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Library > Fact Sheets > AFNORTH Mission
AFNORTH MISSION
Mission
With its headquarters at Tyndall Air Force Base in the community of Panama City, Fla., First Air Force (Air Forces Northern - 1AF (AFNORTH)) is one of five numbered air forces assigned to Air Combat Command.
It has sole responsibility for ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the continental United States, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. As the CONUS Region (CONR) for NORAD, the bi-national North American Aerospace Defense Command, CONR provides air defense in the form of airspace surveillance and airspace control.
1AF (AFNORTH) is also the designated air component for the U.S. Northern Command. USNORTHCOM's area of responsibility includes the continental United States, Alaska, Canada and Mexico, and its air, land and maritime approaches.
As the USNORTHCOM air component, AFNORTH is the senior agency in the United States Theater Air Control System (USTACS) and is specifically responsible for the land areas of the continental United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the surrounding seas out to approximately 500 nautical miles. When tasked, it conducts homeland defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) operations in the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility. The DSCA mission is to use air assets to defeat terrorism; support local, state, regional, and federal emergency service agencies; and protect the American people and their way of life.
Operations
Since Sept. 11, 2001, First Air Force has been the lead agency for Operation Noble Eagle in CONUS. Their continuing mission is to protect the United States from terrorist air attack from inside or outside the U.S. First Air Force accomplishes this task by providing surveillance and command and control for air defense forces 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
1AF (AFNORTH) units include the 601st Air and Space Air Operations Center, known as "America's AOC," and the 702nd Computer Support Squadron at Tyndall. CONR is further divided into two air defense sectors; the Northeast Air Defense Sector in Rome, N.Y., and the Western Air Defense Sector at McChord AFB, Wash., and also includes 9 aligned Air National Guard fighter wings. The best of USAF's aircraft inventory, the F-22 Raptor, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and the E-3 Sentry are some of the weapons systems used to perform this mission.
1AF (AFNORTH) rapidly responds to non-military threats. Under our Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) mission, the organization assists civilian agencies before and during emergencies, natural or man-made disasters and other DoD-approved activities. This role provides the ability to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage and provide humanitarian assistance where and when it is needed most in the U.S.
Operating with the 601st AOC, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) serves as the U.S. inland search and rescue coordinator and is the single agency responsible for coordinating on-land Federal searches. These search and rescue operations can be conducted anywhere in the 48 states, Mexico and Canada. The AFRCC has direct ties to the FAA alerting system and the U.S. Mission Control Center. Since its' inception in 1974, the center has recorded more than 14,000 saves. The Civil Air Patrol, flying as the USAF Auxiliary, is a significant partner in search and rescue and other DSCA missions.
Organization
First Air Force has been an Air Combat Command organization since June 1, 1992. Its subordinate units are located throughout the continental United States.
Personnel and Resources
1AF (AFNORTH) is a "Total Force" organization. Nearly 2,300 active-duty members, Guardsmen, Reservists, civilians and contractors make up the First Air Force work force in the USTACS. When mobilized, the USTACS population swells to more than 11,000 members. In total, First Air Force-gained units operate more than 180 aircraft. As many as 30 ANG fighter wings reported to this numbered air force during the early months of Operation Noble Eagle.
Aligned Wings and locations
119th Fighter Wing, Hector Field, Fargo, N.D., MQ1s, C21s
Detach. 1, 119 FW, Langley AFB, Va.
120th Fighter Wing, Great Falls IAP, Mont., F-16s
125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville IAP, Fla., F-15s
Detach. 1, 125 FW, Homestead ARS, Fla.
142nd Fighter Wing, Portland IAP, Ore., F-15s
144th Fighter Wing, Fresno ANG Base, Calif., F-16s
Detach. 1, 144 FW, March ARB, Calif.
147th Fighter Wing, Ellington ANG Base, Texas, MQ1s, C26
148th Fighter Wing, Duluth IAP, Minn., F-16s
158th Fighter Wing, Burlington IAP, Vt., F-16s
177th Fighter Wing, Atlantic City IAP, N.J., F-16s
101st Information Operations Flight, Salt Lake City IAP Utah
254th Combat Communications Group, Garland Texas
Assigned Units and Locations
Northeastern Air Defense Sector, Rome, N.Y.
Western Air Defense Sector, McChord Air Force Base, Wash.
601st Air Operations Center, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
AFELM JADOC, Bolling AFB D.C.
Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
702nd Computer Support Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
1AF Detachment 1, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
722nd Air Defense Squadron, North Bay, Canada
August 2008
AFNORTH Public Affiars
850-283-8657
AFNORTH PA Email
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