The United States Air Force was established as an independent military service on September 18, 1947, under the National Security Act, separating from the Army Air Forces that had carried out American strategic and tactical airpower operations throughout World War II, including the strategic bombing campaigns over Germany and Japan and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Built around the doctrine that airpower, including strategic bombing, air superiority and, from the Cold War onward, nuclear deterrence via long-range bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles, constituted an independent and decisive dimension of modern warfare, the new service organized itself around Strategic Air Command, Tactical Air Command and later a wide array of specialized commands. The Air Force played central roles in Cold War nuclear deterrence, the Korean and Vietnam Wars' air campaigns, the 1991 Gulf War's demonstration of precision-guided airpower, and subsequent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, continually advancing jet fighter, bomber, airlift, and, later, stealth and unmanned aircraft technology. The Air Force ceded its space and cyber operational responsibilities in part to the newly created United States Space Force in 2019, while remaining the primary American service for air superiority, strategic airlift and long-range strike.
Facts
Force TypeAir service branch of the United States Armed Forces 1 Founded YearTraces origins to 1907 within the Army Signal Corps; established as an independent branch in 1947, per the same source. Force Type
Force Type (category) United States Air Force
Filter Results38 entries
Connections
Associated With
The F-22 Raptor has served as the United States Air Force's premier air superiority fighter since 2005
The F-35 Lightning II entered United States Air Force service as its newest stealth multirole fighter
The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile has been operated by the United States Air Force since 1970
Source Wikipedia: General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper
Fought In
Operation Babylift was flown by United States Air Force transport aircraft
Source Wikipedia: Operation Babylift
Operation Eagle Claw used United States Air Force helicopters and crews staged at Desert One
Source Wikipedia: Operation Eagle Claw
Operation El Dorado Canyon, the 1986 airstrikes on Libya, was flown in part by United States Air Force F-111s from bases in England
Source Wikipedia: Operation El Dorado Canyon
Operation Nickel Grass, the 1973 airlift of arms to Israel during the Yom Kippur War, was flown by United States Air Force cargo aircraft
Source Wikipedia: Operation Nickel Grass
Operation Provide Comfort enforced its no-fly zone with United States Air Force aircraft
Source Wikipedia: Operation Provide Comfort
Operates
Source Wikipedia: MQ-1 Predator
Source Wikipedia: P-51 Mustang
Source Wikipedia: PGM-19 Jupiter
Source Wikipedia: Popeye (missile)
Source Wikipedia: Republic-Ford JB-2
Source Wikipedia: Douglas SBD Dauntless
Source Wikipedia: Smith & Wesson Model 12
Source Wikipedia: Smith & Wesson Model 15
Source Wikipedia: SR-71 Blackbird
Source Wikipedia: UH-1 Iroquois
Source Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey (Wikipedia)
Showing 51 to 61 of 61 in Operates, page 2 of 2.
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Source Wikidata: United States Air Force
Sources
1. Wikipedia: United States Air Force
WikipediaLead paragraph 1
the Air Force was established by transfer of personnel from the Army Air Forces with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947.
- Per the entity's own name and sourced description.
View the Source Wikidata: United States Air Force
Wikidata Q11223, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
Wikipedia: General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper
WikipediaAssociated With: MQ-9 Reaper, lead sentenceQuote, Associated With: MQ-9 Reaper, lead sentence
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, one component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the United States Air Force (USAF).
