Defense Primer: United States Airpower
Updated November 14, 2022
Defense Primer: United States Airpower
Almost since the invention of heavier-than-air flight,
reconnaissance assets give joint commanders real-time
control of the air has been seen as a military advantage.
strategic and tactical intelligence. USAF tankers make
Over time, the United States has come to treat air
worldwide deployments by joint and allied forces possible.
superiority as a necessity, and built such capable air forces
And Air Force assets work directly with ground units to
that no enemy aircraft has killed U.S. ground troops since
provide weapons on target when and where needed, and to
1953.
secure them against attack from the air.
Modern airpower is able to provide a full range of effects,
Taken together, the Air Force sums up its core missions as
from strategic operations at intercontinental ranges to direct
providing “Global Vigilance, Global Reach, and Global
support of troops in combat. Today, every branch of the
Power.”
U.S. military employs air forces for various purposes,
employing nearly 14,000 aircraft.
Army Aviation
Helicopters capable of accompanying troops to provide
Figure 1. U.S. Air Forces, 2019-2028
tactical airlift, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
(ISR), and supporting fires form the backbone of Army
aviation, about 3,600 of its more than 4,600 aircraft. The
service also operates light transport, special operations, and
intratheater airlift aircraft. The USAF provides heavy
transport and longer-range missions.
Naval Aviation
The U.S. Navy operates more than 2,500 aircraft (including
about 900 fighters) in 10 air wings. Their unique asset is the
Source: Department of Defense, Annual Aviation Inventory and Funding
ability to take their operating bases with them, as the
Plan, Fiscal Years (FY) 2019-2048, March 2018. DOD has not been
Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers (each with about 40 fighters plus
required to submit subsequent plans.
other air assets) provide U.S. presence and operational
capability far from home. Naval air assets are optimized for
strike; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and
The United States Air Force
fleet defense.
The bulk of U.S. airpower resides in the U.S. Air Force
(USAF). With 511,500 active and reserve personnel and
Marine Corps Aviation
more than 5,000 aircraft, the USAF provides the capability
The nearly 1,200 Marine Corps aircraft (including just over
to reach, observe, strike and/or carry people and materiel to
400 fighters) operate from Navy ships, Marine amphibious
any point on the globe. Four of the Air Force’s five core
ships, and land bases, including expeditionary land bases
missions directly involve applying airpower.
with short runways. Some Marine Corps tactical aircraft are
capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing, a useful
Table 1. Air Force Core Missions
capability because Marine aircraft are deployed and
operated as part of Marine air/ground task forces, in which
Air and Space Superiority
aviation is integrated into and moves with the unit, often at
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
a remove from prepared airfields.
Rapid Global Mobility
Fighting as One
Global Strike
While the military services offer different capabilities and
Command and Control
provide the equipment, personnel, and training, under
current joint operations doctrine, they fight as one force. A
Source: U.S. Air Force, Global Vigilance, Global Reach, Global Power for
joint air component commander oversees all airpower in a
America at http://www.af.mil/Airpower4America.aspx.
given campaign, assigning targets and allocating forces as
needs warrant, without regard for the service that owns a
The Air Force fleet covers the full range of aerial
particular capability.
capabilities, from fighters to intelligence aircraft, bombers,
transports, and helicopters. Moreover, USAF airpower
Major Procurement Programs
enables other military services to apply their forces directly.
The largest current DOD programs include the following:
USAF cargo planes get Army and Marine troops and
equipment to the battlefield, and aeromedical transport
The F-35 Lightning II strike fighter, a multi-service,
rapidly evacuates and treats injured troops. Air Force aerial
multi-national program slated to acquire 2,456 jets for
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Defense Primer: United States Airpower
the USAF, Navy, and Marine Corps. This is the largest
acquisition program in Department of Defense history.
CRS Products
The KC-46 tanker, 179 of which are scheduled to
CRS Report RL30563, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program, by
replace 50-year-old Air Force KC-135s, with possibly
John R. Hoehn
more to follow.
CRS Report RL34398, Air Force KC-46A Pegasus Tanker Aircraft
Program, coordinated by John R. Hoehn
The B-21 Raider bomber, at least 100 of which are
expected to enter USAF service in the mid- to late-
CRS In Focus IF11367, Army Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Program,
2020s, replacing 1980s-era B-1s and B-2s.
coordinated by John R. Hoehn
CRS In Focus IF11659, Air Force Next-Generation Air Dominance
The Navy continues to procure the F/A-18E/F Super
Program, by John R. Hoehn
Hornet multirole fighter and its electronic warfare
CRS In Focus IF10486, Defense Primer: Naval Forces, by Ronald
variant, the EA-18G Growler.
O'Rourke
CRS In Focus IF10547, Defense Primer: The United States Air
The main Army aviation procurement, as has been the
Force, coordinated by John R. Hoehn
case for many years, is for more UH-60 Black Hawk
helicopters to move cargo and troops.
Several major development programs are underway to offer
Other Resources
future airpower capabilities:
Department of Defense. Annual Aviation Inventory and Funding Plan,
Next-Generation Air Dominance, an Air Force
Fiscal Years (FY) 2019-2048, March 2018.
program to develop the major technologies likely to
USAF. Global Vigilance, Global Reach, Global Power, September,
appear on next-generation combat aircraft.
2013.
U.S. Navy. Naval Aviation’s Role: Supporting the Six Core
F/A-XX, the Navy’s research effort for next-generation
Capabilities, January 2010.
aircraft.
DOD. Joint Publication 3-30, Command and Control of Joint
Air Operations, February 10, 2014
The Army’s Future Vertical Lift program, which seeks
to demonstrate and develop new technologies to enable
a family of advanced rotorcraft.
Jeremiah Gertler, former Specialist in Military Aviation,
Relevant Statutes
originally authored this report.
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 803 – Department of the Air
Force
John R. Hoehn, Coordinator, Analyst in Military
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 303 – Department of the Army
Capabilities and Programs
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 503 – Department of the Navy
IF10546
Title 50, U.S. Code, Chapter 44 – National Security
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Defense Primer: United States Airpower
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