II.

Organization

The U.S. Air Force is under the control of the United States Department of the Air Force, which is led by the secretary of the air force, a civilian. The Air Force is divided into commands, organized on a functional basis in the United States and by geographic location overseas. Each major command is led by a four-star general and comprises numbered air forces (NAFs), which in turn are made up of air divisions (ADs), and two non-numbered air forces, which are based overseas.

The organization of operational Air Force units beneath each command varies widely, depending on the type of squadron (combat, air transport, or maintenance), aircraft, and mission. The squadron is the basic organizational unit. The number of aircraft in a squadron depends on the squadron’s purpose. There are generally 10 to 20 aircraft in a bomber squadron, 18 to 24 in a fighter squadron, and 8 to 16 in a transport squadron. Four or more squadrons form a wing, which usually includes separate operations, logistics, and support groups. Two or more wings form a division, and two or more divisions make a numbered air force.

Almost the entire Air Force—active force, reserve force, and air national guard—is divided into different Aerospace Expeditionary Forces (AEFs). Each AEF has its own aircraft for missions involving surveillance (systematically observing people, places, or things), reconnaissance (missions specifically intended to obtain information about an enemy), and electronic warfare (the use of special electronics to jam enemy communications and to cloak U.S. forces from detection by the enemy).