View source for United States Armed Forces

{{Short description|Combined military forces of the United States}}
{{Redirect|US Forces|the Midnight Oil song|US Forces (song)}}
{{Pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox national military
| country = United States
| name = United States Armed Forces
| image = <!--DO NOT CHANGE THE ORDER OF THESE IMAGES - THEY ARE LISTED IN ORDER OF SERVICE BRANCH SENIORITY-->[[File:Military service mark of the United States Army.svg|90px]] [[File:Emblem of the United States Marine Corps.svg|90px]] [[File:Emblem of the United States Navy.svg|90px]] [[File:Military service mark of the United States Air Force.svg|90px]] [[File:United States Space Force emblem.png|90px]] [[File:Seal of the United States Coast Guard.svg|90px]]
| alt =
| caption = Emblems of the U.S. Armed Forces service branches
| image2 = 
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| motto = 
| founded = {{Start date and age|1775|06|14|df=yes}}{{efn|With the establishment of the [[Continental Army]].}}
| current_form =
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE HERE OR ELSEWHERE IN THE ARTICLE. Please read the talk page as to why. -->
| branches = {{plainlist|
* {{Army|United States|name=U.S. Army|size=25px}}
* {{Marines|United States|name=U.S. Marine Corps|size=25px}}
* {{Navy|United States|name=U.S. Navy|size=25px}}
* {{Air force|United States|name=U.S. Air Force|size=25px}}
* {{Space force|United States|name=U.S. Space Force|size=25px}}
* {{Coast guard|United States|name=U.S. Coast Guard|size=25px}}
}}
| headquarters = [[The Pentagon]], Arlington County, Virginia
| website = {{URL|https://www.defense.gov/about/|defense.gov}}<br>{{URL|https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components|dhs.gov}}
<!-- Leadership -->
| commander-in-chief = {{Flagicon image|Flag of the President of the United States of America.svg|size=25px}} [[President of the United States|President]] [[Joe Biden]]
| commander-in-chief_title = [[Commander-in-Chief of the United States|Commander-in-Chief]]
| chief minister = {{Flagicon image|USSecDefflag.svg|size=25px}} [[Lloyd Austin]]
| chief minister_title = [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]]
| minister = {{Flagicon image|Flag of the United States Secretary of Homeland Security.svg|size=25px}} [[Alejandro Mayorkas]]
| minister_title = [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|Secretary of Homeland Security]]
| commander = {{Flagicon image|Flag of the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.svg|size=25px}} [[General (United States)|GEN]] [[Charles Q. Brown Jr.]], [[United States Air Force|USAF]]
{{Infobox |child=yes
| label1 = [[Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]
| data1 = {{Flagicon image|VJCSflag.svg|size=25px}} [[Admiral (United States)|ADM]] [[Christopher W. Grady]], [[United States Navy|USN]]
| label2 = [[Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman]]
| data2 = {{Flagicon image|Flag of the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman.svg|size=25px}} [[Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman|SEAC]] [[Troy E. Black]], [[United States Marine Corps|USMC]] 
}}
| commander_title = [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]
<!-- Manpower -->
| age = 17 with parental consent, 18 for voluntary service.{{efn|Maximum age for first-time enlistment is 35 for the Army,<ref name="goarmy.com">{{cite web|title=Common Questions About Eligibility and Requirements|url=https://www.goarmy.com/how-to-join/requirements.html |website=Goarmy.com|access-date=10 November 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110141651/https://www.goarmy.com/how-to-join/requirements.html|archive-date=10 November 2023}}</ref> 28 for the Marine Corps,<ref name="marines.com">{{cite web|title=General Requirements|url=https://www.marines.com/become-a-marine/requirements/general.html|website=Marines.com|access-date=10 November 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110142055/https://www.marines.com/become-a-marine/requirements/general.html|archive-date=10 November 2023}}</ref> 41 for the Navy,<ref name="navy.com">{{cite web|title=Requirements to Join|url=https://www.navy.com/joining/requirements|website=Navy.com|access-date=10 November 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110143355/https://www.navy.com/joining/requirements|archive-date=10 November 2023}}</ref> 42 for the Air Force,<ref name="airforce.com">{{cite web|title=Join the Active Duty Air Force|url=https://www.airforce.com/how-to-join/join-the-air-force|website=Airforce.com|access-date=10 November 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110143643/https://www.airforce.com/how-to-join/join-the-air-force|archive-date=10 November 2023}}</ref> 42 for the Space Force,<ref name="spaceforce.com">{{cite web|title=Join as Enlisted|url=https://www.spaceforce.com/how-to-join/enlisted-guardians|website=Spaceforce.com|access-date=10 November 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110144212/https://www.spaceforce.com/how-to-join/enlisted-guardians|archive-date=10 November 2023}}</ref> and 42 for the Coast Guard.<ref name="uscg.mil">{{cite web|title=Coast Guard removes barriers to boost recruiting|url=https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/3208270/coast-guard-removes-barriers-to-boost-recruiting/|website=MyCG|access-date=10 November 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608005138/https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/3208270/coast-guard-removes-barriers-to-boost-recruiting/|archive-date=8 June 2023}}</ref>}}
| conscription = [[Conscription in the United States|Only males register at age 18 (conscription inactive since 1973)]]
| manpower_age = 18–25
| available = 15 million (2021)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sss.gov/about/ | title=About Selective Service }}</ref>
| available_f =
| fit =
| fit_f =
| active = 1,328,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11994|title=FY2023 NDAA: Active Component EndStrength|date=23 August 2022|access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref>
| ranked = 3rd
| reserve = 799,500<ref name="House Appropriations">{{cite web|url=https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2022-defense-funding-bill|title=Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2022 Defense Funding Bill|date=29 June 2021|access-date=3 August 2021|archive-date=12 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012054629/https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2022-defense-funding-bill|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<!-- Financial -->
| amount = [[Military budget of the United States|$816.7 billion (2023)]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3252968/biden-signs-national-defense-authorization-act-into-law/ | title=Biden Signs National Defense Authorization Act into Law }}</ref> ([[List of countries by military expenditures|ranked 1st]])
| percent_GDP = 3.47% (2022)<ref name="NATO">{{cite web |title=Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2012–2022) |url=https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2022/6/pdf/220627-def-exp-2022-en.pdf|date=27 June 2022|publisher=NATO Public Diplomacy Division|access-date=13 March 2023}}</ref>
<!-- Industrial -->
| domestic_suppliers = [[List of United States defense contractors|List]]
| foreign_suppliers = {{flag|United Kingdom}}<br>{{flag|Germany}}<br>{{flag|Netherlands}}<br>{{flag|France}}<br>{{flag|Israel}}<br>{{flag|Italy}}<br>{{flag|Sweden}}<br>{{flag|Australia}}<br>{{flag|Japan}}<br>{{flag|Jordan}}<br>{{flag|Spain}}<br>{{flag|Norway}}<br>{{flag|Switzerland}}<br>{{flag|Singapore}}<br>{{flag|South Africa}}<br>{{flag|Czech Republic}}<br>{{flag|Canada}}<br>{{flag|South Korea}}<br>{{flag|Brazil}}<br>{{flag|Bulgaria}}
| imports = US$652.6 million (2014–2022)<ref name="SIPRI_US"/>
| exports = US$28.50 billion (2014–2022)<ref name="SIPRI_US">{{cite web|url=https://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/values.php|title=TIV of arms imports/exports from United States, 2014–2022|date=26 January 2024|work=[[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]]}}</ref> 
<!-- Related aricles -->
| history = [[Military history of the United States]]<br />[[:Category:Wars involving the United States|Warfare directory of the United States]]<br />[[List of wars involving the United States|Conflicts involving the United States]]<br />[[:Category:Battles involving the United States|Battles involving the United States]]
| ranks = <!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE HERE OR ELSEWHERE IN THE ARTICLE. Please read the talk page as to why. --> {{plainlist}}
* '''Commissioned officer'''
** [[United States Army officer rank insignia|Army officer]]
** [[United States Marine Corps rank insignia|Marine Corps officer]]
** [[United States Navy officer rank insignia|Navy officer]]
** [[United States Air Force officer rank insignia|Air Force officer]]
** [[United States Space Force rank insignia#Officer insignia|Space Force officer]]
** [[United States Coast Guard officer rank insignia|Coast Guard officer]]
* '''Warrant officer'''
** [[Army Field Clerk|Army warrant officer]]
** [[Marine gunner|Marine Corps warrant officer]]
** [[Warrant officer (United States)#Navy|Navy warrant officer]]
** [[Warrant officer (United States)#Air Force|Air Force warrant officer]]
** [[Warrant officer (United States)#Coast Guard|Coast Guard warrant officer]]
* '''Enlisted'''
** [[United States Army enlisted rank insignia|Army enlisted]]
** [[United States Marine Corps rank insignia|Marine Corps enlisted]]
** [[List of United States Navy enlisted rates|Navy enlisted]]
** [[United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia|Air Force enlisted]]
** [[United States Space Force rank insignia#Enlisted insignia|Space Force enlisted]]
** [[List of United States Coast Guard enlisted ranks|Coast Guard enlisted]]
{{endplainlist}}
}}

