United States Department of the Air Force

United States Department of the Air Force
Agency name	United States Department of the Air Force
Logo width	200
Formed	September 18, 1947
Preceding1	United States Department of War
Preceding2	United States Army Air Forces
Jurisdiction	Federal government of the United States
Headquarters	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia
Chief1 name	Frank Kendall III
Chief1 position	United States Secretary of the Air Force
Chief2 name	Melissa G. Dalton
Chief2 position	United States Under Secretary of the Air Force
Chief3 name	David W. Allvin
Chief3 position	Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
Chief4 name	Kevin B. Schneider
Chief4 position	Chief of Staff of the United States Space Force
Parent department	United States Department of Defense
Child1 agency	United States Air Force
Child2 agency	United States Space Force
Website	www.af.mil

Contents

United States Department of the Air Force is one of the three military departments within the United States Department of Defense. It was established by the National Security Act of 1947, which reorganized the United States Armed Forces following World War II. The department is responsible for administering and training the United States Air Force and, since 2019, the United States Space Force, providing them with the resources and policy direction needed to fulfill their missions.

History

The department's origins trace back to the United States Army Air Service, which was created during World War I and later evolved into the United States Army Air Corps. During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces under General Henry H. Arnold demonstrated the critical strategic role of air power, notably in campaigns like the Combined Bomber Offensive and the Pacific War. This experience drove the push for a separate, co-equal service, culminating in the passage of the National Security Act of 1947 signed by President Harry S. Truman. The first United States Secretary of the Air Force, W. Stuart Symington, was sworn in later that year, formally separating the new department from the United States Department of the Army. Key historical moments include its role in the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, and the development of strategic systems like the B-52 Stratofortress and ICBMs during the Cold War. The department later oversaw the creation of the United States Space Force as a separate service within its purview, following the enactment of the United States Space Force Act.

The department is headquartered at The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and is structurally organized under the civilian-led Office of the Secretary of the Air Force and the military-led United States Air Force and United States Space Force headquarters. The Secretary of the Air Force is the head of the department, supported by the Under Secretary of the Air Force, several Assistant Secretaries, and the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and Chief of Staff of the United States Space Force. Major subordinate commands include Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Materiel Command, United States Space Command, and United States Indo-Pacific Command for operational matters. The department also maintains a global presence through Major Commands, Field Operating Agencies, and Direct Reporting Units that manage specific functional areas like intelligence, logistics, and training.

Civilian leadership is vested in the Secretary of the Air Force, a presidential appointee confirmed by the United States Senate who reports to the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States. The current secretary is Frank Kendall III. The senior uniformed military advisors are the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, General David W. Allvin, and the Chief of Staff of the United States Space Force, General Kevin B. Schneider. These chiefs serve as members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advising the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the President of the United States on air and space matters. Other key leaders include the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Melissa G. Dalton, and the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.

The department's primary responsibility is to organize, train, equip, and provide forces for the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force to conduct prompt and sustained operations in air and space. This includes maintaining the readiness of combat forces like the F-35 Lightning II fleet and Space Delta units, developing advanced technology through agencies like the Air Force Research Laboratory, and executing the national defense strategy in domains such as cyber warfare and nuclear deterrence. It is also tasked with overseeing the United States Air Force Academy, managing global installations like Ramstein Air Base and Vandenberg Space Force Base, and supporting joint operations with the United States Army and United States Navy.

The department's budget is part of the larger United States Department of Defense budget request submitted annually to the United States Congress. Funding supports personnel costs, operations and maintenance, research and development for programs like the B-21 Raider and Next Generation Air Dominance platform, and procurement of aircraft, satellites, and weapons systems. Major recent budgetary focuses have included modernizing the nuclear triad through the LGM-35 Sentinel program, expanding space capabilities for the United States Space Force, and maintaining the technological edge against competitors like the People's Liberation Army. Congressional committees such as the United States House Committee on Armed Services and the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services oversee and authorize its appropriations.

Category:United States Department of the Air Force Category:1947 establishments in the United States Category:United States Department of Defense agencies