Twelfth Air Force Air Forces Southern |
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Active | 1942–present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Part of | Air Combat Command |
Garrison/HQ | Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona |
Engagements | |
Decorations | |
Commanders | |
Current commander |
Lt. Gen. Mark D. Kelly |
Notable commanders |
James Doolittle John K. Cannon Tony McPeak |
Insignia | |
Emblem of the Twelfth Air Force | |
Emblem of Air Forces Southern |
The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
The command serves as a primary conventional fighter and bomber warfighting headquarters (WFHQ) trained and ready for worldwide employment of airpower. It is responsible for the combat readiness of 10 active-duty wings and one direct reporting unit. These subordinate commands operate more than 520 combat aircraft with more than 42,000 uniformed and civilian Airmen. It takes part in a multitude of operations in the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of focus alongside partner nations in Central and South America, ensuring a safe, secure, and stable region.
Established on 20 August 1942 at Bolling Field, District of Columbia, 12th Air Force was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of World War II. It engaged in operations in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Western Europe. During the Cold War, 12 AF was one of the Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and later Tactical Air Command (TAC), Its units engaged in combat operations during the Vietnam War, as well as Operation Desert Storm. As a result of the Global War on Terrorism, most 12th Air Force units have operated in the United States Central Command AOR.