| Twenty-First Air Force | |
|---|---|
 Shield of the Twenty-First Air Force | |
| Active | 5 September 2025 - present. Previously: 18 June 1942 – 19 March 2012 (69 years, 9 months) |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Engagements | .png) World War II – American Theater |
| Decorations |  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (19x) |
| Insignia | |
| 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force emblem |  |
TheTwenty-First Air Force (21 AF) is an activenumbered air force of theUnited States Air Force. It was reactivated on September 5, 2025 during a ceremony hosted at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. It had been inactive since 2003, when it was previously designated as the21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force (21 EMTF), headquartered at theMcGuire AFB entity ofJoint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst until its inactivation in 2012. In this capacity, it was subordinate toAir Mobility Command'sEighteenth Air Force.
First created as a wing of theUnited States Army Air Forces during World War II, the unit initially ferried aircraft, but its mission soon changed to airlifting personnel and cargo.
The organization was redesignated several times, eventually becoming the Twenty-First Air Force in 1966.
In 2003, the unit was redesignated as the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, assuming responsibility for worldwide airlift operations in support ofUnited States Joint Forces Command,United States European Command, andUnited States Central Command.
In 2012, the organization was inactivated, with its subordinate units and responsibilities being transferred to theUnited States Air Force Expeditionary Center.
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The 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force (EMTF) provided a rapid, tailored, worldwide, air mobility response to combatant commander's needs. Reporting throughEighteenth Air Force, the EMTF extended existing AMC infrastructure, through both en route employment and rapid forward deployment capabilities.
Its mission was to command and assess the combat readiness of assigned air mobility forces over the Atlantic half of the globe in support of Global Reach. These forces were at more than 55 locations in eight countries. 21 EMTF's major units included six active duty wings, two operational flying groups, and two mobility operations/support groups. Additionally, the 21 EMTF was liaison to 40 Air Reserve Component Wings.
21 EMTF's strategic airlift force included theC-5 Galaxy,C-17 Globemaster III and theC-130 Hercules, aircraft, used to move cargo and passengers worldwide. The tanker force includedKC-10 Extenders andKC-135 Stratotankers used for inflight refueling to provide increased global mobility.
In addition to the Task Force's airlift and refueling mission, the89th Airlift Wing atAndrews Air Force Base, Maryland provided worldwide administrative airlift support to the President of the United States and other top government officials flying the C-20, C-21, C-32, VC-25 (Air Force One), VC-137, and UH-1 aircraft.
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The organization was first established in June 1942 as the23rd Army Air Forces Ferry Wing, ferrying aircraft before changing missions to airlift personnel and cargo the next month.[1]
UnderMilitary Air Transport Service, Eastern Transport Air Force (EASTAF), headquartered atMcGuire AFB, New Jersey, controlled all strategic airlift operations between theMississippi River and the east coast of Africa and inCentral and South America.[citation needed]
When MATS becameMilitary Airlift Command, EASTAF was redesignated Twenty-First Air Force, with the same area of responsibility. In addition toDover AFB, other major 21st AF bases wereCharleston AFB, South Carolina and McGuire AFB, NJ. Depending upon command organization at different times, airlift and airlift support units in Europe, theAzores,Bermuda and throughout the southeastern United States also reported to EASTAF or 21st AF.[citation needed]
In October 1983 Charleston AFB Security Police Airbase Ground Defense Team conducted security operations in Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury) at Point Salinas Airport. InOperation Just Cause, Twenty-first Air Force units conducted the largest night airdrop since World War II, leading to the successful seizure ofPanama. From August 1990, Twenty-first Air Force controlled the largest airlift in history, moving forces forOperation Desert Shield and, later,Operation Desert Storm. Later in the decade Twenty-First Air Force was involved in operations inBosnia and repeated deployments to the Middle East directed against Iraq.[citation needed]
The command also supported peaceful, humanitarian missions. Twenty-first Air Force units flew relief missions afterHurricane Hugo (1989) andAndrew (1992), earthquakes inArmenia and San Francisco, and many other natural disasters. In addition, it controlled theOperation Provide Comfort airlift missions to the Kurds following the Persian Gulf War, theOperation Provide Hope airlift in the aftermath of the collapse of theSoviet Union, and participated inOperation Restore Hope, the humanitarian airlift of food and supplies intoSomalia.[citation needed]
The ETF supported numerous exercises around the world, one of which was CENTRAZBAT, in which C-17's flew multi-national paratroopers non-stop fromPope AFB, North Carolina, airdropping them directly into the Central Asian countries ofUzbekistan andKazakhstan demonstrating the capabilities of direct delivery. The command could operate in remote, often austere locations throughout Europe, Africa, and South America.[citation needed]
On 1 October 2003, the 21st Air Force was redesignated as the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force and given a new mission set as a component of theEighteenth Air Force.[2] In this capacity, the organization supportedUnited States Joint Forces Command,United States European Command, andUnited States Central Command.[3]
The 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force was inactivated on 19 March 2012, with its responsibilities and subordinate units being transferred to theUnited States Air Force Expeditionary Center.[4]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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