The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern; 1 AF-AFNORTH) is a

numbered air force A Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squ ...

of the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...

(ACC). It is headquartered at

Tyndall Air Force Base Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing (325 ...

, Florida. Its primary mission is the air defense of the

Contiguous United States The contiguous United States (officially the conterminous United States) consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the Federal District of the United States of America. The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii ...

(CONUS),

United States Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...

and

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

. Since May 2022, it also provides the Air Force contribution to

United States Space Command United States Space Command (USSPACECOM or SPACECOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Department of Defense, responsible for military operations in outer space, specifically all operations 100 kilometers (62 miles) and grea ...

, as Air Forces Space (AFSPACE), including support functions for NASA human space flight. It was one of the four original pre-

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

numbered air forces formed during the existence of the

United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...

. It was activated as the Northeast Air District on 18 December 1940, at

Mitchel Field Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territory ...

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

, New York with a mission of air defense of the Northeastern United States and

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

regions. Its primary mission was the organization and training of new combat units prior to their deployment overseas. It was active in 1941–42; 1942–58; 1966–69; and with minor name and function changes from 1985 to the present. First Air Force is commanded by Lieutenant General Kirk S. Pierce. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sgt. Mikael A. Sundin. It has the responsibility for ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the

(CONUS),

and

. As the CONUS NORAD Region (CONR) for

North American Aerospace Defense Command North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...

, CONR provides air defense in the form of airspace surveillance and airspace control. 1AF (AFNORTH) is also the designated air component for the

United States Northern Command United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is tasked with providing military support for non-military authorities in the U.S., and protect ...

(USNORTHCOM). USNORTHCOM's area of responsibility includes the continental United States, Canada, and

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, and its air, land and maritime approaches. With the transfer of responsibility for continental air defense from the active duty component of the Air Force to the

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...

, 1 AF became the first numbered air force to be made up primarily of citizen airmen. Furthermore, 1AF now has

operational control Control is a function of management which helps to check errors in order to take corrective actions. This is done to minimize deviation from standards and ensure that the stated goals of the organization are achieved in a desired manner. Accordi ...

(OPCON) of the

Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...

History

One of the four original numbered air forces, First Air Force was activated as the Northeast Air District of the

GHQ Air Force The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

on 18 December 1940, at

, New York. It was redesignated First Air Force on 9 April 1941 with a mission for the defense of the Northeast and Great Lakes regions of the United States.

World War II

During the initial months after the

Pearl Harbor Attack The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

, First Air Force organized what would eventually become the core of the

Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command The Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command was formed in the fall of 1942 to establish a single command to control antisubmarine warfare (ASW) activities of the Army Air Forces (AAF). It was formed from the resources of I Bomber Command, which ...

(AAFSC), obtaining most of its forces from

I Bomber Command The I Bomber Command (later XX Bomber Command) was an intermediate command of the Army Air Forces during World War II. It trained bombardment units and aircrews for deployment to combat theaters. From shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor ...

to combat the German

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...

threat along the Atlantic Coast. AAFSC would eventually expand that mission to the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

and

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

until the antisubmarine mission was taken over completely by the Navy in mid-1943. Beginning in May 1942, the mission of First Air Force became operational training of units and crews, and the replacement training of individuals for bombardment, fighter, and reconnaissance operations. It received graduates of

Army Air Forces Training Command The United States Army Air Forces during World War II had major subordinate Commands below the Air Staff level. These Commands were organized along functional missions. One such Command was the Flying Training Command (FTC). It began as Air Corp ...

flight schools; navigator training; flexible gunnery schools and various technical schools, organized them into newly activated combat groups and squadrons, and provided operational unit training (OTU) and replacement training (RTU) to prepare groups and replacements for deployment overseas to combat theaters. The First Air Force became predominantly a fighter OTU and RTU organization. Most

P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...

fighter groups were trained by

I Fighter Command I Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces intermediate command responsible for command and control of the fighter operations within the First Air Force during World War II. It was initially established in June 1941 as the 1st Inte ...