The '''United States Armed Forces''' are the [[Military|military forces]] of the [[United States]].<ref>As stated on the [http://www.navy.mil/submit/view_styleguide.asp?sort=A official U.S. Navy website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629064644/http://www.navy.mil/submit/view_styleguide.asp?sort=A |date=29 June 2011 }}, "armed forces" is capitalized when preceded by "United States" or "U.S."</ref> The armed forces consist of six [[Military branch|service branches]]: the [[United States Army|Army]], [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]], [[United States Navy|Navy]], [[United States Air Force|Air Force]], [[United States Space Force|Space Force]], and [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]].<ref>{{uscsub|10|101|a|4}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/explore/story/Article/2046035/trump-signs-law-establishing-us-space-force/|title=Trump Signs Law Establishing U.S. Space Force|website=U.S. Department of Defense |first1=Jim |last1=Garamone |date=Dec 20, 2019 |access-date=21 December 2019}}</ref> All six armed services are among the eight [[uniformed services of the United States]], along with the [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps]] and the [[NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps]].

Each of the different military services is assigned a role and domain. The Army conducts land operations. The Navy and Marine Corps conduct maritime operations, the Marine Corps specializing in amphibious and maritime littoral operations primarily for supporting the Navy. The Air Force conducts air operations. The Space Force conducts space operations. The Coast Guard is unique in that it specializes in maritime operations and is also a [[Law enforcement in the United States|law enforcement]] agency.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/About/Our-Forces/|title=Our Forces|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref><ref name="auto5">{{Cite web |date=17 September 2020 |title=DIRECTIVE Functions of the Department of Defense and Its Major Components |url=https://www.esd.whs.mil/portals/54/documents/dd/issuances/dodd/510001p.pdf |access-date=8 August 2023 |website=Department of Defense}}</ref>

From their inception during the American Revolutionary War, the U.S. Armed Forces have played a decisive role in [[History of the United States|the country's history]]. They helped forge a sense of national unity and identity through victories in the early-19th-century [[First Barbary War|First]] and [[Second Barbary War]]s. They played a critical role in the [[Territorial evolution of the United States|territorial evolution of the U.S.]], including the American Civil War. The [[National Security Act of 1947]] created the modern U.S. military framework, establishing the [[National Military Establishment]] (later the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] or DoD) headed by the [[United States Secretary of Defense|secretary of defense]] and creating both the U.S. Air Force and [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]]; in 1949, an amendment to the act merged the cabinet-level departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into the DoD.<ref>Kinnard, Douglas. "The Secretary of Defense in Retrospect." The Secretary of Defense. Lexington: University of Kentucky, 1980. 192–93. Print.</ref>

The [[president of the U.S.]] is the [[Commander-in-Chief of the United States|commander-in-chief]] of the armed forces and forms military policy with the DoD and [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]] (DHS), both [[United States federal executive departments|federal executive departments]], acting as the principal organs by which military policy is carried out.

The U.S. Armed Forces are one of the world's [[List of countries by number of military and paramilitary personnel|largest military forces]] in terms of personnel. They draw their personnel from a large pool of professional [[Volunteer military|volunteers]]. The U.S. has used military [[Conscription in the United States|conscription]], but not since 1973. The [[Selective Service System]] retains the power to conscript males, requiring the registration of all male citizens and residents of the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 25.

The U.S. Armed Forces are considered the world's most powerful military, especially since the end of the [[Cold War]].<ref name="CreditSuisse2015">{{cite report|url=http://publications.credit-suisse.com/tasks/render/file/index.cfm?fileid=EE7A6A5D-D9D5-6204-E9E6BB426B47D054|title=The End of Globalization or a more Multipolar World?|publisher=[[Credit Suisse]] AG |first1=Michael|last1=O’Sullivan|first2=Krithika |last2=Subramanian|date=17 October 2015|access-date=14 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215235711/http://publications.credit-suisse.com/tasks/render/file/index.cfm?fileid=EE7A6A5D-D9D5-6204-E9E6BB426B47D054|archive-date=15 February 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The military expenditure of the U.S. was US$916&nbsp;billion in 2023, the highest in the world, accounting for [[List of countries by military expenditures|37% of the world's defense expenditures]].'''''<ref name="SIPRI-2020">{{Cite web |date=April 2024 |title=Trends in Military Expenditure 2023 |url=https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/2404_fs_milex_2023.pdf#page=2 |access-date=22 April 2024 |publisher=[[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]]}}</ref>''''' The U.S. Armed Forces has significant capabilities in both defense and [[power projection]] due to its large budget, resulting in advanced and powerful technologies which enable widespread deployment of the force around the world, including around [[List of United States military bases|800 military bases outside the U.S.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acq.osd.mil/ie/download/bsr/CompletedBSR2015-Final.pdf |title=Department of Defense {{!}} Base Structure Report {{!}} FY 2015 Baseline|date=5 September 2015 |access-date=18 October 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905060541/http://www.acq.osd.mil/ie/download/bsr/CompletedBSR2015-Final.pdf|archive-date=5 September 2015}}</ref> 

