The following is a hierarchical outline for the elements of the United States Air Force in Europe at the end of the Cold War. This list is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations. In case of war with the Warsaw Pact, all would have been assigned to NATO.
Below, are listed all United States Air Force units based in Europe on 30 June 1989 and, where required, lists changes that occurred during 1989. The primary source for this listing of units is O.W. Dragoner's United States Air Force 1989, with additions and amendments from the official fact sheets of the Air Force Historical Research Agency. Where the two sources disagree, AFHRA data has been used.
The United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) was a major command of the U.S. Air Force based at Ramstein Air Base in West Germany. In 1989 the commanded had a strength of 60,471 men (6,876 officers and 53,595 enlisted), which were supported by 9,982 civilian contractors and employees. This does not include the personnel of other major commands (i.e. Strategic Air Command, Military Airlift Command, Electronic Security Command, etc.) that operated in Europe too.[1]
The Commander in Chief of USAFE double-hatted as NATO's Commander Allied Air Forces Central Europe (COMAAFCE). The Vice Commander in Chief of USAFE was based along with the commander in Germany, while the Deputy Commander in Chief USAFE was based in Naples at NATO's Allied Forces Southern Europe Headquarters, where he double hatted as Commander Allied Air Forces, Southern Europe (COMAIRSOUTH).
- ^ Dragoner, O. W. (September 2013). "United States Air Force 1989" (PDF): 529. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
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