, along with P-39/P-63 Airacobra groups;

C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (Royal Air Force, RAF, Royal Australian Air Force, RAAF, Royal Canadian Air Force, RCAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force, RNZAF, and South African Air Force, SAAF designation) is a airlift, military transport ai ...

and later

C-46 Commando The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...

groups by

I Troop Carrier Command The I Troop Carrier Command is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Forces, at Stout Field, Indiana, where it was disbanded in November 1945, and its resources transferred to IX Troop Carrier Com ...

. By 1944, most of the Operational Training of groups ended, with the command concentrating on the training of individual replacements using Army Air Force Base Units (AAFBU) as training organizations at the airfields controlled by First Air Force. Air Defense Wings were also organized for the major metropolitan areas along the northeast coast, using training units attached to the Wings. By 1944 the likelihood of an air attack along the eastern seaboard was remote, and these air defense wings were reduced to paper units. By 1944, the vast majority of the USAAF was engaged in combat operations in various parts of the world, such as the

Eighth Air Force The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...

in Europe and the

Twentieth Air Force The Twentieth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) (20th AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. 20 AF's primary mission is Interco ...

in the Pacific. The training units located within the United States (known as the

Zone of the Interior The American Theater was a theater of operations during World War II including all continental American territory, and extending into the ocean. Owing to North and South America's geographical separation from the central theaters of ...

, or "ZI".) under First, Second, Third and Fourth Air Force were all were placed under the unified command of the

Continental Air Forces Continental Air Forces (CAF) was a United States Army Air Forces major command, active 1944–1946. It was tasked with combat training of bomber and fighter personnel, and for Continental United States (CONUS) air defense after the Aircraft Warn ...

(CAF) on 13 December 1944, with the Numbered Air Forces becoming subordinate commands of CAF.

Air Defense Command

In March 1946, USAAF Chief General

Carl Spaatz Carl Andrew Spaatz (born Spatz; June 28, 1891 – July 14, 1974), nicknamed "Tooey", was an American World War II general. As commander of Strategic Air Forces in Europe in 1944, he successfully pressed for the bombing of the enemy's oil product ...

had undertaken a major re-organization of the postwar USAAF that had included the establishment of Major Commands (MAJCOM), who would report directly to HQ United States Army Air Forces. Continental Air Forces was inactivated, and First Air Force was assigned to the postwar

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...

in March 1946 and subsequently to

Continental Air Command Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary au ...

(ConAC) in December 1948 being primarily concerned with air defense. First Air Force Headquarters was located at

Fort Slocum Fort Slocum, New York was a US military post which occupied Davids Island in the western end of Long Island Sound in the city of New Rochelle, New York from 1867 to 1965. The fort was named for Major General Henry W. Slocum, a Union corps comm ...

, New York, from 1946 to 1949. The command was originally assigned the region of the New England states, along with New York and New Jersey. With the inactivation of the ADC Eleventh Air Force on 1 July 1948 due to budget restrictions, command's region of responsibility was increased to include the upper Midwest states of Michigan and Ohio, along with the Mid-Atlantic region south to the North Carolina/Virginia Border. In 1949

and

Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...

units were placed under First Air Force command, with its active-duty units being reassigned to Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF) or to the 30th, 32d or 26th Air Divisions. The command was inactivated on 23 June 1958 for budgetary reasons, its assigned units being placed under ConAC. First Air Force was reactivated at

Stewart Air Force Base Stewart may refer to: People *Stewart (name), Scottish surname and given name *Clan Stewart, a Scottish clan *Clan Stewart of Appin, a Scottish clan Places Canada *Stewart, British Columbia *Stewart Township, Nipissing District, Ontario (histor ...

, Newburgh, N.Y., on 20 January 1966 due to the inactivation of the ADC Air Defense Sectors. First Air Force assumed responsibility for the ADC 21st, 33d, 34th, 35th, and 36th Air Divisions, primarily located in the northeast and upper Midwest regions of the United States. It also was responsible for the air defense of

Greenland Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...

, Iceland and parts of Canada. By July 1968, First Air Force had again assumed total responsibility for the air defense of the eastern seaboard, just as it had during World War II. On 16 January 1968 Air Defense Command was re-designated

Aerospace Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly inac ...