View the Source Wikipedia: LGM-30 Minuteman
- Operates: Minuteman III, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'
- Operates: LGM-30 Minuteman, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'
View the SourceGBU-43/B MOAB (Wikipedia)
Operates: GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source LGM-118 Peacekeeper, Wikipedia
Operates: LGM-118 Peacekeeper, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source Wikipedia: PGM-19 Jupiter
Operates: PGM-19 Jupiter, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-158C LRASM
Operates: AGM-158C LRASM, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-158 JASSM
Operates: AGM-158 JASSM, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-86 ALCM
Operates: AGM-86 ALCM, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source Wikipedia: MGM-13 Mace
Operates: MGM-13 Mace, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source Wikipedia: ASALM
Operates: ASALM, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source Wikipedia: Dragon Cart
Operates: Dragon Cart, infobox used_by/operator field: 'United States Air Force'View the Source GlobalSecurity.org: GBU-15
GlobalSecurity.orgOperates: GBU-15, Program managementQuote, Operates: GBU-15, Program management
program management responsibility for the GBU-15 weapon system transferred from the Air Force Systems Command
View the Source GlobalSecurity.org: Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)
GlobalSecurity.orgOperates: JDAM, GBU-31 descriptionQuote, Operates: JDAM, GBU-31 description
The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) GBU-31 is a tailkit under development to meet both USAF and Navy needs
View the Source GlobalSecurity.org: BLU-82
GlobalSecurity.orgOperates: BLU-82, Development historyQuote, Operates: BLU-82, Development history
the Air Force requested the Albuquerque Operations Office of the AEC to undertake, through Sandia Laboratories, the fabrication of 225 emergency-capability 15,000-lb, BLU-82
View the Source Wikipedia: Lockheed AC-130
WikipediaOperates: AC-130 Gunship, Article textQuote, Operates: AC-130 Gunship, Article text
Its sole operator has been the United States Air Force, which currently uses the AC-130J Ghostrider.
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-129 ACM
Operates: AGM-129 ACM, Article textQuote, Operates: AGM-129 ACM, Article text
Prior to its withdrawal from service in 2012, the AGM-129A was carried exclusively by the US Air Force's B-52H Stratofortress bombers.
View the Source Wikipedia: Smith & Wesson Model 12
Operates: Smith & Wesson Model 12, Article textQuote, Operates: Smith & Wesson Model 12, Article text
In 1953, the United States Air Force (USAF) ordered a variant of the S&W Military & Police Airweight with a two-inch barrel and aluminum cylinder to be issued to US Air Force flight crew members, called the Revolver, Lightweight, Caliber .38 Special, M13.
View the Source Wikipedia: ADM-20 Quail
Operates: ADM-20 Quail, Article textQuote, Operates: ADM-20 Quail, Article text
The Quail was designed to be launched by the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber and its original United States Air Force designation was GAM-72 (GAM standing for Guided Aircraft Missile).
View the Source Wikipedia: Boeing YAL-1
Operates: Boeing YAL-1, Infobox: primary_userQuote, Operates: Boeing YAL-1, Infobox: primary_user
United States Air Force
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-183 ARRW
Operates: AGM-183 ARRW, Infobox: used_byQuote, Operates: AGM-183 ARRW, Infobox: used_by
United States Air Force (planned)
View the Source Wikipedia: GBU-53/B StormBreaker
Operates: GBU-53/B StormBreaker, Infobox: used_byQuote, Operates: GBU-53/B StormBreaker, Infobox: used_by
United States Air Force United States Navy
View the Source Wikipedia: Republic-Ford JB-2
Operates: Republic-Ford JB-2, Infobox: used_byQuote, Operates: Republic-Ford JB-2, Infobox: used_by
United States Army Air Forces United States Air Force United States Navy
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-176 Griffin
Operates: AGM-176 Griffin, Infobox: used_byQuote, Operates: AGM-176 Griffin, Infobox: used_by
United States Air Force United States Navy United States Marine Corps Central Intelligence Agency
View the Source Wikipedia: AIM-47 Falcon
Operates: AIM-47 Falcon, Infobox: used_byQuote, Operates: AIM-47 Falcon, Infobox: used_by
United States Air Force (testing)
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-88J SiAW
Operates: AGM-88J SiAW, Infobox: used_byQuote, Operates: AGM-88J SiAW, Infobox: used_by
To be used by the United States Air Force
View the Source Wikipedia: P-51 Mustang
WikipediaOperates: P-51 Mustang, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: P-51 Mustang, Wikipedia article text
A "substantial number" of stored or in-service F-51Ds were shipped, via aircraft carriers, to the combat zone, and were used by the USAF, the South African Air Force, and the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF).
View the Source Wikipedia: F-4 Phantom II
WikipediaOperates: F-4 Phantom II, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: F-4 Phantom II, Wikipedia article text
It entered service with the Navy in 1961, then was adopted by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force, and within a few years became a major part of their air arms.
View the Source Wikipedia: B-2 Spirit
WikipediaOperates: B-2 Spirit, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: B-2 Spirit, Wikipedia article text
The Northrop B-2 Spirit is an American nuclear-capable subsonic stealth strategic bomber, often referred to as a "stealth bomber", solely operated by the United States Air Force.