The U.S. Air Force is the world's largest air force, followed by the [[United States Army Aviation Branch|U.S. Army Aviation Branch]]. The [[Commander, Naval Air Forces|U.S. Naval Air Forces]] is the fourth-largest air arm in the world and is the largest [[naval aviation]] service, while [[United States Marine Corps Aviation|U.S. Marine Corps Aviation]] is the world's seventh-largest air arm. The U.S. Navy is the world's largest navy by [[tonnage]].<ref>
{{cite web |title='15 Fascinating Facts You Never Learned About America' – Reader's digest |url=http://www.rd.com/culture/america-fascinating-facts/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401223607/http://www.rd.com/culture/america-fascinating-facts/ |archive-date=1 April 2017 |access-date=11 April 2017 |publisher=rd.com}}
</ref> The U.S. Coast Guard is the world's 12th-largest maritime force.<ref>{{cite web |title=Coast Guard Organization and Administration, Chapter One |url=http://www.uscg.mil/INTERNATIONAL/affairs/Publications/MMSCode/english/Chap1.htm|access-date=7 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103063142/http://www.uscg.mil/INTERNATIONAL/affairs/Publications/MMSCode/english/Chap1.htm|archive-date=3 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|Military history of the United States|History of the United States Army|l2=History of the Army|History of the United States Marine Corps|l3=Marine Corps|History of the United States Navy|l4=Navy|History of the United States Air Force|l5=Air Force|History of the United States Space Force|l6=Space Force|History of the United States Coast Guard|l7=Coast Guard}}

The history of the U.S. Armed Forces dates back to 14 June 1775, with the creation of the [[Continental Army]], even before the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] marked the establishment of the United States.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=1775 |url=https://www.army.mil/1775/ |access-date=18 April 2022 |website=U.S. Army }}</ref> The [[Continental Navy]], established on 13 October 1775, and [[Continental Marines]], established on 10 November 1775, were created in close succession by the [[Second Continental Congress]] in order to defend the new nation against the [[British Empire]] in the American Revolutionary War.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Birth of the U.S. Navy |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/origins-of-the-navy/birth-of-the-us-navy.html |date=Dec 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209034256/https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/origins-of-the-navy/birth-of-the-us-navy.html |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |website=U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Resolution Establishing the Continental Marines |url=https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Frequently-Requested-Topics/Historical-Documents-Orders-and-Speeches/Resolution-Establishing-the-Continental-Marines/ |access-date=18 April 2022 |website=Marine Corps University |date=10 November 1775 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418235155/https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Frequently-Requested-Topics/Historical-Documents-Orders-and-Speeches/Resolution-Establishing-the-Continental-Marines/  |archive-date= April 18, 2022 }}</ref>

These forces demobilized in 1784 after the [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]] ended the Revolutionary War. The [[Congress of the Confederation]] created the current [[United States Army]] on 3 June 1784.<ref name=":4" /> The [[United States Congress]] created the current [[United States Navy]] on 27 March 1794 and the current [[United States Marine Corps]] on 11 July 1798.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Brief History of the United States Marine Corps |url=https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Brief-Histories/Brief-History-of-the-United-States-Marine-Corps/ |access-date=18 April 2022 |website=Marine Corps University }}</ref> All three services trace their origins to their respective Continental predecessors. The 1787 adoption of the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] gave [[United States Congress|Congress]] the power to "raise and support armies," to "provide and maintain a navy", and to "make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces", as well as the power to [[Declaration of war by the United States|declare war]]. The President of the United States is the United States Armed Forces' [[commander-in-chief]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Power to Declare War  |url=https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/War-Powers/ |access-date=18 April 2022 |website=US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives }}</ref>

The [[United States Coast Guard]] traces its origin to the formation of the [[Revenue Cutter Service]] on 4 August 1790, which merged with the [[United States Life-Saving Service]] on 28 January 1915 to establish the Coast Guard.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Time Line 1700 – 1800 |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/Complete-Time-Line/Time-Line-1700-1800/ |access-date=19 April 2022 |website=www.history.uscg.mil}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Time Line 1900's – 2000's |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/Complete-Time-Line/Time-Line-1900-2000/ |access-date=19 April 2022 |website=www.history.uscg.mil}}</ref> The [[United States Air Force]] was established as an independent service on 18 September 1947; it traces its origin to the formation of the [[Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps]], which was formed 1 August 1907 and was part of the [[United States Army Air Forces|Army Air Forces]] before being recognized as an independent service in the National Security Act of 1947.<ref>{{Cite web |website=Air Force News |date=21 November 2017 |title=Air Force History |url=https://www.military.com/air-force-birthday/air-force-history.html |access-date=19 April 2022}}</ref> 

The [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps]] was formerly considered to be a branch of the United States Armed Forces from 29 July 1945 until 3 July 1952, and is now one of the eight uniformed services of the United States.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 August 2016 |url=https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/vso/veterans-preference-and-wartime-service#8 |title=Veterans Preference and "Wartime" Service |access-date=20 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621221456/https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/vso/veterans-preference-and-wartime-service#8 |archive-date=21 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Should it be called into active duty again, it would constitute a seventh branch of the Armed Forces.<ref name="crs">{{Cite web |url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10550 |title=Defense Primer: The Military Departments |date=2023-01-09 |accessdate=2024-07-04 |language=en-US |publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]] |first=Alan |last=Ott}}</ref>

The [[United States Space Force]] was established as an independent service on 20 December 2019. It is the sixth branch of the U.S. military and the first new branch in 72 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/USSpaceForceDoD/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARCv5bxQxz9QMM5ZPYFZoeVpS2-x_IUaiLhEShloFBFWb45cy1FWp5DgsJCSd-dcjt0yQdmhSqbsRbgE |title=United States Space Force Facebook Page|website=Facebook|date=20 December 2019}}</ref> The origin of the Space Force can be traced back to the [[Air Force Space Command]], which was formed 1 September 1982 and was a [[List of major commands of the United States Air Force|major command]] of the United States Air Force.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Space Operations Command |url=https://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/About-Space-Operations-Command |access-date=18 April 2022 |website=Spoc.SpaceForce.mil }}</ref>

The U.S. Congressional Research Office annually publishes a ''[[List of Notable Deployments of U.S. Military Forces Overseas]]'' since 1798.<ref>[https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=R42738 Versions of Report # R42738], U.S. Congressional Research Service</ref>

==Structure==
Presidential command over the U.S. Armed Forces is established in [[Article Two of the United States Constitution|Article II]] in the Constitution whereby the president is named as the "[[Commander-in-Chief of the United States|Commander in Chief]] of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2nd Article of the U.S. Constitution |url=https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/article/article-ii |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=National Constitution Center – The 2nd Article of the U.S. Constitution }}</ref> The United States Armed Forces are split between two cabinet departments, with the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] serving as the primary cabinet department for military affairs and the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]] responsible for administering the [[United States Coast Guard]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Operational and Support Components {{!}} Homeland Security |url=https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=www.dhs.gov}}</ref>

The military chain of command flows from the President of the United States to the secretary of defense (for services under the Defense Department) or secretary of homeland security (for services under the Department of Homeland Security), ensuring [[civilian control of the military]]. Within the Department of Defense, the military departments ([[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]], [[United States Department of the Navy]], and [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]]) are civilian led entities that oversee the coequal military service branches organized within each department. The military departments and services are responsible for organizing, training, and equipping forces, with the actual chain of command flowing through the [[unified combatant commands]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Organization and Management of the Department of Defense |url=https://irp.fas.org/agency/dod/org-man.pdf |access-date=18 April 2022}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>

