USC Air Force

The USC Air Force (USCAF) is the air and space warfare service branch of the United Space Command responsible for atmospheric operations and orbital defense. The Air Force maintains numerous orbital defense stations and aerospace interceptor fighters to defend human space, often working closely with the USC Navy and Army.

Mission, vision, and functions

Missions

[coming soon]

Core missions

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Air & Orbital superiority

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Planetary integrated ISR

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Rapid planetary mobility

[coming soon]

Planetary strike

[coming soon]

Command and control

[coming soon]

History

Formation

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First Energy War (2118 - 2124)

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Planetary War on Terror

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Second Nuclear War

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Jovian Conflicts of 2687

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Second Energy War (2695 - 2700)

[coming soon]

Outer Colonies Civil War

[coming soon]

Organization

Administrative organization

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Air Force structure and organization

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Operational organization

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Air Expeditionary Task Force

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Commander, Air Force Forces

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Air & Orbital Operations Center

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Air Expeditionary Wings/Groups/Squadrons

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Personnel

Large numbers of airmen serve in the USC Air Force. The bulk of the United Space Command's pilots serve in the Air Force, fulfilling crucial roles operating aircraft and spacecraft. Pilots are relatively lightly armored with fatigues with teal-toned camouflage and white chest armor geared for long-flight mobility. On missions in a vacuum, the suit can be sealed off and an enclosed standard combat helmet is worn with it. Each suit features extra-vehicular activity integration for geoatmospheric operations that are associated with a given dropship deployment.

Leadership

The Chief of the Air Force is the highest-ranking officer of the Air Force, unless the officer is either the chairman or vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The chief has the responsibility to staff, train, and equip the air force and has command authority. The chief of the air force is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and reports to the Secretary of the Air Force.
The Assistant Chief of the Air Force acts as the chief deputy to the Chief of the Air Force. The Chief master sergeant of the Air Force is the senior enlisted airman and acts as an adviser to the Chief. Headquarters Air Force comprises the rest of the chief's counsel and staff, with deputy chiefs that oversee various aspects of the Air Force's assets and capabilities. The Chief of the Air Force is Zachary Dawson, while the current Master Sergeant is Caroline Schifter.

Women

Women in the air force, since 2213, have composed approximately 30% of all active duty personnel, including both commissioned officers and enlisted airmen.

LGBT

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender personnel within the Air Force have continuously risen since the global equality act of 2250, which enabled LGBT individuals to serve openly in the Armed Forces of the United Space Command. In 2722, an estimated total of 12,378 active duty personnel, 763 civilians, and 1,182 reserve personnel identify somewhere on the LGBT spectrum.

Commissioned officers

The commissioned officer ranks of the USCAF are divided into three categories: company grade officers, field grade officers, and general officers. Company grade officers are those officers in pay grades O-1 to O-3, while field grade officers are those in pay grades O-4 to O-6, and general officers are those in pay grades of O-7 and above.
Air Force officer promotions are overseen and reviewed by the USC Personnel Command. PERSCOMM also establishes limits on the number of officers that can serve at any given time in the Air Force. Currently, promotion from second lieutenant to first lieutenant is virtually guaranteed after two years of satisfactory service. The promotion from first lieutenant to captain is competitive after successfully completing another two years of service, with a selection rate varying between 71% and 94%. Promotion to major through major general is through a formal selection board process, while promotions to lieutenant general and general are contingent upon nomination to specific general officer positions and subject to USC Security Council approval.
During the board process, an officer's record is reviewed by a selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center at Nova Air Force Base in Nova, Harmony. At the 10 to 11-year mark, captains will take part in a selection board to major. If not selected, they will remain as captains for an additional year. Promotion from major to lieutenant colonel is similar and occurs approximately between the fourteen year and the fifteen year mark, where a certain percentage of majors will be in zone (i.e., "on time") or above zone (i.e., "late") for promotion to lieutenant colonel. This process will repeat at the 18-year mark to the 21-year mark for promotion to full colonel.
The Air Force has the largest ratio of general officers to total strength of all of the USC Armed Forces and this ratio has continued to increase.