View the Source Wikipedia: MQ-1 Predator
WikipediaOperates: MQ-1 Predator, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: MQ-1 Predator, Wikipedia article text
The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (often referred to as the Predator drone) is an American remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics that was used primarily by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
View the Source Wikipedia: UH-1 Iroquois
WikipediaOperates: UH-1 Iroquois, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: UH-1 Iroquois, Wikipedia article text
The US also ordered the helicopter with the USAF receiving it in 1970.
View the Source Wikipedia: B-52 Stratofortress
WikipediaOperates: B-52 Stratofortress, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: B-52 Stratofortress, Wikipedia article text
It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1955 and was flown by NASA from 1959 to 2007.
View the Source Wikipedia: AIM-9 Sidewinder Missile
WikipediaOperates: AIM-9 Sidewinder Missile, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: AIM-9 Sidewinder Missile, Wikipedia article text
The AIM-9B is a very limited weapon, but it had no serious competitors and counters when it was introduced, causing it to be adopted by the USAF and NATO as a standard weapon, with around 80,000 units being produced from 1958 to 1962.
View the Source Wikipedia: B-29 Superfortress
WikipediaOperates: B-29 Superfortress, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: B-29 Superfortress, Wikipedia article text
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the USAAF and USAF during World War II and the Korean War.
View the Source Wikipedia: M2 Browning
WikipediaOperates: M2 Browning Machine Gun, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: M2 Browning Machine Gun, Wikipedia article text
The later, faster-firing electrically feed-boosted AN/M3 was used in many Korean War-era USAF fighter aircraft such as the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, Republic F-84 Thunderjet, North American F-86 Sabre, and early versions of the Martin B-57 Canberra bomber.
View the Source Wikipedia: AIM-120 AMRAAM
WikipediaOperates: AIM-120 AMRAAM, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: AIM-120 AMRAAM, Wikipedia article text
Together with the short-range, infrared-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder, they replaced the AIM-4 Falcon IR and radar guided series for use in air combat by the USAF as well.
View the Source Wikipedia: Douglas SBD Dauntless
WikipediaOperates: SBD Dauntless, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: SBD Dauntless, Wikipedia article text
A handful of A-24s survived in the inventory of the USAAF long enough to be taken over by the Air Force (USAF) when that service became independent of the Army in September 1947.
View the Source AGM-88 HARM (Wikipedia)
Operates: AGM-88 HARM, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: AGM-88 HARM, Wikipedia article text
Air Force (USAF) put the HARM onto the F-4G Wild Weasel aircraft, and later on specialized F-16s equipped with the HARM Targeting System (HTS).
View the Source Wikipedia: SR-71 Blackbird
WikipediaOperates: SR-71 Blackbird, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: SR-71 Blackbird, Wikipedia article text
When the A-12's performance potential was clearly found to be much greater, the USAF ordered a variant of the A-12 in December 1962, which was originally named R-12 by Lockheed.
View the Source Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Wikipedia
Operates: C-130 Hercules, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: C-130 Hercules, Wikipedia article text
In 2007, the transport became the fifth aircraft to mark 50 years of continuous service with its original primary customer, which for the C-130 is the United States Air Force (USAF).
View the Source Wikipedia: F-15 Eagle
WikipediaOperates: F-15 Eagle, Article textQuote, Operates: F-15 Eagle, Article text
United States United States Air Force formerly operated the F-15C, with all active duty units retiring the variant as of April 2025 though up to eight F-15D are in service as of September 2024.
View the Source Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey (Wikipedia)
Operates: V-22 Osprey, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: V-22 Osprey, Wikipedia article text
Air Force (USAF) fielded its version of the tiltrotor, the CV-22B, in 2009.
View the Source Wikipedia: CAR-15
Operates: CAR-15, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: CAR-15, Wikipedia article text
The Model 603 CAR-15 Rifle, adopted initially by the United States Army as the XM16E1 and then later as the M16A1, and the Model 604 CAR-15 Rifle, adopted by the United States Air Force as the M16, formed the core of the CAR-15 family.
