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1 [1] (April 1, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/goveovh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Con gressiona Informing the Iegiska 4 Research Service itive debate since 1914 Defense Primer: The United States Air Force An executive order signed by then-President Harry S. Truman in 1947 established the U.S. Air Force as a separate service to be organized, trained, and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained offensive and defensive air operations ... necessary for the effective prosecution of war except as otherwise assigned. The National Security Act of 1947 provides statutory authority for the U.S. Air Force. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is a single military department that has two military services, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Space Force. The DAF is led by a single civilian leader, the Secretary of the Air Force. The four-star military Air Force chief of staff reports to the Air Force Secretary, as does the Space Force's four-star Chief of Space Operations. The DAF is requesting a $217.5 billion budget for FY2025. Air Force Core Missions The Air Force lists its core missions as air superiority, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control. Air Superiority Military experts define air superiority as establishing and maintaining control of the skies over conflict areas. The Air Force achieves air superiority by destroying enemy aircraft and infrastructure to restrict an opponent's ability to conduct air operations. Air superiority allows air forces to provide direct support for ground forces, helping to identify and destroy targets and to prevent enemy air and missile threats from interfering with operations. Air Force officials acknowledge that the proliferation of advanced air defense systems and long-range missiles have made consistent air superiority more difficult to achieve. They add that commanders will need to define the scope and duration of required air superiority in the future. Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Through a mix of technologies and platforms, the Air Force collects, exploits, and disseminates information about adversaries and their capabilities. Air Force leaders contend that emerging technologies, such as cyber and electronic attacks, will threaten future ISR collection. The service is updating its current mix of platforms and systems. Rapid Global Mobility The Air Force's mobility forces move cargo and personnel for a range of operations and missions around the world. Air Force aeromedical transport enables the timely evacuation and treatment those who are injured. Mobility forces support military operations, humanitarian missions, and disaster-response efforts. And the Air Force's aerial refueling tanker fleet delivers fuel to other aircraft in flight to enable long-range and long-endurance operations nearly anywhere on the globe. Global Strike The Air Force global strike missions are executed by part of the U.S. nuclear deterrent force. The Air Force develops and maintains two legs of the nuclear triad: bombers and land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. Other global strike missions include providing close-air support for ground forces, interdicting enemy forces, and inserting special operations forces. Command and Control (C2) According to the Air Force, command and control systems coordinate joint operations using centralized command, distributed control and decentralized execution. To stay ahead of emerging adversary threats, the Air Force maintains it is integrating its command, control, communications and battle management programs, replacing outdated systems, and incorporating artificial intelligence technologies. Organization Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall is the service's civilian leader; Chief of Staff of the Air Force General David Allvin reports to him. Allvin is the Air Force's senior uniformed leader. In 2019, the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2020 (P.L. 116-92) directed the creation of the U.S. Space Force as a sixth branch of the military, also reporting to the civilian leader of the DAF. The Air Force has eight function-based major commands and two major commands organized by geographic region. Function-based commands include Air Combat Command, Air Education and Training Command, Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Reserve Command, Air Force Space Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Air Mobility Command. The remaining two geographically oriented commands are Pacific Air Forces and United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. Numbered air forces are subordinate to major commands. The numbered air forces are supported by wings, which are supported by groups. Groups are supported by squadrons. Personnel The DAF's FY2025 requested end strength, the number of authorized personnel for the service on September 30, 2024, is 504,500 military personnel and 183,100 civilians: * 320,000 in the active Air Force, 0 April 1, 2024

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