| Seventeenth Expeditionary Air Force | |
|---|---|
 Army GeneralWilliam E. "Kip" Ward (left), U.S. Africa Command commander, and Maj. Gen. Ronald R. Ladnier, commander of Seventeenth Air Force, unfurl the Seventeenth Air Force'sguidon during an assumption-of-command ceremony atRamstein Air Base, Germany.
Members of the Senegal 3d Infantry Brigade Honor Platoon greet 17 AF Commander Brig. Gen. Mike Callan | |
| Active | 17 April 1953 – 30 September 1996 1 October 2008 – 24 April 2012 (as Seventeenth Air Force) 21 May 2012 – 19 July 2018 |
| Country |  United States of America |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | ExpeditionaryNumbered Air Force |
| Role | Provide combat-ready air forces toU.S. European Command andU.S. Africa Command[1] |
| Part of | United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa |
| Garrison/HQ | Rabat-Sale, Morocco (1953–1956) Wheelus Air BaseLibya (1956–1959) Ramstein Air BaseWest Germany (1959–1973) Sembach Air Base Germany (1973–1996) Ramstein Air Base Germany (2008–2012) |
| Insignia | |
| Seventeenth Expeditionary Air Force emblem |  |
| Seventeenth Air Force emblem |  |
TheSeventeenth Expeditionary Air Force (17 EAF) was anumbered air force of theUnited States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base,Germany. The command served theUnited States Air Forces in Europe during 1953–1996 andUnited States Air Forces Africa during 2008–2012. Upon reactivation on 1 October 2008, it became the air and space component ofUnited States Africa Command.[2] In this capacity, Seventeenth Air Force was referred to as U.S. Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA). 17 AF was reformed in April 2012 to become the 17th Expeditionary Air Force, sharing a commander and headquarters with theThird Air Force.[1][3][4] As of March 2022, the Third Air Force isUSAFE-AFAFRICA's sole numbered air force, with the 17 EAF having been inactivated in July 2018.[5][6]
Seventeenth Air Force housed the traditionalA-staff and special staff functions which are responsible for developing strategy and plans to execute air and space operations in support of U.S. Africa Command objectives. In addition, 17 AF housed the "tailored"617th Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) which provided command and control capabilities for the planning and execution of aerial missions on the African continent. Seventeenth Air Force also had a collaborative relationship with the110th Air Operations Group,Michigan Air National Guard.
The establishment of theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, increased USAFE's responsibilities. Seventeenth Air Force was thus established on 17 April 1953 and then activated on 25 April 1953 atRabat, Morocco. The 316th Air Division was part of the 17th AF and headquartered at Site 11 outside Sale across from the French Airbase in the Cork forest. Seventeenth Air Force operated throughout North Africa, Portugal, Austria, the Middle East, Pakistan, India, Ceylon and the Mediterranean islands. Seventeenth Air Force had been solely assigned to U.S. Air Forces, Europe, throughout its existence.
Seventeenth Air Force was moved toWheelus Air Base, Libya, on 1 August 1956 as the command expanded into Italy, Greece, and Turkey. The command exchanged its support mission for the defensive and offensive air missions in Central Europe in 1959.
The headquarters was then relocated in November 1959 toRamstein AB, West Germany. At Ramstein, Seventeenth Air Force exchanged its support mission in the southern region for the defensive and offensive air mission in central Europe. The command's inventory included more than 500 tactical and 150 support aircraft operating from bases in West Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy. After the 1961 Berlin Crisis and a USAFE headquarters reorganization, 17 AF assumed responsibility for five bases in Great Britain fromThird Air Force.
During the 1972 USAFE reorganization, CINCUSAFE moved his headquarters across Germany fromLindsey Air Station to Ramstein Air Base. To accommodate USAFE HQ, 17 AF relocated toSembach Air Base, West Germany, in October 1972.
In the 1980s, Seventeenth Air Force saw the number of its subordinate units almost double. Its area of responsibility included three of theGround Launched Cruise Missile sites in Europe. In 1985, for the first time ever, Seventeenth Air Force brought together all European-based electronic warfare aircraft under a single command when it activated the65th Air Division and the66th Electronic Combat Wing at Sembach Air Base.[7] All of these units were inactivated in the early 1990s.
The air bases at Hahn, Bitburg, Wiesbaden and Zweibrücken were closed by USAFE and turned over to the German government in 1993 and Soesterberg to the Dutch government in 1994. Rhein-Main was closed at the end of 2005, its logistics missions being transferred to Ramstein and Spangdahlem.
Seventeenth Air Force was inactivated effective 30 September 1996, due to reductions in force after theCold War.
At the end of theCold War Seventeenth Air Force consisted of the following units, which in case of war with theWarsaw Pact would have come underFourth Allied Tactical Air Force:
It was announced on 12 September 2008 that Seventeenth Air Force would be reactivated, to be headquartered atRamstein Air Base, located west ofKaiserslautern in the German federal state ofRhineland-Palatinate.[16] It was to form part ofUnited States Africa Command. The stand-up ceremony occurred on 18 September 2008, under the command of Major GeneralRon Ladnier. It was officially reactivated by the Air Force on 1 October 2008. In this capacity, it was subordinate to the United States Air Forces in Europe, and be referred to by its componency name:Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA).
Air Forces Africa conducts sustained security engagement and operations as directed to promote air safety, security and development on the African continent. Through Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) events, Air Forces Africa carries outU.S. Africa Command's policy of seeking long-term partnership with the African Union and regional organizations as well as individual states on the continent. The409th Air Expeditionary Group supervised drone reconnaissance and possibly strike operations, including fromArba Minch in Ethiopia. AFAFRICA works with theState Department and theU.S. Agency for International Development, to assist African states in developing their national and regional security institutions to promote security and stability and facilitate development.
AFAFRICA includes at least two air expeditionary groups. The449th Air Expeditionary Group,Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti provides combat search and rescue for theCombined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa. It consists of HC-130Ps from the81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, and pararescuemen from the82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron.The404th Air Expeditionary Group is co-located with AFAFRICA at Ramstein. During contingency operations, the group forward-deploys to facilitate air and support operations for varied missions on the continent, ranging from humanitarian airlift to presidential support. The 404 AEG deployed to Rwanda in January 2009 to provide airlift for peacekeeping equipment in support of the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur. In July 2009, the 404 AEG deployed to Ghana to provide aerial port and aircraft maintenance teams, along with forward communications, early warning and air domain safety and security elements for U.S. President Barack Obama's visit.
In June 2010,Brigadier GeneralMargaret H. Woodward took command of Seventeenth Air Force.[17][18] Seventeenth Air Force directed the U.S. air involvement in the2011 military intervention in Libya, dubbedOperation Odyssey Dawn, before command of the whole operation was transferred to NATO.[18]
As of 13 January 2010, the Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley announced that the 617th AOC will be consolidated with the603d Air and Space Operations Center (according to AFA reporting).
Seventeenth Air Force was inactivated in April 2012 as part of an Air Force cost savings effort.[19]United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) assumed the former staff functions of Seventeenth Air Force, while theThird Air Force and the603d Air and Space Operations Center (603 AOC) assumed responsibility for USAFRICOM air operations, with the 603 AOC absorbing the former 617th Air Operations Center.[20]
It was redesignated as the Seventeenth Expeditionary Air Force, reactivated, and assigned toUnited States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa from May 2012 until July 2018.[6]
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