The United States Air Force or USAF is the main air arm of the United States. The USAF was founded in 1947 after the USAAF split from the US Army.
The USAF's first conflict was in Korea in 1950, fighting initially against the KPAF, before engaging against Soviet flown MiG-15s. In the Vietnam War, the USAF initially suffered heavy losses to the VPAF before 1972.
The 1970s saw the USAF reintroduce Dogfight training, as well as the introduction of the teen series of fighters (the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon). The late 70s also saw the A-10 Thunderbolt II introduced.
The 1991 Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), saw the USAF gained around 39 air to air kills with 0 losses.
Until 1991, the USAF's SAC (Strategic Air Command) had stood on standby incase of Nuclear War. After 1991, SAC was decommissioned. With the end of the Cold War, all of the USAF's B-52Gs were either scrapped or sent to museums. The B-1B was denuclearized due to treaties signed with the former USSR.
The 1990s saw the USAF introduce the B-2A Spirit into service as well as upgrades to the F-16C in the form of the Block 50/52. In 1999, they took part in Operation Allied Force in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).
The USAF has aircraft based at Misawa, Kadena and Yokota Air Bases as part of the Pacific Air Forces' 5th AF.
Retired Aircraft
Fighters
- F-51D Mustang
- F-51K Mustang
- F-80C Shooting Star
- F-86A Sabre
- F-86B Sabre
- F-86C Sabre
- F-86D Sabre Dog
- F-86E Sabre
- F-86F Sabre
- F-110A (F-4C) Phantom II
- F-4D Phantom II
- F-4E Phantom II
- F-15A Eagle
- F-16A Fighting Falcon
Attack
- F-111A Aardvark
- F-111E Aardvark
- F-111F Aardvark
- F-111G Aardvark
- F-117A Nighthawk (unofficially still in service)
- A-10A Thunderbolt II
- OA-10A Thunderbolt II
Bombers
Airborne Early Warning
Current Aircraft
Fighters
- F-15C Eagle
- F-16C Fighting Falcon
- F-22A Raptor
- F-35A Lighting II
Attack
Bombers
- B-52H Stratofortress
- B-1B Lancer
- B-2A Spirit
