United States Air Force Major Commands 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 Air Mobility Command Pacific Air Forces United States Air Forces in Europe Aircraft List of military aircraft Structure List of numbered Air Forces List of wings List of groups List of squadrons List of bases Other U.S. Air Force Academy U.S. Air Force Band Air Force Museum

Emblem of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

The United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) is the U.S. Air Force component of U.S. European Command and one of two major Air Force commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces. The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... Image File history File links Seal_of_the_US_Air_Force. ... The Air Combat Command (ACC) is the major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force whose mission is to provide air combat forces (mostly aircraft), to other commands, including both commands within the Air Force as well as the unified commands that include elements from different branches of the... Air Education and Training Command (AETC), with headquarters at Randolph AFB near San Antonio, Texas, was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. ... Shield of the Air Force Materiel Command. ... This article or section should include material from U.S. Air Force Reserve Shield of the Air Force Reserve Command. ... Air Force Space Command emblem Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) is a major command of the United States Air Force with headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, USA. It was created on September 1, 1982. ... Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is the major command charged with overseeing the United States Air Forces Special Operations Forces (SOF). ... Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, and the air force component of United States Transportation Command. ... Emblem of the U.S. Air Forces Pacific The United States Pacific Air Forces (USPACAF or PACAF) is one of nine major U.S. Air Force commands and one of two located outside the continental United States, the other being U.S. Air Forces Europe. ... This list of military aircraft of the United States includes prototype, pre-production and operational types. ... 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. ... This is a list of Wings in the United States Air Force. ... This is a list of Groups in the United States Air Force that are active but dont belong to wing that has host duties for the base it is stationed at. ... This is a list of United States Air Force aircraft squadrons. ... This is a list of U.S. Air Force bases and airfields, both current and past. ... The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, (, ), is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers in the United States Air Force. ... United States Service Bands Each of the branches of the U.S. military, has a headquarters band organization, all but one of which are in the Washington, D.C. area. ... The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official national museum of the United States Air Force and is located at Wright-Patterson AFB, east of Dayton, Ohio. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) is Unified Combatant Command of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. ... Emblem of the U.S. Air Forces Pacific The United States Pacific Air Forces (USPACAF or PACAF) is one of nine major U.S. Air Force commands and one of two located outside the continental United States, the other being U.S. Air Forces Europe. ...

USAFE also is the air component of the U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command. The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) is Unified Combatant Command of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. ... The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ...

History

World War II

USAFE originated as the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force in 1942 and flew heavy bombardment missions over the European continent during World War II. The United States Army Air Forces, or USAAF, was a part of the U.S. military during World War II. The direct precursor to the U.S. Air Force, the USAAF formally existed between 1941 and 1947. ... The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force (NAF) of the major command (MAJCOM) of Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force and it is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. ... This article is about the year. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II...

On 19 January 1944, 8th Air Force was redesignated the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe, responsible for directing operations in Europe and the Middle East. Subordinate units included the newly formed Fifteenth Air Force, organized in Italy to attack enemy territory from the south, and a newly constituted 8th Air Force, formed from the VIII Bomber Command. January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Activated on November 1, 1943, the Fifteenth Air Force was established as part of the U.S. Army Air Force in the World War II Mediterranean Theater of Operations as a strategic air force and commenced combat operations the day after it was formed. ...

On 7 August 1945, the War Department deleted "Strategic" and the command was renamed U.S. Air Forces in Europe. August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... War Department may refer to the military establishments of several different countries: British War Department Confederate War Department United States Department of War, under the leadership of the United States Secretary of War (until 1947) See also: defense minister This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other...

Postwar Europe

Immediately after the war the primary mission of U.S. military forces in Europe was to disarm Germany, bring peace and economic stability to the German people, and depart as soon as practical. The mission of the United States Air Forces in Europe was to disarm and destroy all Luftwaffe air assets, dispose of excess USAAF property remaining in Europe, and provide airlift to remaining U.S. troops. American combat forces were demobilized as quickly as possible, and by December 1945 only two reduced Army divisions and very few combat aircraft remained in Germany. All of the strategic bombers based in the United Kingdom had been withdrawn, as well as our Ninth Air Force tactical fighters that had been based in France. The Deutsche Luftwaffe or (German: air force, literally Air Arm or Air Weapon, IPA: [luftvafÉ™]) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Ninth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force in Air Combat Command (ACC). ...

