USAF

USAF

The force is currently executing a "Divest to Invest" strategy to retire legacy platforms like the A-10C, KC-10A, and U-2S to fund sixth-generation capabilities such as NGAD (F-47) and the B-21 Raider.

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE (USAF) • Department of the Air Force
Air Force ε319,500 personnel. Strategy: Transitioning from counter-insurgency to high-end conflict preparation in contested environments.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

• AIRCRAFT ε1,511 combat capable.

Fighter & Fighter Ground Attack with 1,510 active ac:

• 691 Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon;
• 320 Boeing F-15C/E/EX Eagle / Eagle II (115 additional on order);
• 305 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (1,275 additional on order);
• 177 Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor;
• 17 Lockheed Martin F-117A Nighthawk (utilized for training and test support);
• (On Order: 185 Boeing F-47 [Next Generation Air Dominance]).

Bomber with 132 active ac:

• 72 Boeing B-52H Stratofortress (transitioning to re-engined B-52J standard);
• 40 Rockwell B-1B Lancer;
• 20 Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit;
• (On Order: 100 Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider; production accelerated for late 2020s fielding).

Attack & Special Operations (Armed) with 205 active ac:

• 174 Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II (divestment ongoing through 2028);
• 28 Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider;
• 3 Lockheed Martin AC-130W Stinger II.

Special Mission (AEW / ISR / EW / Comms) with 225 active ac:

• 30 Beechcraft MC-12W Liberty;
• 22 Boeing RC-135V/W/S/U (ELINT/Cobra Ball/Combat Sent);
• 24 Lockheed U-2S Dragon Lady (planned retirement end of 2026);
• 23 Pilatus U-28 (PC-12);
• 19 Boeing E-3B/C/G Sentry (AEW&C);
• 10 de Havilland Canada Dash 8-100/200;
• 14 Air Tractor/L3Harris OA-1K Skyraider II (48 additional on order for Armed Overwatch);
• 6 Bombardier E-11A (Global Express) (3 additional on order);
• 5 CASA CN235 (Recce);
• 4 Boeing E-4B Nightwatch;
• 4 Boeing C-32B (Recce);
• 3 Gulfstream EA-37B Compass Call (7 additional on order);
• (On Order: 26 Boeing E-7A Wedgetail (AEW&C)).

Search & Rescue (Fixed-wing) with 40 active ac:

• 40 Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King II (6 additional on order).

Tanker with 520 active ac:

• 375 Boeing KC-135R/T Stratotanker;
• 88 Boeing KC-46A Pegasus (86 additional on order);
• 57 Lockheed Martin MC-130J Commando II (3 additional on order);
• (Note: The KC-10A Extender fleet was fully retired by late 2024).

Transport with 554 active ac:

• 222 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III;
• 154 Lockheed Martin C-130J/J-30 Hercules (22 additional on order);
• 147 Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules;
• 52 Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy;
• 20 Dornier C-146 (Do-328);
• 19 Raytheon C-21A (Learjet 35);
• 19 Beechcraft C-12J (Beech 1900);
• 21 Strategic VIP units (including C-37A/B, C-32A, C-40B/C, and VC-25A).

Training with 1,023 active ac:

• 486 Northrop Grumman T-38A/C Talon;
• 441 Raytheon T-6 Texan II;
• 54 Raytheon T-1A Jayhawk (divestment ongoing);
• 25 Cirrus T-53A (SR20);
• 134 Lockheed Martin F-35A (OCU role);
• 131 Lockheed Martin F-16D (OCU role);
• 3 Boeing T-7A Red Hawk (346 additional on order to replace T-38).

• HELICOPTER 205 active hel.

Multi-role & Utility with 79 active hel:

• 60 Bell UH-1N Iroquois;
• 18 AgustaWestland MH-139 Grey Wolf (62 additional on order);
• 1 Mil Mi-171.

Search & Rescue (Rotary-wing) with 126 active hel:

• 76 Sikorsky HH-60G/U/W Jolly Green II / Pave Hawk (72 additional on order);
• 50 Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey.

• UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS)

Combat & ISR (Heavy):

• 170 General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper;
• (On Order: Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) "loyal wingman" drones).

ISR (Strategic/Stealth):

• 10 Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk;
• ε10 Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel;
• ε7 Northrop Grumman RQ-180.

• WEAPONS

• Strategic: 400 LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBMs.
• Air-to-Air: AIM-9M/X Sidewinder; AIM-120C/D AMRAAM; (On order: AIM-260 JATM).
• Air-to-Surface: AGM-158A/B JASSM/JASSM-ER; AGM-114 Hellfire II; AGR-20A APKWS; AGM-176 Griffin.
• Anti-Ship: AGM-158C LRASM.
• Anti-Radiation: AGM-88B/C HARM.
• Nuclear: AGM-86B ALCM; B61-12 Guided Bomb; (On order: AGM-181 LRSO).
• Precision Bombs: GBU-31/32/38 JDAM; GBU-39/53 SDB I/II; GBU-10/12/16 Paveway II; GBU-57 MOP (Bunker Buster).

Note: By 2026, the USAF is prioritizing high-end survivability and "Great Power Competition". This is evidenced by the rapid prototyping of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) to supplement F-35 and future F-47 fleets, and the accelerated production of the B-21 stealth bomber. Strategic capabilities are also being modernized through the full integration of the KC-46A tanker and the MH-139 helicopter to protect ICBM fields.