Air Force Command

History

At the establishment of the U.S. Air Force in 1947, 14 MAJCOMs were initially organized. Although these commands would soon be rearranged and their overall number would change, this organizational form provided a foundation for the air force.

The Air Force Organization Act of 1951 provided the statutory framework for the internal organization of the U.S. Air Force, codifying organizational and management policies. Three major air commands—(1) the Air Defense Command (ADC), (2) Strategic Air Command (SAC), and (3) Tactical Air Command (TAC)—were specifically recognized. The legislation prohibited the alteration and consolidation of these commands without congressional action except during times of war or national emergency. Other commands could be created or dissolved through the actions of the secretary of the U.S. Air Force, in consultation with the chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force.

Throughout the Cold War, SAC was the centerpiece of air force planning. SAC led the nuclear deterrence mission, managing land-based strategic bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic reconnaissance and command post aircraft, and air refueling for SAC assets.

ADC, Military Airlift Command (MAC), and TAC were also important. ADC organized the air defense of the United States, developing a series of continental radar systems to monitor Soviet threats, culminating with the North American Aerospace Defense Command. ADC’s role declined with the increased responsibilities of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, which took over the air defense role during the 1970s. MAC organized strategic airlift capabilities, succeeding the Military Air Transport Service—which had served as a joint command with the U.S. Navy—in 1966. MAC played a particularly important role in supporting the wars in Southeast Asia. TAC delivered major tactical air support for theater commands during the Korean and Vietnam wars. TAC leadership thus gained status within the U.S. Air Force, leading to the “rise of the fighter generals” in the 1980s and shifting the balance of power from SAC to TAC.

In the early 1990s, efforts to streamline the budget and command structure resulted in a major reorganization. MAC, SAC, and TAC were deactivated in 1992. SAC’s bombers and TAC’s fighters were unified into a single offensive air command, the Air Combat Command (ACC). To reduce duplication and to promote rapid force deployment, senior leadership deactivated MAC and created the Air Mobility Command. In addition, Air Force Systems Command and Air Force Logistics Command were deactivated, their functions subsumed within the new Air Force Materiel Command.

The Contemporary Period

As of 2010, 10 MAJCOMs exist, reflecting the core priorities of the U.S. Air Force:

ACC, headquartered at Langley AFB, Virginia, was established on June 1, 1992, as the primary force provider of combat air power. ACC operates fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, battle management, and electronic combat aircraft. It also provides command, control, communications, and intelligence systems, and conducts global information operations that ensure strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime air defense. ACC includes the First, Ninth, and Twelfth Air Forces and the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center. The command operates 15 major bases. The ACC commander is the air component commander for Joint Forces Command.

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