By the end of 1946 virtually all U.S. armed forces personnel had left Europe except for the Occupation Forces in Germany, Austria, and a small number of Army troops in Italy to control the Trieste problem. The U.S. Military Governor in Germany had grave concerns that there would be insufficient troops to enforce the peaceful transition in his zone of occupation. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Trieste (Latin Tergeste, Italian Trieste, German Triest, Slovenian/Croatian Trst, and Friulian Triest) is a city and port in northeastern Italy right on the border with Slovenia. ...

The Soviet Union's short-term goals during these immediate postwar years were to force the three western nations out of Berlin and Vienna. Their intermediate goal was to conquer Turkey and Greece through civil wars. The longer term Soviet goal was to force the western powers completely out of Austria and West Germany, eventually making all of Western Europe into communist states.

By 1947 the U.S. had serious concerns that the governments of France and Italy would be taken over by their internal communist political parties. The best option for preventing a communist takeover was to create strong, financially stable countries. To revive the economies of Europe, the United States offered a comprehensive economic aid program in June 1947 known as the "Marshall Plan" named after the Secretary of State, George C. Marshall. 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Communism - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Map of Cold-War era Europe showing countries that received Marshall Plan aid. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... George C. Marshall George Catlett Marshall (December 31, 1880–October 16, 1959), an American military leader and statesman, was born into a middle-class family in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. ...

The Marshall Plan achieved great success in Western Europe but the Soviets remained steadfast in their goal of communist domination.

Cold War

Postwar Years

By 1948 Germany had become a major pawn in our effort to prevent the westward march of Communism. 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ...

When the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin in June 1948, the Western Allies answered with the Berlin Airlift. USAFE airlifted more than 2.3 million tons of food, fuel and medical supplies with the aid of the U.S. Navy and the British Royal Air Force. To give armed support to these flights, the command activated the 3rd Air Division in England. Boroughs of West Berlin West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... The Soviet Union blocked Western rail and road access to West Berlin from June 24, 1948 - May 11, 1949. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Third Air Force was established in 1940 as the Southeast Air District to provide air defence for that part of continental United States, it also provided air defense and conducted combat training for personnel of newly formed units in World War II. After the war it served Tactical Air Command... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004...

However, the Berlin Airlift taxed existing USAF resources of cargo aircraft, aircraft engines, skilled aircrews, and maintenance personnel. Unfortunately most citizens believed that the vast airpower created during WWII still existed within the new peacetime Air Force. This was a totally false assumption that would be proven during the Korean War. Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea, United States Communist combatants: North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders Douglas Macarthur Park Chang-Ju Jang Tak-Sang Kim Il Sung Oh Chol-Lyong Mun Dong-Gee Choi Un-Hyeok Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ...

With the formation of NATOin 1949, the United States was committed to help defend Western Europe and USAFE again strengthened its airpower. NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ...

When the Korean War began 25 June 1950, the USAF had been an independent branch of the U.S. military establishment tor less than three years, and was very small and ill equipped for its assigned world-wide missions. Air Force Chief of Staff, General Hoyt S.Vandenburg later stated that in the summer of 1950 we had "a shoestring Air Force" A serious shortage of combat aircraft began to develop by the fall of 1950. June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

1950s Force Structrue

Even with the active war in Korea raging, in the early 1950s Europe received a higher priority of air power than Korea by the Truman Administration and the Department of Defense. Deterring the threat of a Communist takeover of Western Europe was considered more important to our long-term survival than a Communist victory in Korea. The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ...

The USAF transferred thirteen combat wings from its Tactical Air Command plus one air depot wing from Air Material Command, and relocated the units to USAFE from April 1951 through December 1954. Eight wings were regular Air Force wings, four wings were federalized Air National Guard units, and one wing was a mobilized Air Force Reserve unit. The Tactical Air Command (TAC) was a command of the United States Air Force charged with battlefield-level (tactical) air combat, including light bombardment, close air support of ground troops, interdiction of enemy forces, and air transport of ground troops. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shield of the United States Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG) is part of the United States National Guard and a reserve component of the United States Air Force (USAF). ... The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia United States. ...

