Air Force, United States (usAF), one of the major components of the U.S. military organization, with primary responsibility for air warfare, air defense, and the development of military space research. It must also provide air services in coordination with the other military branches.
U.S. military activities in the air began with the use of balloons by the army for reconnaissance during the Civil War and the Spanish- American War. The Aeronautical Division of the Signal Corps of the U.S. Army was created on Aug. 1, 1907. Congress passed the first appropriations for aeronautics in 1911 and on July 18, 1914, created the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. (For the development of naval aviation, see Navy, United States.)
The first use of military aircraft, in an action against Pancho Villa in Mexico in 1916, was a failure. The next year the U.S. entered World War I with one ill-equipped air unit, the 1st Aero Squadron. The Aviation Act of July 24, 1917, provided increased funds, and the Overman Act of May 20, 1918, removed aviation from the Signal Corps by establishing the Army Bureau of Aircraft Production and the Air Service, U.S. Army.
Much of the success of U.S. military air activity during World War I was attributable to William (“Billy”) Mitchell, combat aircommander (1917—18), who coordinated air attacks with a combined U.S.—French—British force and developed a strong conviction that the U.S. should establish a separate air force. Despite his efforts, however, the Army Reorganization Act of 1920 created the Air Service (after 1926, Air Corps) as a combatant unit within the army.
The Air Corps was supplanted on June 21, 1941, by the Army Air Forces as an autonomous command within the army. On July 26, 1947, the National Security Act created the independent U.

. Air Force, and Executive Order No. 9877 defined the roles and responsibilities of the new military branch. The National Security Act Amendments of 1949 reorganized the military services, with the Department of the Air Force included within the Department of Defense.
Headquarters of the Department of the Air Force are at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. The department consists of the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force; the Air Staff, which provides assistance to the secretary and the chief of staff; and the field organization, which consists of 13 commands and 13 separate operating agencies.
Of the major commands, 10 are domestic and are organized according to function: They are the Aerospace Defense (former Air Defense) Command; Air Force Logistics Command; Air Force Systems (former Air Research and Development) Command, charged with the development of aerospace technology; Air Training Command; Air University, offering higher education for officers; Military Airlift Command, providing air transport to all U.S. military services worldwide; Strategic Air Command (sAc); Tactical Air Command (TAc); U.S. Air Force Security Service, monitoring all Air Force communications; and the Air Force Communications Service, providing communications, ffight facilities, and air traffic control services to the Air Force and other U.S. and foreign government and civil organizations.
The three overseas commands are organized regionally. They are the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (usAFa), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), and Alaskan Air Command (AAC).
The separate operating agencies include the Air Force Reserve, Air Force Intelligence Service, and U.S. Air Force Academy.

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