succeed them is not due to fly until 2028. The F-35A will outlast the Raptor by decades regardless: there are 500 of them against 184, the fleet averages 4.92 years against a Raptor that entered service in 2005, and the programme of record runs to 1,763 aircraft.
What is the B-21 Raider and when does it enter service?
A stealth long-range bomber built by Northrop Grumman, and the first new American bomber since the B-2 flew in 1989. It made its first flight at Palmdale on 10 November 2023, two test aircraft were flying from Edwards by 2026, and the first aircraft reaches Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota in 2027, with Whiteman and Dyess to follow. At least 100 are planned, US Strategic Command has argued for as many as 145, and Congress added USD 4.5 billion in 2026 to raise the production rate by about a quarter. It replaces the B-1 and the B-2 and will fly alongside the B-52 rather than instead of it.
What replaced the F-117, and why was it retired so early?
Nothing replaced it directly. Its mission passed to the B-2 and then to the F-22 and F-35, all stealthy and all able to carry far more than the F-117’s two laser-guided bombs. It was retired in April 2008, 25 years after entering service, because the Air Force wanted the money for F-22s; the service put the saving at roughly USD 1.1 billion in procurement and USD 5.1 billion in manpower accounts. It was also a single-role subsonic night attacker with no self-defence armament and an expensive low-observable coating to maintain, and the loss of one to an SA-3 battery over Serbia on 27 March 1999 had already shown the limits of first-generation stealth. Fifty-nine production aircraft were built, and rather than being scrapped a number are kept airworthy at Tonopah for test and adversary work.
What went wrong with the KC-46 tanker programme?
The camera system the boom operator uses. The KC-46A replaced the direct view from the old boom pod with a remote vision system whose imagery has proved distorted enough to scrape receiver aircraft, and the corrected three-dimensional version is now promised for 2027, four years late. Boeing took the work on a fixed-price contract and has absorbed more than USD 5 billion in charges, including USD 565 million in a single quarter in early 2026, while the Air Force has repeatedly withheld payments and paused deliveries, most recently over cracks in the airframe. 96 aircraft were on strength at 30 September 2025 against 188 planned; they are cleared to refuel combat receivers with the exception of the A-10, and mission-capable rates have been running near 50 per cent against a 90 per cent target. The programme’s origins were worse still: the first attempt at a tanker deal, a lease arrangement, sent a Boeing executive and an Air Force acquisition official to prison.
Why does the Air Force keep buying fewer aircraft than it retires?
Because unit costs have risen faster than budgets and because every replacement has run late. The F-22 was capped at 187 instead of 750, the F-35A is arriving at 24 to 48 a year against a plan of 60, the KC-46 has been delivered with a remote vision system that still does not work properly, the T-7A trainer slipped four years, and the E-7A was cancelled in 2025 and only part-restored in 2026. The result is a fleet averaging 31.75 years, older than at any point in the service’s history, and a persistent argument with Congress over which old aircraft may be retired before the new ones exist.
What is Air Force Global Strike Command, and what does it control?
The bombers and the intercontinental ballistic missiles: both of the Air Force’s legs of the American nuclear triad, and the whole conventional bomber force with them. Formed in 2009 and headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, it holds more than 36,400 people in twelve active-duty, Guard and Reserve wings under two numbered air forces: 8th Air Force for the bombers, 20th Air Force for the intercontinental ballistic missiles. That covers all 141 B-52, B-1 and B-2 bombers and the B-21 as it arrives, 400 Minuteman III missiles held by the 90th, 341st and 91st Missile Wings at F. E. Warren, Malmstrom and Minot, the helicopters that patrol the missile fields, and the E-4B national airborne operations centre aircraft at Offutt.
How does the Air Force’s nuclear mission actually work?
The Air Force holds two legs of the triad and the Navy holds the third. The land leg is 400 Minuteman III missiles on alert, spread across three fields of 150 silos each in Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and neighbouring states, so 50 of the 450 silos stand empty. Launch control is by two-officer crews on 24-hour shifts in underground capsules, and the 2026 Nuclear Notebook in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists puts roughly 400 warheads on them out of about 800 available. The air leg is about 46 nuclear-capable B-52Hs carrying air-launched cruise missiles with W80-1 warheads and about 19 B-2As carrying B61-11 and B61-12 gravity bombs; the B-52 no longer delivers gravity bombs at all. Nothing sits on airborne alert — bombers came off continuous alert in 1991 — and the weapons live at a small number of guarded storage sites rather than on the aircraft. Replacement is going badly: the LGM-35A Sentinel is still being restructured after a cost breach, with the restructure due to finish at the end of 2026 and initial capability not expected before the early 2030s, so the Minuteman III, declared operational in 1970 with a ten-year design life, is being extended yet again.
What is a collaborative combat aircraft?
An uncrewed aircraft cheap enough to buy in numbers and capable enough to fly alongside a manned fighter as a wingman, carrying weapons or sensors and accepting risks a crewed aeroplane should not. Increment 1 produced two prototypes: General Atomics’ YFQ-42A, first flown in August 2025, and Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury, first flown in October 2025. On 17 June 2026 the Air Force ordered both into production rather than choosing between them, four months ahead of schedule, and it wants more than 150 combat-capable aircraft by the end of the decade, with close to USD 1 billion requested in FY2027 to begin buying them. An Increment 2 is planned but its requirements have not been published. The reasoning behind all of it is the same worry that hangs over the MQ-9 Reaper: a large, slow, expensive drone does not survive a modern integrated air defence.
How do you become an Air Force pilot?