(ADCOM) as part of a restructuring of USAF air defense forces. First Air Force's second period of service was short lived, however, and the command was again inactivated as the result of a major ADCOM reorganization on 31 December 1969 of the First, Fourth, Tenth Air Forces and several Air Divisions. This reorganization was the result of the need to eliminate intermediate levels of command in ADCOM driven by budget reductions and a perceived lessening of the need for continental air defense against attacking Soviet aircraft. ADCOM reassigned the units under the inactivated First Air Force were reassigned primarily to the 20th, 21st or 23d Air Divisions.

Tactical Air Command

As part of realignment of military assets. ADCOM was reorganized on 1 October 1979. The atmospheric defense resources (interceptors and warning radars) of ADCOM were reassigned to

Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...

(TAC). With this move many

units that had an air defense mission also came under the control of TAC, which established a component called

Air Defense, Tactical Air Command Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC) was a Named Unit of the United States Air Force, and operated at the Numbered Air Force echelon of Tactical Air Command. It was responsible for the air defense of the United States, and was last statione ...

(ADTAC), at the level of a numbered air force. On 6 December 1985 HQ USAF reactivated First Air Force at

Langley Air Force Base Langley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Newport News, Virginia, Newport News. It was one of List of airfields of the Training Section of the United States Army Air Service, thirty-two ...

, Virginia, and assigned it to

(TAC), replacing ADTAC. First Air Force was given the mission to provide, train and equip combat ready air defence forces for the air defense of the North American continent. Upon its reactivation, First Air Force was composed of units of the active Air Force and the Air National Guard. Because of its unique mission and its binational responsibilities, First Air Force works closely with the Canadian Forces. Canadian personnel are stationed at First Air Force Headquarters at

Florida, and at the various regional air defense sectors located throughout the United States. Activation of the

Continental NORAD Region The Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR) is a component of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) that provides airspace surveillance and control and directs air sovereignty activities for the continental United States (CONUS). CO ...

on 1 October 1986, resulted in a new structure for

(NORAD). The continental U.S. region, along with Alaskan and Canadian regions provided the command and operational system for North American air defense. * On 1 July 1987, four of the previous

Air Defense sectors were reactivated, re-designated, assigned and co-located with the four remaining air divisions. : The Montgomery Air Defense Sector (MOADS, Inactivated 1966) was reactivated as the

Southeast Air Defense Sector The Southeast Air Defense Sector (SEADS), was a unit of the US Air Force located at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Florida. It provided air defense and surveillance of the southeastern region of the US. SEADS closed in winter 2005, ...

(SEADS); assigned to 23d Air Division :: 23d Air Division inactivated 4 July 1987; assets transferred to SEADS. : The Los Angeles Air Defense Sector (LAADS, Inactivated 1966) was reactivated as the

Southwest Air Defense Sector The Southwest Air Defense Sector (SWADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, being stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 31 December 1994. L ...

(SWADS); assigned to

26th Air Division The 26th Air Division (26th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Tactical Air Command, assigned to First Air Force, being stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inacti ...

:: 26th Air Division inactivated 30 September 1990; assets transferred to SWADS. : The Seattle Air Defense Sector (SEADS, Inactivated 1966) was reactivated as the

Northwest Air Defense Sector The Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) is a unit of the Washington Air National Guard located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington. As a state militia unit, the Western Air Defense Sector is not in the normal United States Air Force ch ...

(NWADS); assigned to

25th Air Division The 25th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force intermediate echelon command and control organization. It was last assigned to First Air Force, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). It was inactivated on 30 September 1990 at McChord Air ...

:: 25th Air Division inactivated 30 September 1990; assets transferred to NWADS. : The New York Air Defense Sector (NYADS, Inactivated 1966) was reactivated as the

Northeast Air Defense Sector The Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) is a United States Air Force unit of Air Combat Command (ACC), permanently assigned to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). A joint, bi-national military organization, EADS is composed of US ...