[[File:Space Force Leader to Become 8th Member of Joint Chiefs (3).jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|The Joint Chiefs of Staff in December 2020]]
The [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], although outside the operational chain of command, is the senior-most military body in the United States Armed Forces. It is led by the [[chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]], who is the military head of the armed forces and principal advisor to the president and secretary of defense on military matters. Their deputy is the [[Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]. Other members include the [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|chief of staff of the Army]], [[Commandant of the United States Marine Corps|commandant of the Marine Corps]], [[chief of naval operations]], [[Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force|chief of staff of the Air Force]], [[Chief of Space Operations|chief of space operations]], and the [[chief of the National Guard Bureau]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bmlc.org/wp-content/uploads/Face-Charts-DoD.pdf|title=DoD Key Leadership Face Charts}}</ref> The [[commandant of the Coast Guard]] is not an official member of the Joint Chiefs, but sometimes attends meetings as one of the military service chiefs. The [[Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman|senior enlisted advisor to the chairman]] is the most senior enlisted member in the United States Armed Forces.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/august/time-coast-guard-join-joint-chiefs|title=Time for the Coast Guard to Join the Joint Chiefs|date=1 August 2020|website=U.S. Naval Institute}}</ref>

Leadership of the Armed Forces, to include the president of the United States, the [[United States Secretary of Defense|secretary of defense]], the [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|secretary of Homeland Security]] and [[chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] are members of the [[United States National Security Council]], which advises the president on national security, military, and foreign policy matters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Security Council |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/ |access-date=20 April 2022 |website=The White House }}</ref> The [[National Security Advisor (United States)|national security advisor]], the [[Homeland Security Advisor|homeland security advisor]], and the [[Deputy National Security Advisor (United States)|deputy national security advisor]] may also be members of the United States Armed Forces.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 February 2017 |title=An Active-Duty National Security Advisor: Myths and Concerns |url=https://warontherocks.com/2017/02/an-active-duty-national-security-advisor-myths-and-concerns/ |access-date=20 April 2022 |website=War on the Rocks }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Geller |first=Eric |title=Trump names Coast Guard official as new homeland security adviser |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/01/trump-homeland-security-adviser-doug-fears-617963 |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Politico |date=June 2018 }}</ref> The [[National Security Council Deputies Committee]] also includes the [[United States Deputy Secretary of Defense|deputy secretary of defense]], [[United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security|deputy secretary of homeland security]], and [[Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 February 2021 |title=Memorandum on Renewing the National Security Council System |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/04/memorandum-renewing-the-national-security-council-system/ |access-date=20 April 2022 |website=The White House }}</ref> Military leadership, including the secretary of defense, the secretary of Homeland Security, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also sit on the [[National Space Council]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 December 2021 |title=Executive Order on the National Space Council |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/01/executive-order-on-the-national-space-council/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=The White House }}</ref>

===Unified combatant commands===
{{main|Unified combatant command}}
[[File:GCCMAP 2019.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Unified combatant commands areas of responsibility]]
Unified combatant commands are joint military commands consisting of forces from multiple military departments, with their chain of command flowing from the president, to the secretary of defense, to the commanders of the combatant commands. Each service organizes, trains, and equips forces that are then presented to the unified combatant commands through service component commands. Special Operations Command and Cyber Command also present theater special operations commands or joint force headquarters – cyber to other combatant commanders. Army components are typically dual-hatted as the [[Joint Force Land Component Commander|joint force land component]], Navy components are typically dual-hatted as the [[Joint Force Maritime Component Commander|joint force maritime component]], and Air Force components are typically dual-hatted as the [[Joint Force Air Component Commander|joint force air component]], with the theater special operations command dual-hatted as the joint force special operations component, and Space Force component typically dual-hatted as the joint force space component.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp1_ch1.pdf |title=Joint Publication 1: Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States |publisher=Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Military |date=25 March 2013 |access-date=28 September 2021 |archive-date=28 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028213359/https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp1_ch1.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
!Subunified commands
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Africa Command.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Africa Command|U.S. Africa Command]] (USAFRICOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in Africa.
|[[Kelley Barracks]], Germany
|
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Central Command.png|75px]]
|[[United States Central Command|U.S. Central Command]] (USCENTCOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia.
|[[MacDill Air Force Base]], Florida
|
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Cyber Command.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Cyber Command|U.S. Cyber Command]] (USCYBERCOM)
|Conduct U.S. military cyber operations.
|[[Fort Meade]], Maryland
|[[File:Cyber National Mission Force Emblem.png|35px]] [[Cyber National Mission Force]]
|-
|[[File:USEUCOM.svg|75px]]
|[[United States European Command|U.S. European Command]] (USEUCOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in Europe.
|[[Patch Barracks]], Germany
|
|-
|[[File:US Indo-Pacific Command Seal.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Indo-Pacific Command|U.S. Indo-Pacific Command]] (USINDOPACOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in the Indo-Pacific.
|[[Camp H. M. Smith]], Hawaii
|{{Plainlist|
*[[File:Seal of the USFJ.svg|35px]] [[United States Forces Japan|U.S. Forces Japan]]
*[[File:USFK Logo.svg|35px]] [[United States Forces Korea|U.S. Forces Korea]]
}}
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Northern Command.png|75px]]
|[[United States Northern Command|U.S. Northern Command]] (USNORTHCOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in North America and homeland defense operations.
|[[Peterson Space Force Base]], Colorado
|[[File:Alaskan Command.jpg|35px]] [[Alaskan Command]]
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Southern Command.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Southern Command|U.S. Southern Command]] (USSOUTHCOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
|Doral, Florida
|
|-
|[[File:United States Space Command emblem 2019.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Space Command|U.S. Space Command]] (USSPACECOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in outer space.
|[[Peterson Space Force Base]], Colorado
|
|-
|[[File:United States Special Operations Command Insignia.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Special Operations Command|U.S. Special Operations Command]] (USSOCOM)
|Develops and employs special operations forces. 
|[[MacDill Air Force Base]], Florida
|{{Plainlist|
*[[File:Seal of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).svg|35px]] [[Joint Special Operations Command]]
*[[File:USAE SOCAFRICA CSIB.jpeg|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Africa]]
*[[File:Special Operations Command, Central (U.S. Army Element) CSIB.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Central]]
*[[File:High Res SOCEUR Patch copy.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Europe]]
*[[File:Special Operations Command, Korea (U.S. Army Element) CSIB.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Korea]]
*[[File:USAE Special Operations Command North SSI 2014-04-25.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command North]]
*[[File:Special Operations Command, Pacific (U.S. Army Element) CSIB.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Pacific]]
*[[File:Special Operations Command, South (U.S. Army Element) CSIB.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command South]]
}}
|-
|[[File:US Strategic Command Emblem.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Strategic Command|U.S. Strategic Command]] (USSTRATCOM)
|Conduct strategic deterrence, nuclear operations, nuclear command, control, and communications, joint electromagnetic spectrum operations, and global strike.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stratcom.mil/About/|title=About|website=U.S. Strategic Command |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004041841/https://www.stratcom.mil/about/ |archive-date= Oct 4, 2023 }}</ref>
|[[Offutt Air Force Base]], Nebraska
|
|-
|[[File:US-TRANSCOM-Emblem.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Transportation Command|U.S. Transportation Command]] (USTRANSCOM)
|Conduct globally integrated mobility operations.
|[[Scott Air Force Base]], Illinois
|
|}

