A squadron in an Air Force, Navy, or Army aviation service is a group of military aircraft and their aircrews, usually of the same kind, with 12 to 24 aircraft, occasionally separated into three or four flights, depending on the aircraft type and air force.

 "Thunderbirds" perform at the Great New England Air and Space Show in Chicopee, MA, July 13, 2018. Since 1953, the Thunderbirds team has served as America’s premier air demonstration squadron, entrusted with the vital mission to recruit, retain and inspire past, present and future Airmen.

Photo: SrA Cory W. Bush | DVIDS

Two or more squadrons constitute a group or wing. The US military also uses the term “squadron” to refer to non-flying ground troops. The squadron is the primary organizational unit. A group comprises two or more USAF squadrons, and two or more groups form a wing.

US Air Force squadrons, flying units of pilots and flight crews, can be designated as fighter squadrons, bomb squadrons, or airlift squadrons. Fighter squadrons typically sustain 18 to 24 aircraft, although bigger aircraft flying squadrons may support fewer aircraft. The US Fighter Squadrons are distributed inside and outside the US. Some of the squadrons are shown in the following table.

Location

Fighter Squadrons

Tyndall AFB

1st, 2nd, 4th, 95th, 301st

Hill AFB

34th

Minot AFB

5th Fighter Interceptor

Holloman AFB

7th, 8th, 9th, 20th, 311th, 314th

Luke AFB

21st, 52d, 61st, 62d, 63d, 65th Aggressor, 69th, 308th, 309th, 310th, 312th

Spangdahlem AB (Germany)

22nd, 23rd

NAS JRB Fort Worth

24th

Osan AB (South Korea)

25th, 36th

Langley AFB

27th, 71st, 94th

Kadena AB (Okinawa)

44th, 67th

Davis–Monthan AFB

45th, 47th

Barksdale AFB

46th Fighter Training

Seymour Johnson AFB

307th, 333d, 334th, 335th, 336th

Moody AFB

74th, 75th, 76th, 81st

Shaw AFB

55th, 77th, 78th, 79th

Kunsan AB (South Korea)

35th, 80th

Eielson AFB

18th Fighter Interceptor, 317th Fighter Interceptor

MacDill AFB

72nd

Nellis AFB

6th, 65th, 66th Fighter Squadron

Homestead AF Reserve Base

482d Fighter Wing

US Air Force (USAF) SENIOR AIRMAN (SRA) Alex Sutherland, holds a Bronze Star to be awarded to CHIEF MASTER Sergeant (CMSGT) Barford, second from right, by Major General (MGEN) James Skiff, second from left, the Deputy Adjutant General (DAGEN) for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard (ANG). Also being awarded a Bronze Star is Lieutenant Colonel (LCOL) Tony Carrelli at the Willow Grove Air Reserve Station (ARS), Willow Grove, Pennsylvania (PA). At right is the Command CHIEF MASTER (CCM) Sergeant CMSGT Louis BoykinUS Air Force leadership structure

The US Air Force hierarchy is organized into at least ten sections.

The United States Department of the

Air Force
, led by the Secretary of the Air Force SECAF and the Headquarters Air Force (HAF), manages the Airmen’s efforts to organize, train, equip, and execute military capability while caring for individuals and their families. The Major Command MAJCOM is the next tiered organization, consisting of eleven specialized units based on functionality and geography.

“You are an unfaltering champion for our military families and the Air Force is lucky to have you.” Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach is the Commander, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

  1. The Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) is a civilian who leads the Department of the Air Force, which has its own staff at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.
  2. Headquarters Air Force (HAF), which is Pentagon-based and led by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF), is responsible for addressing service-wide issues alongside the SECAF and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force CSAF.
  3. Major Command (MAJCOM) is a tiered organization based on functionality and geography. It comprises eleven specialized forces managed by a four- or three-star General.
  4. Numbered Air Forces NAF consists of twenty-five tactical echelons, which provide operational leadership and supervision for assigned units. These forces are geographically assigned and primarily used during wartime. In peacetime, they consist of a limited number of headquarters staff. The NAF commander is typically a three or two-star General.
  5. Wings have a distinct mission with a specific scope and report to the NAF. They comprise one or more groups consisting of several squadrons, usually commanded by a colonel. The senior enlisted personnel of a wing can be known as the Command Chief, who holds the rank of command chief master sergeant.
  6. Groups comprise several squadrons, typically commanded by a colonel. The senior enlisted member of a group is known as the group’s senior enlisted leader (formerly group superintendent). In 2006, the USAF had 17 independent groups and nine flying establishments.
  7. Squadrons are considered the basic unit within the USAF and exist to provide a specific operational or support capability. Depending on the aircraft type, they usually comprise two to six flights with 35 to 700 people.
  8. Flight is a subdivision of a squadron, ranging from a dozen people to over a hundred aircraft. It can be a “Numbered or Named Flight,” an “alpha” flight, or a “Functional Flight.” The flight commander, also known as an “Officer-In-Charge,” is a company-grade officer (CGO) and is assisted by a senior non-commissioned officer (NCO). Flights are broken into sections and elements, which are recognized by their wings.
  9. Sections are internal subdivisions of a flight staffed by a non-commissioned officer (NCO) and a “Section Chief.” Some sections may be further subdivided into multiple elements, known as “work centers,” staffed by a non-commissioned officer in charge.
  10. A Direct Reporting Unit (DRU) is a unique agency within the US Department of the Air Force, reporting directly to the Chief of Staff or designated representative. DRUs have a specialized mission independent of major commands, operational commands, divisions, wings, groups, squadrons, or field operating agencies. They perform field activities beyond major commands’ scope.
and Canadian Army paratroopers

