U.S. Air Force

Fighter Squadrons

The tip of the spear. Fighter squadrons fly the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-16 Fighting Falcon. They establish air superiority so nothing else in the joint force can be touched. Not one pound of dirt has been lost to enemy air attack since 1953.

Air Superiority Since 1947 Est. 1947

AIR COMBAT COMMAND

Fighter Squadrons

F-22 / F-35 / F-15E / F-16

FIGHTING FALCON

Fighter squadrons are the core of American air dominance. F-22 Raptors own the air superiority mission with stealth and supermaneuverability. F-35A Lightning IIs fuse sensors, stealth, and precision strike into a single platform. F-15E Strike Eagles deliver heavy ordnance deep behind enemy lines. F-16 Fighting Falcons remain the most numerous fighter in the fleet. No American soldier has been killed by enemy air attack since the Korean War. Fighter squadrons are why. Read more

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Korea to Fifth Generation 1950 - Present

LOCKHEED / MARIETTA

Unmatched Air Dominance

Maneuverability

The F-22 Raptor is the world's most capable air superiority fighter. Its combination of stealth, supercruise, thrust vectoring, and advanced avionics gives it an unmatched ability to dominate the air. The 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis and the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson are the primary combat-coded F-22 units. In exercises, F-22s routinely achieve kill ratios exceeding 100:1 against fourth-generation fighters. Read more

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LOCKHEED / FORT WORTH

F-35A Lightning II

The Joint Strike Fighter

The F-35A is the Air Force's future fighter. It combines stealth, advanced sensors, and data fusion into a platform that sees everything before it is seen. The 388th and 419th Fighter Wings at Hill AFB were the first combat-coded F-35A units. Luke AFB trains 75% of F-35 pilots worldwide. RAF Lakenheath hosts the first overseas F-35 squadrons. The 325th FW at Tyndall is building out F-35 capacity. The fleet is growing and deploying globally. Read more

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41:0 KILL RATIO

Desert Storm Air-to-Air

41 Kills, Zero Losses

Air-to-Air Kills

Losses in Air Combat

Primary A-A Fighter

FIRST COMBAT USE

In Desert Storm, USAF fighters scored 41 air-to-air kills with zero losses in aerial combat. F-15C Eagles accounted for most kills using AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. The AIM-120 AMRAAM saw its first combat use. The air campaign achieved air superiority within 24 hours and maintained it for the duration. The result of decades of investment in fighter technology, Red Flag training, and Aggressor programs. The kill ratio proved the system worked. Read more

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F-22

Air Dominance

F-35

Lightning II

41:0

Desert Storm A-A

1953

Last GI Lost to Air