===Combat support agencies===
{{main|combat support agency}}
[[Combat support agency|Combat support agencies]] are Department of Defense agencies with combat support missions that service operating forces planning or conducting military operations. This includes support during conflict or in the conduct of other military activities related to countering threats to U.S. national security. This mission is focused on providing support to echelons at the CCMD level and below and may not encompass the full scope of the CSA's mission.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 27, 2013 |title=Combat Support Agencies (CSAs) |id=3000.06 |url=https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/300006p.pdf |access-date=8 August 2023 |website=Department of Defense}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
|-
|[[File:Seal of the Defense Contract Management Agency.svg|75px]]
|[[Defense Contract Management Agency]] (DCMA)
|Provide contract administration services for the Department of Defense.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dcma.mil/About-Us/|title=About Us|website=Defense Contract Management Agency |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011201858/https://www.dcma.mil/About-Us/ |archive-date= Oct 11, 2023 }}</ref>
|[[Fort Gregg-Adams]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:US Defense Health Agency seal.png|75px]]
|[[Defense Health Agency]] (DHA)
|Provide and augment medical capabilities for combatant commands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Health-Readiness|title=Health Readiness & Combat Support|website=Military Health System |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231011201858/https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Health-Readiness |archive-date= Oct 11, 2023 }}</ref>
|Falls Church, Virginia
|-
|[[File:DISA Seal.png|75px]]
|[[Defense Information Systems Agency]] (DISA)
|Provide, operate and assure command, control, information-sharing capabilities.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.disa.mil/about/our-work | title=Our Work |website=Defense Information Systems Agency |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127125351/https://www.disa.mil/About/Our-Work |archive-date= Nov 27, 2023 }}</ref>
|[[Fort Meade]], Maryland
|-
|[[File:Seal of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.svg|75px]]
|[[Defense Intelligence Agency]] (DIA)
|Provide military intelligence to warfighters, defense policymakers and force planners in the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, in support of U.S. military planning and operations and weapon systems acquisition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dia.mil/About/|title=About DIA|website=www.dia.mil}}</ref>
|[[Defense Intelligence Agency Headquarters]], [[Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling]], Washington D.C.
|-
|[[File:Seal of the Defense Logistics Agency.png|75px]]
|[[Defense Logistics Agency]] (DLA)
|Manages the end-to-end global defense supply chain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dla.mil/About-DLA/|title=About the Defense Logistics Agency|website=www.dla.mil}}</ref>
|[[Fort Belvoir]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:US-DefenseThreatReductionAgency-Seal.svg|75px]]
|[[Defense Threat Reduction Agency]] (DTRA)
|Identify, develop, and field solutions to counter weapons of mass destruction and emerging threats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dtra.mil/About/|title=About Us|website=www.dtra.mil}}</ref>
|[[Fort Belvoir]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:US-NationalGeospatialIntelligenceAgency-2008Seal.svg|75px]]
|[[National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency]] (NGA)
|Delivers geospatial intelligence to policymakers, military service members, intelligence professionals and first responders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nga.mil/about/About_Us.html|title=About Us &#124; National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency|website=www.nga.mil}}</ref>
|[[Fort Belvoir]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:Seal of the U.S. National Security Agency.svg|75px]] [[File:Css-insignia-lg.png|75px]]
|[[National Security Agency]] / [[Central Security Service]] (NSA/CSS)
|Provides timely and accurate cryptologic support, knowledge, and assistance to the military cryptologic community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsa.gov/about/central-security-service/|title=National Security Agency/Central Security Service > About > Central Security Service|website=www.nsa.gov}}</ref> Provide actionable signals intelligence and cybersecurity support to the Armed Forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsa.gov/About/Mission-Combat-Support/|title=National Security Agency Mission and Combat Support|website=www.nsa.gov}}</ref>
|[[Fort Meade]], Maryland
|}

==Service branches==
The United States Armed Forces is composed of six coequal military service branches. Five of the branches, the [[United States Army]], [[United States Marine Corps]], [[United States Navy]], [[United States Air Force]], and [[United States Space Force]], are organized under the Department of Defense's military departments. 

The [[United States Coast Guard]] is nominally under the [[Department of Homeland Security]], but may be transferred to the Department of Defense's Department of the Navy (which is the civilian entity that oversees the coequal U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy) at the direction of the President or Congress. 

With the exception of the Coast Guard, the military services only organize, train, and equip forces. The unified combatant commands are responsible for operational control of non-service retained forces.

Each of the different military services is assigned a role and domain. The U.S. Army conducts land operations, while the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps conduct maritime operations, with the Marine Corps specializing in amphibious and maritime littoral operations in support of the Navy. The U.S. Air Force conducts air operations, while the U.S. Space Force conducts space operations. 

The U.S. Coast Guard is unique in that it is a military branch specializing in maritime operations and also a law enforcement agency.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto5"/>

===U.S. Army===
{{main|United States Army}}
[[File:M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles in Northeast Syria 2020.jpg|thumb|[[1st Armored Division (United States)|1st Armored Division]] infantry, an [[M2 Bradley]] armored vehicle, and [[AH-64 Apache]] attack helicopters as part of [[Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve]] in Syria]]

The [[United States Army]] (USA) is the United States Armed Forces' land force and is the largest and oldest service. Originally established in 1775 as the [[Continental Army]], it consists of one million soldiers across the Regular Army, [[United States Army Reserve|Army Reserve]], and [[Army National Guard]].<ref name="auto1"/> The Army serves as the Armed Forces principal land service, responsible for conducting [[land warfare]] operations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.army.mil/about/|title=The Army's Vision and Strategy &#124; The United States Army|website=The Army's Vision and Strategy &#124; The United States Army}}</ref>

The U.S. Army is organized under the [[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]], which is a military department under the leadership of the [[United States Secretary of the Army|secretary of the Army]] and [[United States Under Secretary of the Army|under secretary of the Army]]. The U.S. Army itself is led by the [[chief of staff of the United States Army|chief of staff of the Army]] and [[vice chief of staff of the United States Army|vice chief of staff of the Army]], both [[general (United States)|general]]s who are advised by the [[sergeant major of the Army]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/|title=The Official Home Page of the United States Army|website=www.army.mil}}</ref>

The Army's primary responsibility is to conduct prompt and sustained land combat as part of the joint force. Army landpower focuses on destroying an enemy's armed forces, occupying its territory, and breaking the will of an adversary.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN18008_ADP-1%20FINAL%20WEB.pdf|title=ADP1: The Army|publisher=US Army}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>

The five core competencies of the Army are:
* Prompt and sustained land combat
* Combined arms operations:
** Combined arms maneuver and wide area security
** Armored and mechanized operations
** Airborne and air assault operations
* Special operations
* Set and sustain the theater for the joint force
* Integrate national, multinational, and joint power on land<ref name="auto"/>

[[File:Defense.gov News Photo 110910-GO452-406 - U.S. Army paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division descend to the ground after jumping out of a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft over drop zone.jpg|thumb|[[82nd Airborne Division]] paratroopers parachuting from a [[U.S. Air Force]] [[C-17 Globemaster III]] transport plane]]

