The United States Air Force became a separate military service on 18 September 1947. Before that, America’s military flyers were part of the Army, which bought its first Wright plane in 1909. On 30 September 2025 it had 325,868 active-duty members and 4,865 aircraft. Britain’s RAF, formed in 1918, was the world’s first independent air force.
Air forces quick facts
- The Army paid the Wright brothers $30,000 for its first plane in 1909.
- The F-16 is the Air Force’s most common aircraft, with 826 in 2025.
- The Air Force had only 20 B-2 stealth bombers in 2025.
- About one in four active-duty Air Force officers were women in 2025.
- The Tuskegee Airmen flew 1,578 missions over North Africa and Europe.
The US Air Force at a glance
An air force is the part of a country’s armed forces that works in the air. This guide is mostly about the United States Air Force. It also looks at the Royal Air Force, which came first.
You will find out how the US Air Force began, how many people and aircraft it has, and the brave Tuskegee Airmen who changed its history. The facts come from the National Archives, the US Army Aviation Museum, the Air Force Historical Foundation, the RAF Museum and the latest yearly Air Force almanac.
| US Air Force at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Became a separate service | 18 September 1947 |
| Law that created it | The National Security Act of 1947 |
| Army’s first plane | A Wright Military Flyer, accepted 2 August 1909 |
| Active-duty members (30 Sept 2025) | 325,868 |
| Total aircraft (30 Sept 2025) | 4,865 |
| Most common fighter | F-16 Fighting Falcon (826) |
| World’s first independent air force | Britain’s RAF, 1 April 1918 |
What is an air force?
An air force flies and looks after military aircraft. Its people fly fighter jets, cargo planes, tankers and bombers. Many more people work on the ground to keep those aircraft flying.
The official US Air Force careers site lists many kinds of job. They include aviation and flight, maintenance and repair, cyber and intelligence, and healthcare. There are also jobs in science and technology, logistics, law and order, and special warfare.
So most people in an air force are not pilots at all. They are mechanics, scientists, doctors, computer experts and planners. Each job helps the aircraft do their work.
Before there was a US Air Force
For its first 40 years, America’s military flying was part of the Army. The National Archives says there was no separate air service until 1947.
The Army’s first air unit was set up on 1 August 1907. It was called the Aeronautical Division of the Signal Corps. Its name changed several times as flying grew more important.
| Year | Name of the Army’s air arm |
|---|---|
| 1907 | Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps |
| 1914 | Aviation Section |
| 1919 | Air Service |
| 1926 | Air Corps |
| 1941 | Army Air Forces |
| 1947 | US Air Force, a separate service |
The National Archives says the Army Air Forces were formed on 20 June 1941. That was just before the USA entered the Second World War.
The Army’s first aeroplane
The Army asked for its first plane in December 1907. The US Army Aviation Museum says the famous Wright brothers answered the call.
They brought their new plane to Fort Myer, Virginia, on 3 June 1909. On 27 July 1909, Orville Wright flew for 1 hour, 12 minutes and 40 seconds. That passed the Army’s endurance test.
Next came the speed test, on 30 July 1909. The Army had asked for 64 km/h (40 mph). The plane averaged about 68.5 km/h (42.6 mph), which earned the Wrights a $5,000 bonus.
The Army paid $30,000 in total, the museum says. It officially accepted the plane on 2 August 1909. That made it the Army’s very first aeroplane.
Training began at College Park, Maryland, on 8 October 1909. Lieutenants Frank Lahm and Benjamin Foulois were among the first Army officers taught to fly it.
Watching the first test flights
The Army’s first plane was bought in a very public way. The US Army Aviation Museum says the Army set out its needs in December 1907, in a document called Signal Corps Specification No. 486.
The trials at Fort Myer drew important visitors. The museum says President William Howard Taft watched a test flight on 26 July 1909. The next day, Orville Wright passed the endurance test.
The Army had asked for a speed of 64 km/h (40 mph). The Wrights beat it, which is why they earned their $5,000 bonus. Their plane became the Army’s very first aeroplane.
From Air Service to Air Corps
Flying grew more important after the First World War. The National Archives says the Army’s Air Service got its name in 1919.
In 1926, Congress passed the Air Corps Act. The National Archives says the act, dated 2 July 1926, renamed the Air Service as the Air Corps.
The Air Corps grew into the Army Air Forces in 1941. Six years later, it became the separate US Air Force.
Becoming a separate service in 1947
The National Archives says President Truman signed the National Security Act on 26 July 1947. The Air Force Historical Foundation says the US Air Force became its own service on 18 September 1947.
That is why the Air Force celebrates its birthday every September. The same law set up the organisation that later became the Department of Defense. It brought together the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps and the new Air Force.
After 40 years inside the Army, America’s airmen finally had a service of their own.
How many people are in the US Air Force?
The Air & Space Forces Magazine almanac gives the latest figures. On 30 September 2025, the Air Force had 325,868 active-duty members.
That number was made up of 62,581 officers, 259,170 enlisted airmen and 4,117 cadets. Officers lead and plan. Enlisted airmen carry out most of the skilled work. Cadets are training to become officers.
There are part-time members too. On the same date, the Air National Guard had 106,300 members and the Air Force Reserve had 95,970. The Department of the Air Force also employed 175,063 civilian workers.
Women play a big part. The almanac says about one in four active-duty Air Force officers were women in 2025, at 25.1%.
How many aircraft does it have?