Four of these wings deployed to the United Kingdom, three into West Germany, and six wings were deployed to France. These wings gave USAFE/NATO approximately 500 fighters, 100 light bombers, 100 tactical reconnaissance aircraft. 100 tactical airlift transports, and 18,000 personnel.

These deployments were:

• United Kingdom:
  • 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing (RAF Bentwaters) (Aug 1951)
  • 123d Fighter-Bomber Wing (RAF Manston) (Dec 1951)
  • 47th Light Bomb Wing (RAF Sculthorpe) (May 1952)
  • 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing (RAF Wethersfield) (May 1952)

• West Germany
  • 433d Troop Carrier Wing (Rhein-Main AB) (Aug 1951)
  • 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (Sembach AB) (Jul 1953)
  • 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing (Hahn AB) (Aug 1953)

• France
  • 126th Light Bomb Wing (Bordeaux-Merignac AB) (Dec 1951)
  • 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (Toul-Rosieres AB) (Jan 1952)
  • 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing (Chaumont AB) (May 1952)
  • 465th Troop Carrier Wing (Toul-Rosieres AB) (April 1954)
  • 21st Fighter-Bomber Wing (Chambley AB) (Dec 1954)
  • 388th Fighter-Bomber Wing (Etain-Rouvres AB) (Dec 1954)

Along with these new units from the United States, existing USAFE bases in West Germany were realigned to be moved west of the Rhein River. Existing air bases in the Munich area were deemed too vulnerable to Soviet attack so new bases were constructed at Bitburg, Hahn, Pferdsfeld, Ramstein/Landstuhl, Sembach and Spandahlem and were in use by the mid 1950s. Rhein may refer to the river Rhine in Europe the substance rhein in the anthraquinone group This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Murray River in Australia. ... Munich (German: München, (pronounced listen) is the capital of the German Federal State of Bavaria. ...

Along with the German bases, USAFE and the British Ministry of Defense activated several World War II bases in the United Kingdom. Facilities at Alconbury, Molesworth, Chelveston Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Upper Heyford, Fairford, Burtonwood, Woodbridge and several airfields in the London area were turned over for USAFEs use. A defence minister (Commonwealth English) or defense minister (American English) is a cabinet portfolio (position) which regulates the armed forces in a sovereign nation. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation). ...

By the end of the 1950s, USAFEs responsibilities had expanded in Europe and eventually to French Morocco, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Turkey, Italy and Spain. Motto: الله، الوطن، الملك (Allāh, al WaÅ£an, al Malik = God, Country, King) Anthem: Hymne Chérifien Capital Rabat Largest city Casablanca Official language(s) Arabic Government Constitutional Monarchy  - King Mohammed VI  - Prime Minister Driss Jettou Independence    - From France March 2, 1956   - From Spain April 7, 1956  Area    - Total 446,550 km...

1960s - 1980s

Beginning about 1963 due to the Vietnam War USAFE/NATO's total strength steadily declined, as the U.S. reduced forces in Europe to fight a limited war in Southeast Asia for ten years. 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) United States of America South Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand the Philippines Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) Strength ~1,200,000 (1968) ~420,000 (1968) Casualties South Vietnamese dead: 230,000 South Vietnamese wounded: 300,000 US dead...

In 1967 a major reorganization of USAFE was needed after France withdrew from the NATO military command structure, forcing all foreign troops to leave. By 1970 USAFE units were stationed at the following major Air Bases: 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ...

• United Kingdom
  • RAF Alconbury
  • RAF Lakenheath
  • RAF Mildenhall
  • RAF Bentwaters/RAF Woodbridge
  • RAF Wethersfield
  • RAF Upper Heyford
  • RAF Chickstands
  • South Rulsup Air Station
  • Prestwick Airfield

• Spain
  • Zaragoza AB
  • Torrejon AB
  • Moron AB

• The Netherlands
  • Soesterberg AB

• Belgium
  • Chievres Air Base

• Norway
  • Oslo Airport

• West Germany
  • Tempelhof Airport (West Berlin)
  • Lindsey Air Station
  • Weisbaden AB
  • Spangdahlem AB
  • Bitburg AB
  • Rhein-Main AB
  • Ramstein AB
  • Sembach AB

• Italy
  • Aviano AB

• Greece
  • Athens Airport
  • Heraklion airport (Crete)

• Turkey
  • Incirlik AB
  • Cigli AB

Changes continued through the early 1970s. Headquarters USAFE transferred from Lindsey Air Station, Germany, to Ramstein Air Base in March 1973 and NATO's Allied Air Forces Central Europe was established at Ramstein Air Base in June 1974. The USAFE commander in chief then took command of Allied Air Forces Central Europe, in addition to commanding U.S. Air Force units in Europe. C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane at Ramstein Air Base. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ...