The thirteen specified functions of the Army are:
#Conduct prompt and sustained [[combined arms]] combat operations on land in all environments and types of terrain, to include complex urban environments, in order to defeat enemy ground forces, and seize, occupy, and defend land areas.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01">{{cite web|url=https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/510001p.pdf|title=DoDI 5100.01|publisher=US Department of Defense}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>
#Conduct [[air defense|air]] and [[missile defense]] to support joint campaigns and assist in achieving [[air superiority]]. This is conducted by the Army's [[Air Defense Artillery Branch]], specifically by the [[10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command]], [[32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command]], [[94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command]], [[263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command]], and [[United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command|Army Space and Missile Defense Command]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct [[airborne forces|airborne]] and [[air assault]], and [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious]] operations. The Army has primary responsibility for the development of airborne doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures. Army airborne and air assault operations are conducted by the [[XVIII Airborne Corps]], [[11th Airborne Division]], [[82nd Airborne Division]], [[101st Airborne Division]], and the [[173rd Airborne Brigade]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct [[civil affairs]] operations. Civil affairs operations are conducted by the [[United States Army Special Operations Command]], predominantly under [[United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command]] and the [[95th Civil Affairs Brigade]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct [[Riverine warfare|riverine operations]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#[[military occupation|Occupy]] territories abroad and provide for the initial establishment of a [[military government]] pending transfer of this responsibility to other authorities.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#[[Interdiction|Interdict]] enemy [[sea power]], [[space warfare|space power]], [[airpower|air power]], and [[electronic warfare|communications]] through operations on and from the land.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Provide logistics to joint operations and campaigns, including joint over-the-shore and intra-theater transport of time-sensitive, mission-critical personnel and materiel. This is primarily conducted through the [[United States Army Logistics Branch|Army Logistics Branch]], including the [[United States Army Quartermaster Corps|Quartermaster Corps]], [[United States Army Ordnance Corps|Ordnance Corps]], [[Transportation Corps]], and through [[United States Army Materiel Command|Army Materiel Command]]'s [[Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Provide support to [[space warfare|space operations]] to enhance joint campaigns, in coordination with the other military services (primarily the [[United States Space Force]]), combatant commands (primarily [[United States Space Command]]), and other U.S. government departments and agencies. Army space operations are conducted by [[United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command|Army Space and Missile Defense Command]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct authorized [[civil works]] programs, to include projects for the improvement of [[navigation]], [[flood control]], [[Coastal erosion|beach erosion control]], and other water resource developments in the United States, its territories, and its possessions, and conduct other civil activities prescribed by law. These are conducted by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Provide intra-theater [[aeromedical evacuation]]. These missions are flown by the [[Army Medical Department (United States)|Army Medical Service Corps]] and [[United States Army Aviation Branch|Army Aviation Branch]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct [[reconnaissance]], [[surveillance]], and [[target acquisition]].
#Operate [[Line of communication|land lines of communication]]. This is primarily conducted through the [[Transportation Corps]] and [[Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>

====Infantry====
{{main|Infantry Branch (United States)}}
[[File:U.S. Army Rangers, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, prepare for extraction on Fort Hunter Liggett, California, Jan. 30, 2014.jpg|thumb|U.S. Army [[United States Army Rangers|Rangers]] with the [[75th Ranger Regiment]] prepare for extraction on a [[MH-47 Chinook]]]]

The Infantry Branch forms the core of the service's land combat power. U.S. Army infantry are generally equipped with the [[M4 carbine]] and [[M249 light machine gun]], which will be replaced by the [[XM7 rifle]] and [[XM250]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/04/20/it-will-be-long-time-soldiers-get-m4-and-saw-replacements.html | title=It Will be a Long Time Before Soldiers Get the M4 and SAW Replacements | date=20 April 2022 }}</ref>

Infantry is a core part of the Army's [[Brigade Combat Team]]s. The most numerous variant, the Infantry Brigade Combat Team, comprises [[light infantry]] battalions who fight on foot. Infantry Brigade Combat Teams of the [[82nd Airborne Division]] are [[air assault]] capable, with infantry soldiers being transported by U.S. Army Aviation [[UH-60 Black Hawk]] and [[CH-47 Chinook]] helicopters.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://home.army.mil/campbell/index.php/101st | title=101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) :: FORT CAMPBELL }}</ref> Infantry Brigade Combat Teams of the [[11th Airborne Division]], [[82nd Airborne Division]], and [[173rd Airborne Brigade]] are capable of [[airborne forces|airborne]] operations, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force's transport aircraft.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://home.army.mil/bragg/index.php/units-tenants/xviii-airborne-co | title=XVIII Airborne Corps :: Fort Bragg }}</ref> Finally, Infantry Brigade Combat Teams assigned to the [[10th Mountain Division]] specialize in [[mountain warfare]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.army.mil/article/243626/mountain_warfare_training_rated_a_solid_mount_ten | title=Mountain warfare training rated a solid Mount-ten! | date=23 February 2021 }}</ref> Standard Infantry Brigade Combat Teams are assigned to the [[25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th Infantry Division]], which offers additional training in [[jungle warfare]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.army.mil/article/190264/jungle_operations_training_course_challenges_mental_physical_readiness | title=Jungle Operations Training Course challenges mental, physical readiness | date=3 July 2017 }}</ref>

Armored Brigade Combat Teams comprise [[mechanized infantry]] battalions mounted in the [[M2 Bradley]] [[infantry fighting vehicle]]. Divisions with Armored Brigade Combat Teams include the [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]], [[3rd Infantry Division (United States)|3rd Infantry Division]], [[4th Infantry Division (United States)|4th Infantry Division]], [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Armored Division]], and [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]].<ref name="auto14">{{Cite web|url=https://www.benning.army.mil/Infantry/cadet-branching/Content/PDF/Force%20Structure.pdf?24JUN2020|title=Force Structure|website=benning.army.mil|access-date=27 February 2023|archive-date=27 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227022037/https://www.benning.army.mil/Infantry/cadet-branching/Content/PDF/Force%20Structure.pdf?24JUN2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> Stryker Brigade Combat Teams are centered around Stryker infantry battalions operating out of the [[Stryker]]. Divisions with Stryker Brigade Combat Teams include the [[2nd Infantry Division (United States)|2nd Infantry Division]], [[4th Infantry Division (United States)|4th Infantry Division]], [[11th Airborne Division]], [[2nd Cavalry Regiment (United States)|2nd Cavalry Regiment]], and [[3rd Cavalry Regiment (United States)|3rd Cavalry Regiment]].<ref name="auto14"/>

[[United States Army Rangers]] with the [[75th Ranger Regiment]] are an elite [[special operations]] infantry force in the [[United States Army Special Operations Command]], specializing in air assault and airborne infiltration methods. The three primary missions of the 75th Ranger Regiment are [[Direct action (military)|special operations raids]], forcible entry operations, such as an airfield seizure to enable the Air Force to bring in more forces, and [[special reconnaissance]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/specialty-careers/special-ops/army-rangers.html |title=Army Rangers }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soc.mil/rangers/75thrr.html|title=75th Ranger Regiment Home Page|website=www.soc.mil}}</ref> As a special operations force, Army Rangers are generally better equipped than standard infantry, utilizing the [[FN SCAR]] rifle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sofrep.com/gear/the-fn-scar/|title=The FN SCAR!|website=SOFREP|access-date=27 February 2023|archive-date=27 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227022037/https://sofrep.com/gear/the-fn-scar/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Army Special Forces====
{{main|United States Army Special Forces}}
[[File:56th CRD Dugway VALEX Image 3 of 9 6802121 210809-A-LS380-003.jpg|thumb|upright|Soldiers from the [[5th Special Forces Group]] conduct sensitive site exploitation training]]

[[United States Army Special Forces|Army Special Forces]], commonly known as Green Berets after their iconic headgear, are among the most elite soldiers in the Army. Special Forces conduct:<ref name="Special Forces">{{cite web | url=https://www.goarmysof.army.mil/SF/ | title=Special Forces }}</ref>

*[[counterinsurgency]] distinguishing between civilians and enemy combatants while assisting with the stabilization, defense, and training of developing countries facing insurgent threats.
*[[direct action (military)|direct action]] seizing, capturing, recovering, or destroying enemy material; or utilizing quick strikes to recover personnel.
*[[foreign internal defense]] training and equipping foreign allied military forces to defend against insurgency, subversion, terrorism, and other security threats.
*[[special reconnaissance]] executing surveillance in hostile, denied, or diplomatically- or politically-sensitive environments to collect or verify information of strategic significance.
*[[Unconventional warfare (United States)|unconventional warfare]] enabling a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government or occupying power by operating through or with an underground force in a denied area.
 