On 30 September 2025, the almanac says the Air Force’s total aircraft inventory was 4,865. Here are some of the best-known types.
| Aircraft | Type | Number (30 Sept 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| F-16 Fighting Falcon | Fighter | 826 |
| F-35A Lightning II | Stealth fighter | 500 |
| C-17A Globemaster III | Cargo plane | 222 |
| F-22A Raptor | Stealth fighter | 184 |
| KC-46A Pegasus | Air-to-air refuelling tanker | 96 |
| B-52H Stratofortress | Bomber | 76 |
| B-2A Spirit | Stealth bomber | 20 |
Fighter jets
Fighters are fast, agile jets. The almanac shows that the F-16 Fighting Falcon is by far the most common, with 826 of them.
The Air Force also has 500 F-35A Lightning II and 184 F-22A Raptor stealth fighters. Stealth aircraft are shaped and coated to be hard for enemy radar to spot.
Cargo planes, tankers and bombers
Not every aircraft fights. Cargo planes such as the C-17 Globemaster III carry troops, vehicles and supplies. The almanac counts 222 C-17s.
Tankers are flying fuel stations. They refuel other planes in mid-air, so those planes can fly much further. The Air Force had 96 KC-46A Pegasus tankers in 2025.
Bombers are large aircraft that can fly very long distances. The almanac counts 76 B-52H Stratofortress bombers and just 20 B-2A Spirit stealth bombers. A newer bomber, the B-21 Raider, was still being tested and was not yet counted in 2025.
Pilots and ground crews
Pilots get most of the attention, but they could not fly without their teams. Mechanics check and repair every aircraft. Other airmen load cargo, plan missions and manage fuel.
The careers site lists maintenance and repair as a whole family of Air Force jobs. It also lists cyber and intelligence, which means protecting computer networks and gathering information.
Healthcare workers look after airmen and their families. Logistics experts make sure the right parts and supplies reach the right base at the right time.
The Tuskegee Airmen
Before 1941, Black Americans were not allowed to be pilots in the Army Air Corps. The National Archives says that changed on 16 January 1941, when the Tuskegee Airmen unit was created.
The first pilot class of 13 cadets began training in July 1941. They trained in Tuskegee, Alabama.
The National Archives says about 500 Tuskegee Airmen flew and supported combat missions in the Second World War. They flew 1,578 missions over North Africa and Europe.
They earned 3 Distinguished Unit Citations and 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses. In 2007, surviving Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal.
The Space Force
The USA now has a separate service for space too. It is called the Space Force, and its members are called Guardians.
The Air & Space Forces Magazine almanac says the Space Force had 10,457 active-duty Guardians on 30 September 2025. That is much smaller than the Air Force, which had more than 30 times as many active-duty members.
The Royal Air Force came first
The US Air Force was not the first independent air force. The RAF Museum says Britain’s Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918.
It was created by joining two older services, the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. The RAF Museum says it was the world’s first independent air force.
That makes the RAF 29 years older than the US Air Force. In 2018, it celebrated its 100th birthday.
Three things people get wrong
Myth: the US Air Force has existed since the Wright brothers. The National Archives says America’s military flyers were part of the Army until 1947. The Air Force became a separate service on 18 September 1947.
Myth: the US Air Force was the first independent air force. The RAF Museum says Britain’s Royal Air Force came first, on 1 April 1918, 29 years earlier.
Myth: everyone in the Air Force is a pilot. The Air Force careers site lists jobs from maintenance and cyber to healthcare and logistics. Most airmen work on the ground.
Did you know? Orville Wright flew the Army’s test plane for 1 hour, 12 minutes and 40 seconds in July 1909 to pass its endurance test.
Try it
Make a timeline of US military flying from 1907 to 1947. Mark each new name for the Army’s air arm, then add the date the RAF was formed.
Knowledge check
When did the US Air Force become a separate service?
Show answer
On 18 September 1947, under the National Security Act.
Which country had the first independent air force?
Show answer
Britain, with the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918.
Frequently asked questions
When was the US Air Force created?
The US Air Force became a separate service on 18 September 1947. President Truman had signed the National Security Act, which created it, on 26 July 1947.
How many people are in the US Air Force?
On 30 September 2025, the US Air Force had 325,868 active-duty members, plus about 202,000 in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
How many planes does the US Air Force have?
The Air & Space Forces Magazine almanac says the US Air Force had 4,865 aircraft on 30 September 2025. The F-16 was the most common type.
What was the first military plane in the USA?
The Army’s first aeroplane was a Wright Military Flyer. The Army accepted it on 2 August 1909 after speed and endurance tests at Fort Myer, Virginia.
Who were the Tuskegee Airmen?
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military pilots in the US Army Air Corps. About 500 flew and supported combat missions in the Second World War.
Which is the oldest independent air force?
Britain’s Royal Air Force, formed on 1 April 1918, was the world’s first independent air force. It is 29 years older than the US Air Force.
Sources
- Air Force Historical Foundation: 18 September 1947 — the Air Force’s independence and the National Security Act
- National Archives: records of the Army Air Forces — the Army air arm’s names and dates from 1907 to 1947; its Tuskegee Airmen release was also used
- US Army Aviation Museum: the 1909 Wright Military Flyer — the Fort Myer trials, the price and the first pilots
- Air & Space Forces Magazine: 2026 almanac, personnel — people in the Air Force and Space Force on 30 September 2025; its aircraft inventory page was also used
- US Air Force: careers — the families of Air Force jobs
- RAF Museum: the Royal Air Force in 1918 — the formation of the RAF in 1918
