Immediate Reach, Immediate Power

The multiple challenges America faces today calls for rapid responsive, global air power. The answer is the United States Air Force's (USAF) Air Expeditionary Force (AEF). An AEF consists of aircraft wings, groups, or squadrons attached to a USAF numbered air force deployed under the command of a U.S. Military Joint Commander-in-Chief (CING) of a geographic region, during a period of increased operations tempo. An increased operations tempo is invariably associated with U.S. diplomatic, political, military or humanitarian actions either underway or in prospect. Also, an AEF unit deploys as a composite force, one made up several differentaircraft types within the same unit, rather than in accordance with past USAF practice where a combat unit consists of only one type (and model) of aircraft. By taking advantage of the intrinsic strengths of air power-speed, range, and flexibility-the AEF provides a logistically lean, flexible, tailored, quick-response force to the CINC.