Army Special Forces are trained in [[High-altitude military parachuting|military free-fall parachuting]] and [[combat diver]] skillsets.<ref name="Special Forces"/> They are considered the most versatile special operations force in the entire world, operating as a multi-purpose force since 1952.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.military.com/military-fitness/army-special-operations/army-special-forces-overview | title=What It Means to be Part of the Army Special Forces | date=8 February 2022 }}</ref>

====Armor and Cavalry====
{{main|Armor Branch}}
[[File:1-1 CD conducting defensive operations during Combined Resolve II (14094962478).jpg|thumb|[[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]] [[M1 Abrams]] tanks during a training exercise in Germany]]

The Armor Branch traces its history back to the [[United States Cavalry]] and are responsible for tank and cavalry reconnaissance operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/career-match/ground-forces/tanks-machinery/19a-armor-officer.html | title=Armor Officer }}</ref>

The U.S. Army fields the [[M1 Abrams]] [[main battle tank]] in Armored Battalions as part of Armored Brigade Combat Teams across the [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Armored Division]], [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]], [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]], [[3rd Infantry Division (United States)|3rd Infantry Division]], and the [[4th Infantry Division (United States)|4th Infantry Division]]. Each Armored Brigade Combat Team also possesses a cavalry squadron equipped with [[M2 Bradley]]s for scouting and security. Stryker Brigade Combat Teams from the [[2nd Infantry Division (United States)|2nd Infantry Division]], [[4th Infantry Division (United States)|4th Infantry Division]], [[11th Airborne Division]], [[2nd Cavalry Regiment (United States)|2nd Cavalry Regiment]], and [[3rd Cavalry Regiment (United States)|3rd Cavalry Regiment]] have a cavalry squadron equipped with [[Stryker]]s. Infantry Brigade Combat Teams from the [[10th Mountain Division]], [[11th Airborne Division]], [[25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th Infantry Division]], [[82nd Airborne Division]], [[101st Airborne Division]], and [[173rd Airborne Brigade]] have a cavalry squadron equipped with the [[Joint Light Tactical Vehicle]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.benning.army.mil/armor/Cadet-Branching/content/PDF/Armor%20Branch%20Trifold.pdf?13JUN2022|title=Armor Branch Trifold|website=benning.army.mil|access-date=27 February 2023|archive-date=27 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227022031/https://www.benning.army.mil/armor/Cadet-Branching/content/PDF/Armor%20Branch%20Trifold.pdf?13JUN2022|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Field Artillery====
{{main|Field Artillery Branch (United States)}}
[[File:Firing High Mobility Artillery Rocket systems.jpg|thumb|[[M142 HIMARS]] from the [[3rd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment]]]]

The Field Artillery's mission is to destroy, suppress or neutralize the enemy by cannon, rocket or missile fire.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sill-www.army.mil/fapo/cadets/ | title=Cadets &#124; Field Artillery Proponent Office (FAPO) &#124; Fort Sill &#124; Oklahoma &#124; Fires Center of Excellence }}</ref> Rocket systems include the [[M142 HIMARS]] and [[M270 multiple launch rocket system]], which are corps-level assets found in field artillery brigades. Towed artillery includes the [[M119 howitzer]] in infantry brigade combat teams and the [[M777 howitzer]] found in both infantry and Stryker brigade combat teams. The [[M109 howitzer|M109 self-propelled howitzer]] is utilized in armored brigade combat teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tradocfcoeccafcoepfwprod.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/fapo/cadets/doc/fa-handbook.pdf|title=Field Artillery King of Battle|website=tradocfcoeccafcoepfwprod.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net}}</ref>

During the Cold War, Army field artillery was responsible for the service's ballistic missile programs, including the [[PGM-11 Redstone]], which was the first large ballistic missile in the U.S. arsenal, the [[MGM-31 Pershing]], and the [[Pershing II]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://history.redstone.army.mil/miss.html | title=The United States Army &#124; Redstone Arsenal Historical Information }}</ref> In 2023, the Army is intending to field the [[Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon]] and has reestablished larger artillery formations like the [[56th Artillery Command]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://breakingdefense.com/2021/08/confident-of-2023-fielding-goal-army-dubs-hypersonic-weapon-dark-eagle/ | title='Confident' of 2023 Fielding Goal, Army Dubs Hypersonic Weapon 'Dark Eagle' | date=11 August 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2023/01/01/first-unit-fielding-army-hypersonic-missile-in-2023/ | title=First unit fielding Army hypersonic missile in 2023 | date=January 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-army/2021/11/03/army-resurrects-artillery-command-in-europe/ | title=Army resurrects artillery command in Europe | date=3 November 2021 }}</ref>

====Air Defense Artillery====
{{main|Air Defense Artillery Branch}}
[[File:220305-F-EI268-1044 - Arctic sky illuminates Patriot (Image 2 of 2).jpg|thumb|An [[MIM-104 Patriot]] missile battery in [[Alaska]] operated by the [[11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States)|11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade]]]]

The Air Defense Artillery is responsible for defending geopolitical assets and providing maneuver forces with the freedom to move on the battlefield by deterring the enemy and destroying aerial threats, missile attacks, and surveillance platforms.<ref name="auto9">{{cite web | url=https://sill-www.army.mil/ocada/ada.html | title=OCADA &#124; Fort Sill &#124; Oklahoma &#124; Fires Center of Excellence }}</ref> Weapons employed by Air Defense Artillery include the [[FIM-92 Stinger]] [[man-portable air-defense system]], [[AN/TWQ-1 Avenger]] for [[short range air defense]], and the [[counter rocket, artillery, and mortar]] 20mm gun system. The [[Iron Dome]] provides air defense against rockets, artillery, mortars, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The [[MIM-104 Patriot]] is capable of defeating a wide range of threats including aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, ballistic and cruise missiles, and Weapons of Mass Destruction.<ref name="auto9"/>

The [[Terminal High Altitude Area Defense]] protects strategic critical assets by conducting long-range endo-and-exo-atmospheric engagements of ballistic missiles using the world's largest air-transportable X-band radar. The [[Ground-Based Midcourse Defense]] is an [[anti-ballistic missile]] system operated by [[Army Space and Missile Defense Command]] to defend the United States homeland against an intercontinental ballistic missile attack.<ref name="auto9"/> Major Air Defense Artillery units include the [[32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command]] and Army Space and Missile Defense Command's [[100th Missile Defense Brigade]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.army.mil/32ndAAMDC | title=32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.smdc.army.mil/ORGANIZATION/100thMDB/ | title=100th Missile Defense Brigade }}</ref>