(NEADS); assigned to 24th Air Division. :: 24th Air Division inactivated 30 September 1990; assets transferred to NEADS. The Air Defense Sectors were transferred by the Air Force to the

National Guard Bureau The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was cre ...

and allotted to the

on 1 October 1990. They were operationally gained by First Air Force, Tactical Air Command. * SEADS became part of the

Florida ANG The Florida Air National Guard (FL ANG) is the aerial militia of the Florida, State of Florida. It is, along with the Florida Army National Guard (FL ARNG), an element of the Florida National Guard. It is also an element of the Air National Gua ...

Tyndall AFB Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing (325 ...

* SWADS became part of the

California ANG The California Air National Guard (CA ANG) is one of three components of the California National Guard, a reserve of the United States Air Force, and part of the National Guard of the United States. As militia units, the units in the California ...

March AFB March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's Fo ...

* NWADS became part of the Washington ANG at

McChord AFB McChord Field is a United States Air Force base in the northwest United States, in Pierce County, Washington. South of Tacoma, McChord Field is the home of the 62d Airlift Wing, Air Mobility Command, the field's primary mission being worldwi ...

* NEADS became part of the New York ANG at

Griffiss AFB Griffiss Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force installation in the northeastern United States, located in Central New York state at Rome, about northwest of Utica. Missions included fighter interceptors, electronic research, i ...

First Air Force was transferred to Air Combat Command along with the rest of TAC on 1 June 1992.

Air Combat Command

In the years since its third activation, more of the responsibility for the defense of American air sovereignty has primarily shifted to the

. Also, reorganization of the command structure of the U.S. Air Force saw the assignment of air defense to Tactical Air Command and later, its successor,

. In the 1970s and 1980s, the role of the Air National Guard in the defense of North America increased. As this role changed, discussions between the active Air Force and the Air National Guard commenced concerning roles and responsibilities. As the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

began to wind down and budgetary constraints became realities, more and more of the missions previously carried out by active duty forces began to be transferred into the reserve components. By the 1990s, 90 percent of the air defense mission was being handled by the Air National Guard. In October 1997, First Air Force became primarily composed of

units charged with the air defense of the North American continent. Today, First Air Force consists primarily of members of the Air National Guard. Its headquarters is located at

, Florida and it comprises 9 fighter wings, 1 composite wing with a fighter mission, and two air defense sectors for the Eastern and Western regions of the continental United States (CONUS).

Units circa 2022

Eastern Air Defense Sector The Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) is a United States Air Force unit of Air Combat Command (ACC), permanently assigned to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). A joint, bi-national military organization, EADS is composed of U ...

(EADS), former

Rome, New York Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States, located in the Central New York, central part of the state. The population was 32,127 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Rome is one of two principal cities in the Utica–Ro ...

Western Air Defense Sector The Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) is a unit of the Washington Air National Guard located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington. As a state militia unit, the Western Air Defense Sector is not in the normal United States Air Force c ...

(WADS), JB Lewis–McChord (formerly

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

601st Air and Space Operations Center The 601st Air Operations Center (601 AOC) is an active unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the First Air Force and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The unit plans, directs, and assesses air operations for the North Americ ...

(601 AOC),

, Florida *

Air Force Rescue Coordination Center {{Use dmy dates, date=January 2021 As the United States' inland search and rescue (SAR) coordinator, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) serves as the single agency responsible for coordinating on-land federal SAR activities in the Unit ...

(AFRCC),

, Florida * Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness Agency (AFNSEP),

, Florida * 1 AF Detachment 1,

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

, Manitoba, Canada * Air Force Element, Joint Air Defense Operations Center (AFELM JADOC), JB Anacostia-Bolling (formerly Bolling AFB, District of Columbia First Air Force also has

of the

, the USAF Auxiliary headquartered at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Administrative control of CAP, to include its Regular Air Force & Air Force Reserve CAP-USAF liaison support components, remains with Air University at Maxwell AFB. Additionally, First Air Force provides operational control of alert Air National Guard air defense fighter units and supporting non-flying units: * 104th Fighter Wing (104 FW), Westfield-Barnes RAP / Barnes ANGB, Massachusetts

F-15 Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...