The historic Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, ratified in 1988, mandated the first-ever elimination of an entire class of weapons from U.S. and Soviet inventories. USAFE completed removal of the ground-launched cruise missiles and other weaponry on 26 March 1991, when the last 16 missiles were removed from Comiso Air Station, Italy. U.S. President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev signing the INF Treaty, 1987. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Post Cold-War

Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm

With the onset of Operations Desert Shield in August 1990 and Desert Storm the following January, USAFE resources mobilized and moved to Southwest Asia. See also: 2003 invasion of Iraq and Gulf War (disambiguation) C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations led by the United States. ... This article is about the year. ... See also: 2003 invasion of Iraq and Gulf War (disambiguation) C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations led by the United States. ...

More than 180 aircraft and 5,400 people assigned to USAFE units deployed to the Persian Gulf area. In conjunction, more than 100 aircraft and 2,600 personnel deployed to Turkey for Operation Proven Force. A total of 60,000 USAFE personnel were committed to the war effort; however, fewer than 10,000 actually deployed. More than half of the command's aircraft deployed to support Desert Storm. Map of the Persian Gulf. ...

The command's air support was lethal. For example, USAFE accounted for only 20 percent of the air-to-air assets in Desert Storm, but claimed half of the air-to-air kills. Command support personnel shipped 85,000 tons of munitions, including more than 35,000 bombs and 7,800 missiles.

USAFE activated aeromedical staging facilities and contingency hospitals, increasing available bed space 1,500 percent above normal peacetime operations. More than 9,000 patients, mostly suffering from noncombat-related illnesses and injuries, were evacuated to Europe. More than 3,000 were treated at USAFE medical facilities. Almost 7,600 patients were later air evacuated to the continental United States for follow-on treatment.

Operation Provide Comfort

While most of the world celebrated the coalition victory, Kurdish rebels and Iraqi forces were fighting in Northern Iraq. The Kurds began a mass exodus toward Turkey and later Iran. USAFE and U.S. European Command personnel stepped in to save lives during Operation Provide Comfort. Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ...

The operation immediately began air dropping food and supplies to the refugees. More than 2,400 USAFE people deployed in support of Provide Comfort, along with 36 fighter aircraft to provide protection for the transports. In a relatively new role, USAFE used A-10 aircraft to spot and mark the pockets of Kurds needing humanitarian relief. The A-10/OA-10 Thunderbolt II, often known as the Warthog, is the first US Air Force aircraft specifically designed for close air support of ground forces. ...

As Operation Provide Comfort drew to a close, Kurdish leaders asked for continued protection from the Iraqi army. Operation Provide Comfort II picked up where the first operation left off, building a multinational rapidly deployable air and ground force in Turkey ready to defend the Kurds.

Balkans Operations

USAFE also provided air protection over the skies of Bosnia-Herzegovina in Operation Deny Flight. Along with allies from NATO countries, USAFE aircrews applied airpower in Operation Deliberate Force, the bombing campaign that paved the way for the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. USAFE then helped deploy Peace Implementation Forces and equipment to Bosnia for Operation Joint Endeavor and sustained them by airlift. Bosnia and Herzegovina (also variously written Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bosnia-Hercegovina) is a mountainous country in the western Balkans. ... Enforcement of the Bosnian no-fly zone, beginning 12 April 1993 and ending 20 December 1995. ... “Operation Deliberate Force” was a sustained air campaign conducted by NATO to undermine the military capability of Bosnian Serb who threatened or attacked UN designated safe areas in Bosnia. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Dayton Agreement or Dayton Accords is the name given to the agreement at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio to end the war in the former Yugoslavia that had gone on for the previous three years, in particular the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... Beginning in December 1995, US and other nations deployed peacekeeping forces to Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. ...

