Twelfth Air Force

Twelfth Air Force

The Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) (12AF – AFSOUTH) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

The command serves as a primary conventional fighter and bomber warfighting headquarters trained and ready for worldwide employment of airpower. It is responsible for the combat readiness of 10 active-duty wings and one direct reporting unit. These subordinate commands operate more than 400 aircraft with more than 42,000 uniformed and civilian Airmen. It takes part in a multitude of operations in the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of focus alongside partner nations in Central and South America, ensuring a safe, secure and stable region.

Established on 20 August 1942 at Bolling Field, District of Columbia, 12 AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the European Theater of World War II. It engaged in operations in North Africa, the Mediterranean, France and Germany.

During the Cold War, 12 AF was one of the Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and later Tactical Air Command (TAC), Its units engaged in combat operations during the Vietnam War, as well as Operation Desert Storm. As a result of the Global War on Terrorism, most 12 AF units have operated in the United States Central Command AOR.

12 AF serves as the air and space component to U.S. Southern Command. Therefore 12 AF is also dual-roled as the Air Forces Southern.