Fifteenth Air Force

Fifteenth Air Force
Active1 November 1943 – 15 September 1945
31 March 1946 – 20 March 2012
20 August 2020 – present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
TypeNumbered Air Force
Part ofAir Combat Command
Garrison/HQShaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
Engagements
World War II – EAME Theater
Decorations
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (10x)
Websitewww.15af.acc.af.mil
Commanders
CommanderMaj Gen David B. Lyons
Deputy CommanderBrig Gen Steven G. Behmer[1]
Senior Enlisted LeaderCMSgt Jeremy L. Unterseher[2]

The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force into a new numbered air force responsible for generating and presenting Air Combat Command’s conventional forces. [3]

Established on 1 November 1943, Fifteenth AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the European Theater of World War II, bombing Europe from bases in southern Italy and engaging in air-to-air fighter combat against enemy aircraft.

During the Cold War, 15 AF was one of three Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC), commanding USAF strategic bombers and missiles on a global scale. Elements of 15th Air Force engaged in combat operations during the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Operation Desert Storm.

15 AF was redesignated Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force (15 EMTF) on 1 October 2003. 15 EMTF provided support for strategic airlift for all United States Department of Defense agencies as well as air refueling for the Air Force in both peace and wartime for the Pacific region. 15 EMTF inactivated on 20 March 2012.

US F-16 from the 15th AF exits it's hangar while a Pakistani F-16B from No. 9 Squadron PAF taxis to the runway during Exercise Falcon Talon 2022

On 20 August 2020, 15 AF was reactivated as an Air Combat Command numbered air force, taking over the previous conventional flying forces of both the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces.

  1. ^ "Steven G. Behmer". www.15af.acc.af.mil.
  2. ^ "Sonia T. Lee > 15th Air Force > Display".
  3. ^ "Fifteenth Air Force activates, consolidates ACC's conventional forces". Air Combat Command. 20 August 2020.