View the Source Wikipedia: Gyrojet
Operates: Gyrojet, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: Gyrojet, Wikipedia article text
The emergency-survival flare version (A/P25S-5A) was used for many years as a standard USAF issue item in survival kits, vests, and for forward operations signaling, with flares available in white, green, blue, and red.
View the Source Wikipedia: M134 Minigun
Operates: M134 Minigun, Infobox: imageQuote, Operates: M134 Minigun, Infobox: image
HH-60G M134.jpg
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-65 Maverick
Operates: AGM-65 Maverick, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: AGM-65 Maverick, Wikipedia article text
It entered service with the United States Air Force in August 1972.
View the Source Wikipedia: Smith & Wesson Model 15
Operates: Smith & Wesson Model 15, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: Smith & Wesson Model 15, Wikipedia article text
The Model 15 was the standard issue sidearm of the United States Air Force Security Forces from 1962 to 1992.
View the Source Wikipedia: AIM-4 Falcon
Operates: AIM-4 Falcon, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: AIM-4 Falcon, Wikipedia article text
The missile entered service with the USAF in 1956.
View the Source Wikipedia: Cadillac Gage Ranger
Operates: Cadillac Gage Ranger, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: Cadillac Gage Ranger, Wikipedia article text
In 1981, 560 additional Rangers were ordered by the USAF and the United States Navy.
View the Source Wikipedia: HGM-25A Titan I
Operates: HGM-25A Titan I, Wikipedia article textQuote, Operates: HGM-25A Titan I, Wikipedia article text
In its brief career, a total of six USAF squadrons were equipped with the Titan I missile.
View the Source Wikipedia: A-10 Thunderbolt II
WikipediaOperates: A-10 Thunderbolt II, LeadQuote, Operates: A-10 Thunderbolt II, Lead
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, also widely known by the nickname Warthog, is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF).
View the Source Wikipedia: LGM-35 Sentinel
Operates: LGM-35 Sentinel, LeadQuote, Operates: LGM-35 Sentinel, Lead
The LGM-35 Sentinel, initially known as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), is a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system under development for the United States Air Force.
View the Source Wikipedia: BGM-109G Gryphon
Operates: BGM-109G Gryphon, LeadQuote, Operates: BGM-109G Gryphon, Lead
The BGM-109G Gryphon ground-launched cruise missile, or GLCM, was a ground-launched variant of the Tomahawk cruise missile developed by the United States Air Force in the last decade of the Cold War and disarmed under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-188 Rusty Dagger
Operates: AGM-188 Rusty Dagger, LeadQuote, Operates: AGM-188 Rusty Dagger, Lead
The AGM-188A Rusty Dagger is a low-cost air-launched cruise missile being developed by Zone 5 Technologies for the United States Air Force (USAF) Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) program which started in August 2024.
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-28 Hound Dog
Operates: AGM-28 Hound Dog, LeadQuote, Operates: AGM-28 Hound Dog, Lead
The North American Aviation AGM-28 Hound Dog was a supersonic, turbojet-propelled, nuclear armed, air-launched cruise missile developed in 1959 for the United States Air Force.
View the Source Wikipedia: Ithaca 37
Operates: Ithaca 37, OperatorsQuote, Operates: Ithaca 37, Operators
United States Air Force
View the Source Wikipedia: Cadillac Gage Commando
Operates: Cadillac Gage Commando, OperatorsQuote, Operates: Cadillac Gage Commando, Operators
United States Air Force
View the Source Wikipedia: Popeye (missile)
Operates: Popeye (missile), OperatorsQuote, Operates: Popeye (missile), Operators
United States: United States Air Force (retired in 2004)
View the Source Wikipedia: ASM-135 ASAT
Operates: ASM-135 ASAT, OperatorsQuote, Operates: ASM-135 ASAT, Operators
United States Air Force
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-12 Bullpup
Operates: AGM-12 Bullpup, OperatorsQuote, Operates: AGM-12 Bullpup, Operators
United States Air Force
View the Source Wikipedia: MGM-1 Matador
Operates: MGM-1 Matador, OperatorsQuote, Operates: MGM-1 Matador, Operators
United States: The United States Air Force
View the Source Wikipedia: AGM-130
Operates: AGM-130, OperatorsQuote, Operates: AGM-130, Operators
United States: The United States Air Force was the only operator of the AGM-130
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