USAFE forces again mobilized in March 1999 when NATO intervened in Kosovo to stop Serb repression of the province's ethnic Albanian majority. Efforts to find a diplomatic solution collapsed, resulting in Operation Allied Force – the NATO-led air war over Kosovo. The 78-day operation ended 20 June culminating in the withdrawal of Serb forces from Kosovo and the eventual return of refugees to their homeland. USAFE's 3rd Air Force led Joint Task Force Shining Hope, established to assist the hundreds of thousands of refugees expelled from Kosovo by Serb soldiers and paramilitaries. USAFE continues to contribute to NATO-led forces promoting peace and stability in Kosovo. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... An USAF F-15E takes off from Aviano, Italy Operation Allied Force was NATOs military operation against Yugoslavia that lasted from 24 March to 10 June 1999 and is considered a part of Kosovo War. ... June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ...

Global War on Terrorism

USAFE has been in the front lines of the Global War on Terrorism since 11 September 2001. During Operation Enduring Freedom, it supported an air bridge from Europe to Asia that delivered 3,300 tons of humanitarian daily rations to northern Afghanistan, opened a base in Kyrgystan for coalition forces, and established a medical evacuation network that moved nearly 4,000 patients. USAFE deployed 24 fighter aircraft, eight KC-135 tankers and nearly 2,400 people in Operation Iraqi Freedom. It opened an important airfield in northern Iraq and provided critical en route support to deploying forces, not to mention vital logistical and medical support to forward-deployed forces. The War on terrorism or War on terror (abbreviated in policy circles as GWOT for global war on terror) is a global effort by the governments of several countries (primarily the United States and its principal allies) to destroy international groups it deems as terrorist (primarily radical Islamist terrorist groups... September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Combatants United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Afghan Northern Alliance and Russia al-Qaeda, Taliban regime of Afghanistan Commanders General Tommy Franks Osama bin Laden Mohammed Omar Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) is the official name used by the US government for its military response to the... World map showing the location of Asia. ... Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан) is a country in Central Asia. ... The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft, first manufactured in 1956 and expected to remain in service into the 2020s. ... For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq arguably without the explicit backing of the...

Today, USAFE airmen are engaged in a wide range of active U.S. military efforts in Europe and Africa, including realistic U.S. and NATO exercises and the Global War on Terrorism. The command also plays a major role in furthering democracy in the former Eastern Bloc, as USAFE people take part in Partnership for Peace exercises and Military-to-Military contact programs. Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... A map of the Eastern Bloc. ...

Current Operating Units

USAFE is headquartered in Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command has five main operating bases along with 80 geographically separated locations. C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane at Ramstein Air Base. ...

USAFE is subdivided into HQ Air Command Europe, its wing management command, and Sixteenth Air Force, its Warfighting Headquarters command. HQ Air Command Europe was created to replace the Third Air Force and Sixteenth Air Force Numbered Air Force roles as headquarters for USAFE wings upon inactivation of Third Air Force and Sixteenth Air Force taking up its new role as the Warfighting Headquarters for USAFE. All USAFE wings were... Sixteenth Air Force is the Warfighting Headquarters for United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) . It is headquartered at Ramstein AB, Germany. ...

More than 42,000 active-duty, Reserve and civilian employees are assigned to USAFE.

• United Kingdom
  • RAF Alconbury (423d ABG)
  • RAF Croughton (422d ABG)
  • RAF Lakenheath (48 FW)
    • F-15E Strike Eagle (492 & 494 FS)
    • F-15C/D Eagle (493 FS)
    • HH-60G PaveHawk (56 RQS)
  • RAF Mildenhall (100 ARW)
    • KC-135 Stratotanker (351 ARS)
  • RAF Fairford (420 ABG)
    • Operated as surge base, particularly for U.S. based B-52s and B-1Bs

• Belgium
  • Chièvres AB (86 AW)
    • C-37 Gulfstream V (309 AS)

• Germany
  • Spangdahlem AB (52 FW)
    • F-16CJ/DJ (Block 50) Fighting Falcon (22 & 23 FS)
    • A-10A/OA-10A Thunderbolt II (81 FS)
  • Ramstein AB (86 AW)
    • C-130E Hercules (37 AS)
    • C-20H (76 AS)
    • C-21A (76 AS)
  • Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport (86 AW)
    • C-21A (HQ USEUCOM)