: Detachment 1, 104 FW, JB Langley –Eustis (formerly

Langley AFB Langley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Newport News. It was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the entry of the United States into World War I in April 19 ...

), Virginia *

113th Wing The 113th Wing, known as the "Capital Guardians", is a unit of the District of Columbia Air National Guard, stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. If activated to federal service, the fighter portion of the Wing is gained by the United State ...

(113 WG),

Joint Base Andrews Joint Base Andrews (JBA) is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 316th Wing, Air Force District of Washington (AFDW). The base was e ...

(formerly

Andrews AFB Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint B ...

), Maryland

F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...

* 125th Fighter Wing (125 FW), Jacksonville IAP / Jacksonville ANGB, Florida,

: Detachment 1 (OL-A), 125 FW, Homestead ARB (formerly

Homestead AFB Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of the ...

), Florida *

138th Fighter Wing The 138th Fighter Wing (138 FW) is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard, stationed at the Tulsa Air National Guard Base at Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma. If activated to federal service as a United States Air Force unit, th ...

(138 FW), Tulsa IAP / Tulsa ANGB, Oklahoma

: Detachment 1, 138 FW, Ellington Field JRB, Texas * 142d Fighter Wing (142 FW), Portland IAP / Portland ANGB, Oregon,

144th Fighter Wing The 144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) is a unit of the California Air National Guard, stationed at Fresno Air National Guard Base, California. As part of the Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force, the wing is operationally gained by th ...

(144 FW), Fresno Yosemite IAP / Fresno ANGB California,

: Detachment 1, 144 FW,

March ARB March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's Fo ...

(formerly

), California *

148th Fighter Wing The 148th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Minnesota Air National Guard located at Duluth Air National Guard Base, Minnesota. The 148th is equipped with the General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained ...

(148 FW),

Duluth IAP : ''For the United States Air Force use of this facility, see Duluth Air National Guard Base.'' Duluth International Airport is a city-owned public-use joint civil-military airport located five nautical miles (9 km) northwest of the centra ...

/ Duluth ANGB, Minnesota,

* 158th Fighter Wing (158 FW), Burlington IAP / Burlington ANGB, Vermont,

F-35 Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide ele ...

* 159th Fighter Wing (159 FW), NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana,

177th Fighter Wing The 177th Fighter Wing (177 FW) is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard, stationed at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, New Jersey. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command ...

(177 FW), Atlantic City IAP / Atlantic City ANGB, New Jersey,

Non-flying units * 101st Air and Space Operations Group (101 AOG),

, Florida * 101st Information Operations Flight (101 IOF), Salt Lake City IAP / Roland R. Wright ANGB, Utah *

254th Combat Communications Group The 254th Combat Communications Group (254 CCG) is a non-flying unit of the Texas Air National Guard located at Hensley Field, Dallas, Texas. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by Air Combat Command. Mission Federal Mission T ...

Hensley Field The Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex or Grand Prairie AFRC (formerly Naval Air Station Dallas or Hensley Field) is a former United States Navy Naval Air Station located on Mountain Creek Lake in southwest Dallas. The installation was e ...

(formerly

NAS Dallas The Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex or Grand Prairie AFRC (formerly Naval Air Station Dallas or Hensley Field) is a former United States Navy Naval Air Station located on Mountain Creek Lake in southwest Dallas. The installation was e ...

Garland, Texas Garland is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located northeast of Dallas and is a part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is located within Dallas County except for small portions located in Collin and Rockwall Counties. At the ...

New space-related responsibilities, 2021

On July 15, 2021, First Air Force, now AFSPACE, assumed the operational command and control of the Human Space Flight Support (HSFS) mission, previously carried out by the

Combined Force Space Component Command The Combined Force Space Component Command (CFSCC) is a U.S.-led multinational subordinate command of United States Space Command. It is responsible for tactical control of American and multinational space forces. The CFSCC's mission is to "plan, ...

Vandenberg Space Force Base Vandenberg Space Force Base , previously Vandenberg Air Force Base, is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from th ...

