Military Surplus: US Air Force

US Air Force is the aviation branch of the United States armed forces and is responsible for conducting military operations in air and space. The US Air Force plays an important role in the defense of the nation by deploying aircraft to fight enemy aircraft, bomb enemy targets, provide reconnaissance and transport soldiers for other armed services. Most of the country’s nuclear forces have a fleet of strategic bombers carrying nuclear weapons and land based nuclear missiles under the maintenance of the US Air Force.

The three main components of the US Air Force are Air Force, US Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guards of the various states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The secretary of the air force is a civilian who leads the United States Department of the Air Force, which controls the US Air Force.

There are nine major commands within the US Air Force (MAJCOMS), which report to USAir Force. Air forces have two or more air divisions consisting of two or more wings. Wings consist of several functional groups of Squadrons responsible for flying one type of aircraft. There are generally 10-20 aircrafts in a bomber squadron, 18-24 in a fighter and 8-16 in a transport squadron. Four or more Squadrons make a wing, two or more wings make a division and two or more divisions make a numbered air force.

Ten Aerospace Expeditionary Forces (AEFs) make up the entire US Air Force. Each AEF of the US Air Force has around 10,000 to 15,000 personnel and consists of 90 multirole fighter and bomber aircraft, 31 refueling aircraft and 13 aircraft for missions like surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare.

The US Air Force is responsible for strategic nuclear deterrence and maintains bomb and missile wings capable of delivering nuclear weapons anywhere in the world. The US Air Force has fighter –interceptors assigned to home defense commands in active duty and Air National Guard forces.