• Iceland
  • Naval Air Station Keflavik (85 GP)

• Italy
  • Aviano AB (31 FW)
    • F-16CG/DG (Block 40) Fighting Falcon (510 & 555 FS)

• Portugal
  • Lajes Air Station (65 ABW)

• Turkey
  • Izmir
  • Ankara
  • Incirlik Air Base (39 ABW)

• Cyprus
  • RAF Akrotiri
    • U-2S (part of deployed tenant unit from 9 RW of ACC)

• Spain
  • Morón Air Base (712 ABG)

RAF Alconbury is a USAF installation near Alconbury and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire in the UK. It is home to a small support squadron. ... Shield of the 422nd Air Base Group RAF Croughton is a United States Air Force communications base in Oxfordshire, England, to the southeast of the village of Croughton, (which lies just across the county boundary in Northamptonshire). ... A 492d Fighter Squadron F-15E from Lakenheath lifts off from the airfields runway A F-15D of the 48 FW over England with a P-51 Mustang RAF Lakenheath is a United States Air Forces in Europe base, located near Lakenheath, Suffolk. ... The F-15E Strike Eagle is a modern American all-weather strike fighter, designed for long-range interdiction of enemy ground targets deep behind enemy lines. ... The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F-15 Eagle is an American-built all-weather tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. ... The primary mission of the Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter is to conduct day or night operations into hostile environments to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war. ... RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station in Suffolk, England. ... The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft, first manufactured in 1956 and expected to remain in service into the 2020s. ... RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England, near to Fairford. ... The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range eight-engined strategic bomber flown by the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1954, replacing the Convair B-36 and the Boeing B-47. ... The Boeing IDS (formerly Rockwell) B-1B Lancer is a long-range strategic bomber in service with the USAF. Together with the B-52 Stratofortress, it is the backbone of the United Statess long-range bomber force. ... The C-37 is a twin jet-engined aircraft of USAF and a variant of the Gulfstream V. // Mission The C-37A is a twin-engine, turbofan aircraft acquired to fill the worldwide special air missions for high-ranking government and Defense Department officials. ... Spangdahlem Air Base is a United States Air Force base located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, near the city of Trier. ... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a modern multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed in the United States. ... Primary user United States Air Force Number built 715 Unit cost US$9. ... C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane at Ramstein Air Base. ... Lockheed C-130H Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop aircraft that serves as the main tactical airlifter for military forces worldwide. ... The C-20 Gulfstream is the military designation of the commercial Gulfstream bizjets used by the US military forces. ... The C-21 is a twin turbofan engine aircraft used for cargo and passenger airlift. ... Echterdingen Airport (officially: Flughafen Stuttgart, formerly Flughafen Stuttgart-Echterdingen) is an airport in Stuttgart, Germany. ... The C-21 is a twin turbofan engine aircraft used for cargo and passenger airlift. ... Naval Air Station Keflavik is the host Command for the NATO Base in Keflavík, Iceland. ... US F-16s at Aviano Aviano Air Base is a base of the United States Air Force, in the northeastern part of Italy, at the foot of the Italian Alps, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Pordenone. ... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a modern multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed in the United States. ... The Ä°ncirlik Air Base, an important regional storage center in NATOs Southern Region is located in Ä°ncirlik, 12 km east of Adana, Turkeys fourth largest city, and 56 km from the Mediterranean Sea (, ). Its ICAO airport code is LTAG. The airbase has a United States Air Force (USAF... RAF Akrotiri is one of the few full-scale Royal Air Force stations left outside the United Kingdom. ... The Lockheed U-2R/TR-1 in flight The U-2, nicknamed Dragon Lady, is a single-seat, single-engine, high-altitude surveillance aircraft flown by the United States Air Force. ... Morón Air Base is located at 37°10′N 5°36′W in southern Spain, approximately 35 miles southeast of the city of Sevilla and 75 miles northeast of Rota Naval Station. ...

See also

• United States Air Force In France
• United States Air Force In Germany

Map Of Major USAF bases in France during the Cold War During the early years of the Cold War, the United States Air Force deployed thousands of personnel and hundreds of combat aircraft to France to counter the buildup of Soviet forces in Eastern Europe. ...

External links