, California. This mission is executed by its assigned Detachment 3, First Air Force, based at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. Detachment 3, formerly commanded by

Space Launch Delta 45 The Space Launch Delta 45 (SLD 45) is a unit of the United States Space Force. The Space Launch Delta 45 is assigned to Space Systems Command and headquartered at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. The wing also controls Cape Canaveral Space Fo ...

, came under First Air Force control during a redesignation and change of command ceremony held at

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) is an installation of the United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45, located on Cape Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida. Headquartered at the nearby Patrick Space Force Base, the station ...

, Florida, that day. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, commander, First Air Force, Continental U.S. NORAD Region, AFNORTH, and now AFSPACE, said First Air Force responsibilities now included '..to plan, train and execute worldwide rescue and recovery of NASA astronauts during contingency operations.'

Lineage

* Established as Northeast Air District on 19 October 1940 : Activated on 18 December 1940. : Re-designated: 1 Air Force on 26 March 1941 : Re-designated: First Air Force on 18 September 1942 : Discontinued on 23 June 1958 * Activated on 20 January 1966 : Organized on 1 April 1966 : Inactivated on 31 December 1969 * Activated on 6 December 1985, assuming assets of

(Inactivated) : Re-designated First Air Force (ANG) on 1 October 1995 : Re-designated First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) on 1 November 2007.

Assignments

General Headquarters Air Force The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

(later, Air Force Combat Command), 18 Dec 1940 * Eastern Theater of Operations (later, Eastern Defense Command), 24 Dec 1941 *

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

, 17 Sep 1943 *

, 16 Apr 1945 *

, 21 Mar 1946 *

, 1 Dec 1948 – 23 Jun 1958 * Air (later, Aerospace) Defense Command, 20 Jan 1966 – 31 Dec 1969 *

, later

, 6 Dec 1985 onwards, at least until 24 March 2022. * Air Forces Space (AFSPACE, USAF contribution to

), 3 May 2022 – present

Major components

* 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 3 February 1946. * 1st Sea-Search Attack Group (Medium): November 1943-10 April 1944.

Commands

* 1 Air Force Service (later, 1 Air Force Base; 1 Base): 1 October 1941 – 13 May 1942 * 1 Air Support (later, I Air Support; I Ground Air Support) Command: 1 September 1941 – 17 August 1942 * 1 Bomber (later, I Bomber) Command: 5 September 1941 – 15 October 1942 * 1 Bomber Command: 24 August 1943 – 21 March 1946 * 1 Interceptor (later, I Interceptor; I Fighter) Command: 5 June 1941 – 21 March 1946 * XVI Air Force Service: 27 December 1946 – 1 April 1949 * XVII Air Force Service: 1 July 1948 – 23 February 1949 * XIX Air Force Service: 13 August 1948 – 23 February 1949.

Forces

Air Forces Iceland The 85th Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, assigned as a unit of the 48th Fighter Wing whose home station is at RAF ...

: 6 December 1985 – 31 May 1993

Air Divisions

* 3d Air Division (formerly, 98 Bombardment Wing; 3 Bombardment Wing): 20 Dec 1946 – 27 Jun 1949 * 4th Air Division (formerly, 4 Combat Bombardment; 4 Bombardment Wing): 20 Dec 1946 – 27 Jun 1949 * 90th Air Division (formerly, 90 Reconnaissance Wing): 20 Dec 1946 – 27 Jun 1949 * 91st Air Division (formerly, 91 Reconnaissance Wing): 20 Dec 1946 – 27 Jun 1949 *

12th Air Division The 12th Air Division an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Eighth Air Force, based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 31 July 1990. History The division was established as the ...

: 1 Jul 1948 – 23 Feb 1949 *

69th Air Division The 69th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Ninth Air Force at Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania. It was inactivated on 24 June 1949. History "Ac ...

: 1 Jul 1948 – 23 Feb 1949 * 26th Air Defense (later, 26 Air) Division: 16 Nov 1948 – 1 Apr 1949; 16 Nov 1949 – 1 Sep 1950 (detached 8 Dec 1949 – 1 Sep 1950); 6 Dec 1985 – 30 Sep 1990 *

32d Air Division The 32d Air Division (32d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was last active with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force at Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, where it was inactivated on 31 December 1969. The di ...

