Twentieth Air Force

Twentieth Air Force
Unit name	Twentieth Air Force
Dates	4 April 1944 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Numbered Air Force
Role	Strategic strike; intercontinental ballistic missile operations
Command structure	Air Force Global Strike Command
Garrison	Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming
Battles	World War II, Cold War
Notable commanders	Curtis LeMay, Nathan F. Twining
Aircraft bomber	B-29 Superfortress (historical), B-52 Stratofortress (historical)
Aircraft missile	LGM-30G Minuteman III

Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force within the United States Air Force, currently assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command. It holds the unique distinction of being the only U.S. military formation created specifically to employ a single weapon system, initially the B-29 Superfortress during World War II. Today, it is responsible for the nation's land-based intercontinental ballistic missile force, operating all LGM-30G Minuteman III missiles. Its headquarters is located at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.

History

The unit was activated on 4 April 1944 under the direct command of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with General of the Army Henry H. Arnold retaining personal command to centralize control of the new B-29 Superfortress fleet for the strategic bombing campaign against Japan. It conducted massive bombing operations from bases in the Mariana Islands, including the incendiary raids on Tokyo and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the war, it was assigned to the newly formed Strategic Air Command, transitioning to jet-powered bombers like the B-52 Stratofortress. Following the dissolution of Strategic Air Command, it was briefly part of Air Combat Command before its 2009 transfer to Air Force Global Strike Command, where it assumed sole responsibility for ICBM operations.

Organization

It is organized into three operational missile wings, each controlling a geographically dispersed group of LGM-30G Minuteman III launch facilities. These wings are the 90th Missile Wing at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, and the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. Each wing is further divided into squadrons responsible for missile alert crews, security forces, and maintenance operations. This structure ensures continuous alert and command authority over the land-based leg of the nation's nuclear triad.

Aircraft

Historically, it operated some of the most iconic bombers in U.S. Air Force history. Its primary aircraft during World War II was the B-29 Superfortress, which carried out the bombing of Japan. In the Cold War, under Strategic Air Command, it transitioned to aircraft like the B-50 Superfortress, the B-36 Peacemaker, and the B-52 Stratofortress. With its shift to the missile mission, it no longer operates crewed aircraft. Its primary weapon system is now the LGM-30G Minuteman III, a solid-fueled, three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering multiple thermonuclear warheads.

Operations

Its initial and most famous operations were the Bombing of Tokyo and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, which involved the 509th Composite Group. Throughout the Cold War, it maintained a continuous strategic bomber alert as part of Strategic Air Command's war plans. Modern operations are centered on sustaining a secure, reliable, and ready ICBM force, conducting constant alert operations from underground launch control centers linked to North American Aerospace Defense Command. It regularly participates in exercises and evaluations with United States Strategic Command to demonstrate global strike readiness.

Commanders

Notable commanders have included some of the most prominent figures in U.S. Air Force history. Its first commander was General of the Army Henry H. Arnold. Other distinguished leaders include General Curtis LeMay, who led it during the latter part of the Pacific War and later commanded Strategic Air Command, and General Nathan F. Twining, who later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Recent commanders have been lieutenant generals focused on the nuclear weapons and missile mission.

Bases

Its headquarters is at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. Its operational units are spread across the north-central United States, comprising the 90th Missile Wing at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base (North Dakota), and the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base (Montana). Historically, during World War II, it operated from bases in the Mariana Islands, such as North Field on Tinian and North Field on Guam.

Category:Military units and formations of the United States in the Cold War Category:Numbered air forces of the United States Air Force