Numbered Air Force
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This is a list of Numbered Air Forces (NAF) of the United States Air Force
Historically, a NAF is a level of command below a MAJCOM (Major Command), and above one or more Wings or independent Groups. Over time their role has changed. Some NAFs were replaced with MAJCOMs, and some MAJCOMs were replaced with NAFs. In addition, some NAFs had dual-roles as MAJCOMs, as air components of Unified Commands, or as air components of Subunified or Combined Commands. In the U.S. Air Force reorganization of the early 1990s, NAFs were reorganized as tactical echelons providing operational leadership and supervision. In this new role, they were not management headquarters and did not have complete functional staffs. However, several NAFs continued to serve as air components of Subunified or Combined Commands. In these cases the NAF function was separate from the air component function, even though the commander was "dual hatted" as the commander of both organizations. The best example of this arrangement in recent history is Ninth Air Force, which doubles as United States Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), the air component of U.S. Central Command.
NAFs are typically commanded by a Major General. NAFs commanded by a Lieutenant General are typically those with a dual-role as air components of Subunified or Combined Commands, where their commander is "dual hatted" as the commander of both organizations.
In 2004 and 2005 the role of the NAF changed again. In this case, the NAF has essentially been eliminated as a tactical echelon. Instead, the distinct air component staff is being organized into a Warfighting Headquarters (WFHQ), and the former command responsibilities of the NAF are being assigned directly to the parent MAJCOM. The Air Force Component Numbered Air Force (C-NAF) Headquarters is the Air Force contribution to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff direction that all combatant commands establish a Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ). As a result, several NAFs have been deactivated, and some that remain are a NAF in name only. C-NAFs more correctly are a provisional air component headquarters for potential contingencies. In this role they are responsible for the in-place command and control elements, such as Air Operations Centers, along with other functions which previously belonged to the MAJCOM Operations Directorate.
The Fifteenth Air Force and Twenty-First Air Force were Numbered Air Forces, but have since been redesignated as Expeditionary Mobility Task Forces (EMTFs). The Sixteenth Air Force was inactivated and reconstituted as the 16th Air Expeditionary Task Force December 1, 2006. It is due to be inactivated in late April 2008. At the same time, a new NAF, Eighteenth Air Force, was established as the single NAF under AMC. Each EMTF is commanded by a Brigadier General and is responsible for supporting Air Mobility support for one or more geographic regions. In addition, the EMTF commander is pre-designated at the Director of Mobility Forces (DIRMOBFOR) for the Air Force Warfighting Headquarters the EMTF supports.
Earlier changes in NAF structure include the reactivation of Nineteenth Air Force in 1993, the redesignation of Twenty-Third Air Force as Air Force Special Operations Command, and the redesignation of Alaskan Air Command as Eleventh Air Force in 1990, and the redesignation of Sixth Air Force as United States Air Forces Southern Command in 1946.
As the implementation of the USAF's Warfighting Headquarters concept continues, the future of Number Air Forces is in question. For example, after United States Strategic Command absorbed the roles of United States Space Command, the continued division of Air Force Space Command into the space focused Fourteenth Air Force and the strategic focused Twentieth Air Force makes less sense. This will be further complicated when the USAF stands up a WFHQ supporting United States Strategic Command. Likewise, with PACAF's standup of its Kenney WFHQ, there will be little purpose for Fifth Air Force or Eleventh Air Force. USAFE, with no true NAFs, and with its WFHQ retaining the organizational title of one of its historic NAFs, is likely the model for USAF MAJCOMs in the future.
Numbered Air Forces at one time often included Air Divisions, but this organization has become obsolete and unused. The last Air Divisions were disbanded in 1991. Air Divisions were composed of two or more Wings or independent Groups.
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