United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa
The United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) is a United States Air Force (USAF) major command (MAJCOM) and a component command of both United States European Command (USEUCOM) and United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM). As part of its mission, USAFE-AFAFRICA commands U.S. Air Force units pledged to NATO, maintaining combat-ready wings based from the United Kingdom to Turkey. USAFE-AFAFRICA plans, conducts, controls, coordinates and supports air and space operations in Europe, parts of Asia and all of Africa with the exception of Egypt to achieve U.S. national and NATO objectives based on taskings by the two combatant commanders.
| U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa | |
|---|---|
Shield of United States Air Forces in Europe Shield of United States Air Forces Africa | |
| Active | 19 January 1942 – present (82 years) Detailed
|
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Air Force (26 September 1947 – present) United States Army ( Army Air Forces; 19 January 1942 – 26 September 1947) |
| Type | Major Command |
| Role | "USAFE-AFAFRICA executes the Air Force, USEUCOM, and USAFRICOM missions with forward-based Airpower and infrastructure to conduct and enable theater and global operations." |
| Size | 23,805 airmen 203 aircraft |
| Part of | U.S. European Command U.S. Africa Command |
| Headquarters | Ramstein Air Base, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany |
| Motto(s) | "Vigilance for Freedom" |
| Engagements | World War II European-African-Middle Eastern Theaters Berlin airlift |
| Decorations | Air Force Organization Excellence Award |
| Website | www |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Gen James B. Hecker |
| Deputy Commander | Lt Gen John Lamontagne |
| Command Chief | CCM Randy Kwiatkowski |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | MQ-9 |
| Fighter | F-15E, F-16C/D, F-35A |
| Multirole helicopter | HH-60G |
| Transport | C-21A, C-37A, C-130J |
| Tanker | KC-135R |
USAFE-AFAFRICA is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is the oldest continuously active USAF major command, originally activated on 1 February 1942 at Langley Field, Virginia, as the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Two years later, it was designated as United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USSTAF) and on 7 August 1945 it was designated as United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). On 20 April 2012 it formally assumed its current designation when the Seventeenth Air Force inactivated.
The command has more than 35,000 active duty personnel, Air Reserve Component personnel, and civilian employees assigned.