: 8 Dec 1949 – 1 Sep 1950 (detached 8 Dec 1949 – 19 Feb 1950); 1 Jul 1968 – 31 Dec 1969 * 21st Air Division: 1 Apr 1966 – 31 Dec 1967 *

33d Air Division The 33rd Air Division (33d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force, being stationed at Fort Lee Air Force Station, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 ...

: 1 Apr 1966 – 19 Nov 1969 *

34th Air Division The 34th Air Division (34th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Custer Air Force Station, Michigan. It was inactivated on 31 December 1969. History Assigned to Air Def ...

: 1 Apr 1966 – 31 Dec 1969 *

35th Air Division The 35th Air Division (35th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force, at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Hancock Field, New York. It was inac ...

: 1 Apr 1966 – 19 Nov 1969 * 36th Air Division: 1 Apr 1966 – 30 Sep 1969 *

37th Air Division The 37th Air Division (37th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Goose Air Force Base, Labrador, Canada It was inactivated on 30 June 1970. History Strategic Air Command Es ...

: 1 Apr 1966 – 1 Dec 1969 *

29th Air Division The 29th Air Division (29th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, being stationed at Duluth International Airport, Minnesota. It was inactivated on 15 November 1969. History ...

: 15 September – 19 November 1969 * 23d Air Division: 19 November – 1 December 1969; 6 Dec 1985 – 1 Jul 1987 * 24th Air Division: 6 Dec 1985 – 30 Sep 1990 *

: 6 Dec 1985 – 30 Sep 1990

Districts

* 1 Air Reserve District: 1 Dec 1951 – 1 Apr 1954

Centers

* 1 Airborne Engineer Aviation Unit Training Center: 1 Apr 1943 – 10 Apr 1944 * Combined Air Defense Training Center: 4 Aug 1943 – 15 Jul 1944 * Eastern Signal Aviation Unit Training Center: 12 Mar 1943 – 12 Feb 1944 * USAF Air Defense Weapons Center: 6 Dec 1985 – 12 Sep 1991 *

: 1 Nov 2007 – present *

: 27 Apr 2007 – present *

: 26 June 2016 – present

Sectors

, 1 October 1990 – 31 December 1994 *

, 1 January 1995–present *

, 1 October 1990 – 31 December 1994 *

, 1 October 1990 – 31 December 1994

Wings and squadrons

* 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, 1 April 1966 – 4 December 1969 *

701st Air Operations Squadron 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...

, 1990 - 1 November 2007

Stations

, New York, 18 December 1940 * Fort Slocum (later, Slocum AFB), New York, 3 June 1946 *

Mitchel AFB Mitchel Air Force Base also known as Mitchel Field, was a United States Air Force base located on the Hempstead Plains of Long Island, New York, United States. Established in 1918 as Hazelhurst Aviation Field #2, the facility was renamed later ...

, New York, 17 October 1949 – 23 June 1958 *

Stewart AFB Stewart may refer to: People *Stewart (name), Scottish surname and given name *Clan Stewart, a Scottish clan *Clan Stewart of Appin, a Scottish clan Places Canada *Stewart, British Columbia *Stewart Township, Nipissing District, Ontario (histor ...

, New York, 1 April 1966 – 31 December 1969 *

, Virginia, 6 December 1985 *

, Florida, 12 September 1991–present

List of commanders

References

Sources

* * Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . * Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . * A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 – 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

External links

First Air Force FactsheetAFNORTH Flight Plan 2012FAS.org: ''Air Force Doctrine Document 2–10'', 21 March 2006
{{USAAF 1st Air Force World War II 01 01 American Theater of World War II Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations in Florida

History

World War II

Air Defense Command

Tactical Air Command

Air Combat Command

Units circa 2022

New space-related responsibilities, 2021

Lineage

Assignments

Major components

Commands

Forces

Air Divisions

Districts

Centers

Sectors

Wings and squadrons

Stations

List of commanders

See also

References

Sources

External links