This article is about the currently active numbered air force. For the former active numbered air force from 2009 to 2020, see Ninth Air Force (2009–2020).
Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central)
Shield of the Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central)
Active
20 August 2020 – present (as Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central)) 5 August 2009 – 20 August 2020 (as United States Air Forces Central Command) 1 March 2008 – 5 August 2009 (Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central)) 26 June 1951 – 1 March 2008 (as Ninth Air Force) 1 August 1950 – 26 June 1951 (as Ninth Air Force (Tactical)) 28 March 1946 - 1 August 1950 18 September 1942 - 2 December 1945 as Ninth Air Force) 8 April 1942 – 18 September 1942 (as 9 Air Force) 21 August 1941 – 8 April 1942 (as 5 Air Support Command) (82 years, 8 months)[1]
Country
United States
Branch
United States Air Force (26 September 1947 – present) United States Army ( Army Air Forces; 8 April 1942 – 26 September 1947)[1]
Type
Named Air Force
Role
Provides combat-ready air forces and serves as the air component to U.S. Central Command[2]
Part of
Air Combat Command United States Central Command
Headquarters
Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, U.S.
Engagements
See list
World War II - American Theater World War II - European-African-Middle Eastern Theater
Egypt-Libya
Tunisia
Sicily
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
Southwest Asia
Defense of Saudi Arabia
Liberation and Defense of Kuwait
Southwest Asia Ceasefire
[1]
Decorations
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Website
www.afcent.af.mil
Commanders
Commander
Lt Gen Derek France
Deputy Commander
Maj Gen David A. Mineau
Command Chief Master Sergeant
CMSgt Katherine A. Grabham
Notable commanders
Lewis H. Brereton Hoyt Vandenberg Gary L. North David L. Goldfein Donavon F. Smith
Insignia
United States Air Forces Central Command emblem
Military unit
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central)[3] is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint Department of Defense combatant command responsible for U.S. security interests in 27 nations that stretch from the Horn of Africa through the Persian Gulf region, into Central Asia.[4]
Activated as 9th Air Force on 8 April 1942, the command fought in World War II both in the Western Desert Campaign in Egypt and Libya and as the tactical fighter component of the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe, engaging enemy forces in France, the Low Countries and in Nazi Germany. During the Cold War, it was one of two Numbered Air Forces of Tactical Air Command.
Co-designated as United States Central Command Air Forces (CENTAF) on 1 January 1983, on 2009 as part of a complicated transfer of lineage, the lineage and history of the Ninth Air Force was bestowed on USAFCENT, and a new Ninth Air Force, which technically had no previous history, was activated. On 20 August 2020, the 9 AF designation was returned to USAFCENT with the deactivation of the 2009 established 9 AF.[5] It has fought in the 1991 Gulf War, War in Afghanistan (OEF-A, 2001–present), the Iraq War (OIF, 2003–2010), as well as various engagements within USCENTCOM.
^ abc"United States Air Forces Central Command (ACC) > Air Force Historical Research Agency > Display". Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
^"Mission". www.afcent.af.mil. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
^"Fifteenth Air Force activates, consolidates ACC's conventional forces". 20 August 2020.
^"USAFHRA Fact Sheet United States Air Forces Central Command". af.mil. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
^"Fifteenth Air Force activates, consolidates ACC's conventional forces". 20 August 2020.
previous units of the NinthAirForce and Twelfth AirForce into a new numbered airforce responsible for generating and presenting Air Combat Command’s conventional...
is the NAF number). For example, the 609th Air Operations Center is a unit subordinate to the NinthAirForce. This is no longer completely accurate, due...
transferred to Strategic Air Command. The 20th FG came under NinthAirForce. After the establishment of the United States AirForce (USAF) as a separate...
Wave. In charge of the operation was General Lewis H. Brereton. The NinthAirForce (98th and 376th Bombardment Groups) was responsible for the overall...
Seventh AirForce Hawaii Central Pacific Eighth AirForce Europe NinthAirForce Middle East North Africa Europe Tenth AirForce India Burma Eleventh Air Force...
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States AirForce, reporting to Headquarters, United States AirForce (HAF)...
States AirForce lieutenant general who served as the commander of the NinthAirForce. He previously served as the commander of Third AirForce. In March...
States Central Command from 2022 to 2024. He served as commander of the NinthAirForce from 2020 to 2022. Gregory Michael Guillot is from Tucson, Arizona...
installations operated by the United States AirForce located within the United States and abroad. Locations where the AirForce have a notable presence but do not...
The Twelfth AirForce (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered AirForce of the United States AirForceAir Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered...
Alexus G. Grynkewich is a United States AirForce lieutenant general who served as the commander of the NinthAirForce. He previously served as the director...
Nineteenth AirForce (19 AF) is an active Numbered AirForce of the United States AirForce. During the Cold War it was a component of Tactical Air Command...
and activated in Germany on 15 April 1945, where it became part of NinthAirForce. It returned to the United States in July and was inactivated in the...
Third AirForce, NinthAirForce and Twelfth AirForce. On 18 September 1947, the United States AirForce was established as a separate military force, with...
owned by the Government of Kuwait, and hosted the Royal AirForce (RAF), United States AirForce (USAF), and United States Marine Corps (USMC) personnel...
Bolling AirForce Base or Bolling AFB is a United States AirForce base in Washington, D.C. In 2010, it was merged with Naval Support Facility Anacostia...
– 1 July 1954) Headquarters, NinthAirForce, was located at Pope in August 1950. It was transferred to Shaw AirForce Base, South Carolina, on 20 August...
assault phase of Overlord, and two tactical air forces: the US NinthAirForce and the RAF Second Tactical AirForce. Allied strategic bomber forces in the...
offensive against Berlin. It took an order from Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal, Chief of the Air Staff, to force Harris to comply. RAF Fighter Command also...
of operations—in this case, the Commander, Air Component Command, and Commanding General, NinthAirForce. In a break with Army tradition, the Commanding...
States AirForce installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin AirForce Base...
The AirForce Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States AirForce, with its headquarters at Robins AirForce Base, Georgia...
Global Information
United States
United States Air Force (26 September 1947 – present)
United States Army (
Army Air Forces; 8 April 1942 – 26 September 1947)[1]
Air Combat Command
United States Central Command