You become a commissioned officer first. The three routes are the Air Force Academy, Air Force ROTC at a civilian university, and Officer Training School for people who already hold a degree; a bachelor’s degree in any subject is the minimum and candidates must start Undergraduate Pilot Training before their 33rd birthday, with waivers possible. Selection turns on the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test, the Test of Basic Aviation Skills and the resulting Pilot Candidate Selection Method score, which folds in any civilian flying hours. The medical bar is a Class I flight physical: vision correctable to 20/20, normal colour vision, and an anthropometric assessment matching the candidate to an aircraft rather than a blanket height rule — the old requirement to stand between 64 and 77 inches was dropped on 13 May 2020 because it excluded roughly 44 per cent of American women aged 20 to 29.
How long is an Air Force pilot’s service commitment?
Ten years from the day they are awarded their wings, the longest active-duty service commitment in the American military, set out in DAFMAN 36-2139 of 1 July 2025. Navigators, combat systems officers, air battle managers and remotely piloted aircraft pilots incur six years. The clock starts after training, which itself takes more than a year, and Academy or ROTC graduates are already carrying a separate commissioning obligation on top. That ten-year figure is why airline hiring cycles reach the Air Force with roughly a decade’s lag, and why retention bonuses are a permanent fixture of the rated force.
What is the Air Force Academy?
The service’s four-year undergraduate college and one of the three main routes to a commission, at Colorado Springs, Colorado, 7,258 feet above sea level on an 18,500-acre campus. President Eisenhower signed it into law on 1 April 1954; the first 306 cadets were sworn in on 11 July 1955 at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, and the first class graduated on 3 June 1959. The Cadet Wing runs a little over 4,000 strong — 4,070 cadets appear in the 30 September 2025 personnel tables, counted as part of active-duty end strength. Admission normally requires a nomination from a member of Congress, tuition is free in exchange for five years of active service and three in the reserves, and graduates now commission into either the Air Force or the Space Force.
Where does the Air Force fly its training missions, and what is Red Flag?
Pilot training runs at four bases — Columbus in Mississippi, Laughlin and Sheppard in Texas, and Vance in Oklahoma — where students fly the T-6A Texan II and the T-38C Talon as the T-7A Red Hawk slowly begins to replace the latter. Combat training happens over the ranges, above all the Nevada Test and Training Range north of Las Vegas, about 2.9 million acres and the largest contiguous block of overland special use airspace in the western world, carrying roughly 2,200 targets. Red Flag is the exercise flown there, first run on 29 November 1975 after Vietnam showed that a crew’s first ten combat missions were the ones most likely to kill them; the answer was to make them fly those ten in peacetime against a dedicated aggressor force. Several iterations run each year and they now draw allied air forces and space and cyber players; Red Flag-Nellis 26-1 in February 2026 involved 32 units including the Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. Red Flag-Alaska is the Pacific counterpart, flown over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex.
What are the Thunderbirds?
The Air Force’s aerial demonstration squadron, formally the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, based at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada and activated on 25 May 1953. It flies eight F-16 Fighting Falcons, six single-seat C models for the demonstration and two two-seat D models, and has used the type since 1983 after the F-84, F-100, F-105, F-4 and T-38 before it. The squadron numbers about 12 officers and roughly 130 enlisted and civilian support staff, flies in the order of 88 demonstrations a year, and its pilots serve two-year tours. The aircraft are combat-capable and can be returned to operational service in a matter of days.
Can a civilian fly in a US Air Force aircraft?
Rarely, and never as a paying passenger. DAFMAN 11-401 sets out who may be carried and the list is narrow: service academy and ROTC cadets, Civil Air Patrol cadets, Scouting America members, military spouses under restrictions, members of Congress and their staff approved by the Secretary of the Air Force, and senior government officials approved by a major command commander. Such flights must begin and end at the same airfield, cannot be used as transport, and commanders are explicitly told not to authorise them for personal convenience or recreation. Media and civic-leader orientation flights exist but are approved case by case through a wing’s public affairs office. Flying in a fast jet as a private individual is a different proposition altogether, and it is possible in a handful of countries where ex-military aircraft are operated on civil registers rather than by an air force. In the United States that means types such as the L-39 Albatros: MiGFlug has flown civilians in an L-39 out of Florida since 2004, with aerobatics and time on the controls, which is as close to an Air Force cockpit as a member of the public is going to get.
How many aircraft has the Air Force lost in accidents recently?
The Air Force Safety Center recorded 19 Class A flight mishaps in fiscal 2025 and 25 by 29 July in fiscal 2026, and about 14 Air Force aircraft were destroyed during 2026, already above the decade’s annual average; the worst recent year was 2016, with 24 destroyed. A Class A mishap is not necessarily a lost aeroplane: the threshold is a fatality, a permanent total disability, a destroyed aircraft or at least USD 2.5 million of damage. Across all four services Class A aviation mishaps peaked at 54 in fiscal 2024, a six-year high, fell to 39 in fiscal 2025, and the Pentagon stood up an aviation mishap task force on 15 January 2026 to examine the trend. Figures shift as investigations close and different sources count different things, so treat any single year as provisional.

Sources & Further Reading

Every fact, checked

Figures verified 2026-09-13. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.

Photographs: Photos: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (public domain) · Photo: VBS/DDPS · Swiss Air Force badge / Schweizer Armee, public domain via Wikimedia Commons