Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)

Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)
Unit name	Pacific Air Forces
Caption	Emblem of Pacific Air Forces
Start date	3 August 1944
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Major Command
Role	Air component for United States Indo-Pacific Command
Garrison	Hickam AFB, Hawaii
Motto	"Service, Partnership, Excellence"
Notable commanders	General Herbert M. Saundby, General Laurence S. Kuter

Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is the United States Air Force major command responsible for air operations across the Indo-Pacific theater. Reporting to United States Indo-Pacific Command, it provides airpower, aerospace capabilities, and partnership engagement across a region that spans from the western United States to the western shores of India. PACAF conducts operations with allied and partner forces, supports regional security initiatives, and integrates with joint and multinational commands.

History

PACAF traces origins to air components active during World War II, including commands such as Thirteenth Air Force and Fifth Air Force. Postwar reorganization after the Japanese surrender (1945) and the onset of the Cold War shaped its structure as tensions in the Korean War and Vietnam War drove expansion of bases and missions. During the Korean Armistice Agreement era PACAF units participated in deterrence and combat operations alongside United Nations Command forces. In the Cold War PACAF maintained presence against Soviet Pacific Fleet activities and supported nuclear deterrence with strategic and tactical assets tied to commands like Strategic Air Command and Pacific Air Forces-aligned wings. The command adapted through post‑Vietnam drawdowns, the Reagan military buildup, and post‑9/11 operations including support to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom via rotational deployments. Recent history emphasizes integration with partners such as the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Republic of Korea Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and the Indian Air Force amid evolving challenges from states like the People's Republic of China and regional crises including the Korean Peninsula tensions and humanitarian responses to events like the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Mission and Role

PACAF's mission centers on providing ready air, space, and cyber forces for United States Indo-Pacific Command to promote regional stability, deterrence, and humanitarian assistance. It enables interoperability with allies and partners through combined operations involving organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-affiliated liaison offices, multinational task forces, and bilateral frameworks like the U.S.–Japan Alliance. The command supports contingency response for incidents including natural disasters and supports enforcement of international norms in conjunction with entities such as the United Nations and regional security forums like the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Organizational Structure

PACAF is led by a commander at Hickam Air Force Base and includes numbered air forces such as Eleventh Air Force, Fifth Air Force, and Seventeenth Air Force-equivalents responsible for geographic sectors. Component commands coordinate with joint headquarters including U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Seventh Fleet, and Marine Forces Pacific. Staff directorates mirror Air Staff functions and interface with agencies like the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and U.S. Northern Command for shared situational awareness. Liaison offices exist with partner militaries including Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Navy, and the Australian Defence Force to synchronize planning and exercises.

Units and Bases

PACAF oversees wings, groups, and squadrons dispersed across bases such as Kadena Air Base, Andersen Air Force Base, Hickam Air Force Base, Osan Air Base, and Misawa Air Base. Units include fighter wings operating from locations like Nellis Air Force Base-detached training elements, airlift wings tied to Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, and refueling assets positioned at Yokota Air Base and Eielson Air Force Base. PACAF collaborates with host-nation facilities including Kadena Air Base (Japan), Andersen Air Force Base (Guam), and installations co-located with United States Army Pacific elements. Multinational basing initiatives and access agreements with partners such as Philippines Armed Forces, Thai Royal Air Force, and Republic of Korea Air Force expand operational reach.

Operations and Deployments

PACAF conducts routine presence operations, deterrence patrols, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief missions, and crisis response. Historical operations include combat sorties during the Vietnam War, close air support in the Korean War, and support for Operation Desert Storm elements staged through Pacific routes. Recent deployments support freedom of navigation operations in partnership with U.S. Seventh Fleet carrier strike groups, expeditionary rotations to Alaska for arctic training, and multilateral responses to crises in coordination with organizations like the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. PACAF participates in air policing, missile defense integration with allies, and persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations alongside agencies such as National Reconnaissance Office assets.

Aircraft and Equipment

PACAF fields a range of aircraft including fighters like the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, Boeing F-15 Eagle, and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II; mobility aircraft including the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and Boeing C-130 Hercules; tanker aircraft such as the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and Boeing KC-46 Pegasus; and command, control, intelligence platforms like the Boeing E-3 Sentry and Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS. Unmanned systems from manufacturers such as General Atomics complement manned platforms. Support equipment includes air defense systems integrated with partner sensors from organizations like Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin and space-enabled capabilities linked to United States Space Force partnerships.

Training and Exercises

PACAF leads and participates in multinational exercises to enhance interoperability, readiness, and deterrence. Prominent exercises include Cope North, Red Flag-Alaska, Team Spirit-historical iterations, and trilateral drills with Japan Self-Defense Forces and Republic of Korea Armed Forces. Training ranges and facilities such as Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex support live‑fire and combined-arms training, while academic exchanges occur with institutions like the National Defense University and Air University. Exercises emphasize integration with naval and ground components like U.S. Seventh Fleet carrier strike groups and U.S. Army Pacific formations, and incorporate cyber and space scenarios developed with entities such as the U.S. Cyber Command and United States Space Command.

Category:Major commands of the United States Air Force