The Air Force has around 3,300 squadrons, primarily led by Lieutenant Colonels, Majors, and Captains. The following table represents examples of squadrons.

Fighter

Tanker

Command and Control

Aircraft Maintenance

Bomber

Missile

Training

Civil Engineering

Mobility

Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance

Medical

Mission Support

The cadet wing organization

The cadet wing is a military organization that prepares cadets for the life of an officer by showcasing the organization of an operational Air Force wing. Cadets are responsible for running and operating the wing, learning to use a chain of command, functioning in various military formations, and organizing units to accomplish collective tasks.

Air Force Academy Cadet Rank as of 2020

The cadet wing, consisting of over 4,000 cadets, is divided into four groups of 10 squadrons each. Air officers command cadets, supervise them, provide instruction, and represent role models. Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) complement Area of Concentration (AOC) or Commissioned Officers (COs), providing an enlisted perspective and enhancing the cadets’ experience of command and organization.

Commissioned officers complete demanding missions and ensure soldiers’ welfare, morale, and professional development. They provide orders ranging from Second Lieutenant to General, protecting various ranks. A non-commissioned officer NCO does not preserve a commission and typically earns his authority through advertising.

Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea; the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron of the 388th FW at Hill Air Force Base, Utah; the 55th EFS from the 20th FW at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.; and from the 38th Fighter Group of the ROK Air Force, demonstrate an The largest aircraft inventory in history

The USAF’s aircraft inventory consists of 5,154 active aircraft, divided into active-duty fighters and combat-coded aircraft. Separating active-duty fighters and units from the strategic reserve is crucial as it takes months to prepare elements for deployment.

Classification

Inventory

Trainers

29.7%

Fighters

29.1%

Transports

13%

Tankers

10.7%

Close-Air-Support

6%

Special Mission

4.8%

Helicopters

4.1%

Bombers

2.5%

Most intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance ISR aircraft are now Unmanned Aerial Vehicles UAVs. In 2024, 38

MQ-9
Block-1 aircraft will be divested, leaving 208 Reapers. Currently, the department uses approximately 11,000 UAS to support foreign contingency missions and local training activities. The smallest RQ-11B Raven and the largest RQ/MQ-4

Global Hawk
/Triton weigh more than 32,000 pounds.

Factors like squadrons’ deployment requirements and jet repair needs also affect the number of fighters the service can employ in combat. Approximately three active-duty squadrons are required to deploy two combat-capable fighter units forward.

The Air Force has reduced its active-duty fighter fleet to 571 jets, with the Air Reserve Component having 608 fighters, 458 of which are combat-coded. This means that 626 active-duty and 229 strategic reserve fighters can be deployed into combat, totaling 885 combat-coded fighters.

Concerns about alternative systems after the retirement of the F-15C are justified, as the most straightforward 186 of the planned 750 F-22A stealth fighters were added. The Air Force has leaThe F-35A is designed for air-to-floor campaigns and the operational feasibility of the F-22A.

Most US Air Force aircraft have a lifetime of 30 years. However, as time passes, fuselage bends cause stress and fatigue.

The Air Force is likewise obtaining a fourth-generation F-15EX fighter jet, which is considered less expensive to own and operate. Combat-coded aircraft and related squadrons are aircraft and units with a specific wartime duty. Therefore, those numbers do not include units and aircraft assigned to training or operational tests. The following tables represent only four aircraft types.

Aircraft Type

Combat-Coded Fighters

Average Age

Mission-Capable Combat-Coded Fighters

F-16C

309

33

219

F-15E

164

31

85

F-22A

110

17

63

F-35A

194

5

127

Total

777

494

There are Combat-Coded Fighter Squadrons for air national guards and air reserve squadrons. The Air National Guard operates a dual mission, requiring guardsmen to be members of both their state and the United States National Guard, as mandated by the US Constitution. The Air Force Reserve AFRES and Air National Guard ANG are Federal Reserve components of the US Air Force, with each state’s ANG under its governor’s jurisdiction. Both can be mobilized for active duty by presidential order or for state service in crises like natural disasters.

Aircraft Type

Number of Squadrons Air National Guard & Air Reserve

Number of Squadrons Air Force Active-Duty

F-16

12

11

F-15E

5

6

F-22

1

4

F-35

1

6

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