U. S. Air Force

United States Air Force
Seal of the Department of the Air Force
Active	18 September 1947 – present (69 years, 5 months)
Country	United States of America
Type	Air force
Size	308,606 active personnel 177,221 civilian personnel 69,200 reserve personnel 105,500 air guard personnel $161 billion budget 5,000+ aircraft 450 ICBMs 63 satellites
Part of	U.S. Department of Defense
Headquarters	The Pentagon Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Motto(s)	"Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win"
Colors	Ultramarine Blue and Golden Yellow
March	The U.S. Air Force  Play
Engagements	List Korean War Puerto Rican Nationalist Party revolts of the 1950s Vietnam War Communist insurgency in Thailand Korean DMZ Conflict Shaba II Iranian hostage rescue Invasion of Grenada Bombing of Libya Invasion of Panama Gulf War Iraqi no-fly zones Operation Deliberate Force 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan (2001-14) Philippines Horn of Africa Trans Sahara Caribbean and Central America Iraq War War in North-West Pakistan Pakistan-United States skirmishes Operation Odyssey Dawn Military intervention against ISIL War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
Website	af.mil
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	President Donald Trump
Secretary of Defense	The Honorable James Mattis
Secretary of the Air Force	The Honorable Lisa S. Disbrow (Acting)
Chief of Staff	Gen David L. Goldfein
Vice Chief of Staff	Gen Stephen W. Wilson
Chief Master Sergeant	CMSAF Kaleth O. Wright
Insignia
Flag
Roundel
Symbol
USAF "Hap" Arnold Symbol
Aircraft flown
Attack	A-10, AC-130
Bomber	B-52H, B-1B, B-2
Electronic warfare	E-3, E-8, EC-130
Fighter	F-15C, F-15E, F-16, F-22, F-35A
Helicopter	UH-1N, HH-60
Reconnaissance	U-2, RC-135, MC-12 Liberty, RQ-1/MQ-1, RQ-4, MQ-9, RQ-170, U-28
Trainer	T-6, T-38, T-1, TG-16, T-53, T-41, T-51
Transport	C-130, C-5, C-17, VC-25, C-32, C-37, C-21, C-12, C-40, CV-22
Tanker	KC-10, KC-135

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947. It is the most recent branch of the U.S. military to be formed, and is the largest and one of the world's most technologically advanced air forces. The USAF articulates its core functions as Nuclear Deterrence Operations, Special Operations, Air Superiority, Global Integrated ISR, Space Superiority, Command and Control, Cyberspace Superiority, Personnel Recovery, Global Precision Attack, Building Partnerships, Rapid Global Mobility and Agile Combat Support.

The U.S. Air Force is a military service organized within the Department of the Air Force, one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense. The Air Force is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force, who reports to the Secretary of Defense, and is appointed by the President with Senate confirmation. The highest-ranking military officer in the Department of the Air Force is the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, who exercises supervision over Air Force units, and serves as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Air Force combat and mobility forces are assigned, as directed by the Secretary of Defense, to the Combatant Commanders, and neither the Secretary of the Air Force nor the Chief of Staff have operational command authority over them.