General of the Air Force

General

Lieutenant general

Major general

Brigadier general

Colonel

Lieutenant colonel

Major

Captain

First lieutenant

Second lieutenant

Warrant officers

[coming soon]

Enlisted airmen

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Enlisted

Chief master sergeant of the Air Force

Command chief master sergeant

First sergeant

Chief master sergeant

First sergeant

Senior master sergeant

First sergeant

Master sergeant

Technical sergeant

Staff sergeant

Senior Airman

Airman First Class

Airman

Airman Basic

Uniforms

[coming soon]

Training

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Equipment

Infantry

The USC Air Force maintains an inventory of small arms and other infantry weapons and shares some resources with the USC Army. The A478 SMR was used for medium-range suppression, commonly employed by the Air Force's combat rescue teams during the Second Nuclear War and the Jovian Conflict of 2687. However, after 2690, the SMR was replaced with the B7W series. The Air Force used the A5 assault rifle as the standard infantry assault rifle during the Second Energy War, although it has since been replaced by the A5D assault rifle. The M29 shotgun is used by personnel for close-quarters combat. The T4 series is the standard personal sidearm of the Air Force.
Air Force snipers operate with the CSC74B-L2 sniper rifle for long-range suppression and anti-matériel operations. The MK-III grenade launcher is used for medium-range suppression and anti-fortification duties. The Air Force also operates the tactical fragmentation grenade. Anti-armor fire is provided by the R27 rocket launcher. The Air Force operates several vehicles for security patrols, including the M7 Wolverine, specifically the Urban variant.

Aircraft

The Air Force operates a wide variety of aircraft. The H28-D5 Blossom Dropship is used primarily for the pickup and transportation of personnel, vehicles, and equipment, but also has significant offensive capabilities. The Blossom is capable of carrying numerous armament configurations, including Thunderclap anti-tank missiles, air-to-surface missiles, as well as a chin-mounted 75mm autocannon. The Air Force also operates M8-22 Peregrine, a heavily armed, lightweight attack or support aircraft utilized by Air Force special operation squadrons.
The USC Air Force operates a number of air/space fighters, the most common of which is the F-85 Rapier Interceptor Fighter. The Interceptor is a multi-role fighter that can be used in a variety of missions, including ground support, anti-ship attacks, and combat with other fighters. The Air Force also maintains the H5 Spearhead as a space superiority fighter. This prototype aircraft possesses powerful energy shielding technology (the same type used onboard starships), and is designed for the dual purposes of peak acceleration and maneuverability in orbital combat. In addition to the Spearhead, the Air Force also fielded the F-99A Broadspear throughout the Second Nuclear War and post-war conflicts.
The majority of the Air Force's atmospheric forces are comprised of unmanned combat air vehicles, such as the G-55 Wasp. Such drones are expendable and can be deployed in large numbers very quickly.

Relationship with other branches

The USC Air Force supports other service branches of the United Space Command by ensuring air superiority, as well as providing other branches with special transport capabilities, supply drops behind enemy lines, and close air support against entrenched enemy positions. The Air Force works closely with the USC Navy and USC Army, supplying both service branches with launch and space support. The Air Force works to develop doctrine, procedures, and equipment that are of common interest to the Army and Navy, as the other two branches do for the Air Force. The Air Force commonly supports the Navy in fleet engagements, providing close orbit fighter support. The USC Marine Corps is further responsible for the organizing, training, and equipment of airborne and space combined-arms teams capable of rapid deployment by the Air Force.

USC Navy

[coming soon]

USC Army

[coming soon]

USC Marine Corps

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Tactical Orbiral Defense Troopers

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Knight Operations

[coming soon]

Founded

23 May 2110

Affiliation

United Nations Federation

United Space Command

Type

Air and Space Force

Role

Air & Orbital supremacy

Planetary integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance

Rapid planetary mobility

Planetary strike

Command and control

Size

568,856 Active Duty Personnel

286,235 civilians

83,694 Reserve Personnel

25,580 Aircraft

87,954 starships

8,562 Orbital Defense Stations and satellites

Part of

United Space Command Armed Forces

• Department of the Air Force

Headquarters

The Pentagon, New Washington DC, North Carolina, USA

Motto(s)

Sore High!

Engagements

First Energy War

Martian Rebellion of 2380

Planetary War on Terror

Second Nuclear War

Jovian Conflict of 2687

Second Energy War

Outer Colonies Civil War

Human-Hivivian War

Commanders

Commander-in-Chief President Brandon Carter

Secretary of Defense Lauren Campbell

Secretary of the Air Force Jodie Davies

Chief GEN Zachary Dawson

Vice Chief Maj GEN Rafael Thomas

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force CMSAF Caroline Schifter

United Space Command Armed Forces

Executive departments

Department of Defense

Department of Planetary Security

Staff

Joint Chiefs of Command

Military departments

Department of the Army

Department of the Navy

Department of the Air Force

Military service branches

United Space Command Army

United Space Command Marine Corps

United Space Command Navy

United Space Command Air Force

Tactical Orbital Defense Troopers

Knight Operations