Air Defense Artillery has an extremely close relationship with the Air Force through its Air and Missile Defense Commands and the Space Force through Army Space and Missile Defense Command, given their shared missile defense and space roles. In 1962, Air Defense Artillery achieved the first intercept of a ballistic missile with a nuclear-tipped [[Nike Zeus]] and operated the Nike Zeus as an [[anti-satellite weapon]] after completing a successful intercept in 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smdc.army.mil/Portals/38/Documents/Publications/History/SMDC%20History%20Booklet_508_Final.pdf|title=A Chronological Review of 60 Years|website=smdc.army.mil}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ausa.org/articles/realign-air-defense-structure|title=Realign Air Defense Structure|date=23 June 2021|website=AUSA}}</ref>

====Army Aviation====
{{main|United States Army Aviation Branch}}
[[File:Cav troopers conduct maneuver operations 140713-A-HD608-014.jpg|thumb|Formation of [[UH-60 Blackhawk]]s with the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]]]]

Army Aviation, distinct from the U.S. Air Force and its predecessors, began as part of the field artillery in 1942. Small spotter planes were used to spot for artillery and naval bombardment, as well as to perform observation. These few aircraft formed the core of Army Aviation once the U.S. Air Force gained independence. In 1983, the Army created the Aviation Branch, for the first time since the Air Force's independence consolidating aviation under a single organization.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.armyaviationmuseum.org/discover/ | title=Discover | date=27 October 2016 }}</ref>

The mission of Army Aviation is to find, fix and destroy any enemy through fire and maneuver and to provide combat support and combat service support in coordinated operations as an integral member of the combined arms team.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.army.mil/aviation/modern/ | title=Modern Aviation – United States Army Aviation }}</ref> Major aircraft include the [[AH-64 Apache]], which serves as the Army's attack helicopter, the [[UH-60 Black Hawk]], and the [[CH-47 Chinook]] for troop and cargo transport. Army Aviation also flies the [[MQ-1C Gray Eagle]] drone.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/aviation_gray-eagle-uas/ | title=MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) – USAASC }}</ref>

A specialized unit within Army Aviation, the [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)]] serves as a special operations unit and operates modified variants of the MH-60 Black Hawk, MH-47 Chinook, and the [[MH-6 Little Bird]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.soc.mil/USASOAC/160th.html | title=160th SOAR (A) Page }}</ref>

====Army commands====
The U.S. Army is organized into four major Army Commands, nine [[Army Service Component Command]]s which serve as the Army component and [[Joint Force Land Component Commander|joint force land component commander]]s for the [[unified combatant command]]s, and thirteen direct reporting units.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/organization/|title=Organization &#124; The United States Army|website=Organization &#124; The United States Army}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
|-
|[[File:US Army Star Logo SSI.png|75px]]
|[[United States Department of the Army|Headquarters Department of the Army]] (HQDA) 
| Army service headquarters led by the [[chief of staff of the United States Army|chief of staff of the Army]]. 
|[[The Pentagon]], Virginia
|-
!colspan=5| Army Commands and reserve components
|-
|[[File:United States Army Forces Command SSI.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Army Forces Command|U.S. Army Forces Command]] (FORSCOM)
|Provides Army land forces to [[unified combatant command]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/FORSCOM|title=U.S. Army Forces Command &#124; FORSCOM|website=www.army.mil}}</ref>
|[[Fort Liberty]], North Carolina
|-
|[[File:AMC shoulder insignia.svg|75px]] 
|[[United States Army Materiel Command|U.S. Army Materiel Command]] (AMC)
| Provides technology, acquisition support, and logistics for Army land forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/amc|title=U.S. Army Materiel Command &#124; The United States Army|website=www.army.mil}}</ref>
|[[Redstone Arsenal]], Alabama
|-
|[[File:TRADOC patch.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Army Training and Doctrine Command|U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command]] (TRADOC)
|Recruits, trains, and educates Army soldiers and develops Army doctrine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tradoc.army.mil/about/|title=About – U.S. Army Training Doctrine and Command|website=www.tradoc.army.mil}}</ref>
|[[Fort Eustis]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:Army Futures Command SSI.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Army Futures Command|U.S. Army Futures Command]] (AFC)
|Leads Army modernization efforts, including developing future force requirements, designing future force organizations, and delivering materiel capabilities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/futures|title=Futures &#124; U.S. Army|website=www.army.mil}}</ref>
|Austin, Texas
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Army Reserve.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Army Reserve|U.S. Army Reserve]] (USAR)
|Oversees and maintains Army reserve forces
|[[Fort Liberty]], North Carolina
|-
|[[File:Seal of the Army National Guard.png|75px]]
|[[Army National Guard]] (ARNG)
|Army component of the [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]].
|[[The Pentagon]], Virginia
|-
|}

===U.S. Marine Corps===
{{main|United States Marine Corps}}
[[File:US Marines, Gulf, international partners simulate amphib landing during Eagle Resolve 150324-M-AR522-437.jpg|thumb|[[24th Marine Expeditionary Unit]] Marines during a simulated amphibious assault operation]]

The [[United States Marine Corps]] (USMC) serves as the U.S. Armed Forces' naval land force, responsible for executing [[amphibious warfare]] and operating in the maritime littorals in support of the U.S. Navy. Originally established in 1775 as the [[Continental Marines]], the Marine Corps consists of the Regular Marine Corps and the [[United States Marine Corps Reserve|Marine Corps Reserve]].<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.marines.mil/The-Corps/|title=The Corps|website=www.marines.mil}}</ref> The Marine Corps maintains a very close relationship with the U.S. Navy, its sister service in the Department of the Navy. Although the Marine Corps has previously operated as an independent land force alongside the Army, its primary purpose is to serve as part of a unified naval service alongside the Navy in the maritime domain.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/01/08/fleet-marine-force-back-commandant-pushes-return-naval-roots.html|title='Fleet Marine Force' Is Back as Commandant Pushes Return to Naval Roots|first=Gina|last=Harkins|date=9 January 2020|website=Military.com}}</ref>

The U.S. Marine Corps is organized under the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]], which is a military department under the leadership of the [[United States Secretary of the Navy|secretary of the Navy]] and the [[United States Under Secretary of the Navy|under secretary of the Navy]]. The U.S. Marine Corps itself is led by the [[Commandant of the United States Marine Corps|commandant of the Marine Corps]] and the [[Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps|assistant commandant of the Marine Corps]], both [[general (United States)|generals]] who are advised by the [[Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps|sergeant major of the Marine Corps]].<ref name="auto3"/>

The Marine Corps statutory mission is outlined in {{USC|10|5063}} and as originally introduced under the [[National Security Act of 1947]], with its three primary areas of responsibility including:
* Seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and other land operations to support [[naval warfare|naval campaigns]];
* Development of tactics, technique, and equipment used by amphibious landing forces in coordination with the [[United States Army|Army]] and [[United States Air Force|Air Force]]; and
* Such other duties as the [[President of the United States|President]] or [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] may direct.

[[File:15th MEU takes to the skies 151130-M-GC438-274.jpg|thumb|A [[15th Marine Expeditionary Unit]] [[AH-1Z Viper]] flying over the {{USS|Anchorage|LPD-23}}]]

The seven specified functions of the Marine Corps are:
#Seize and defend advanced [[naval base]]s or lodgments to facilitate subsequent joint operations.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Provide [[close air support]] for ground forces.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct [[land warfare|land]] and [[aerial warfare|air operations]] essential to the prosecution of a [[naval warfare|naval campaign]] or as directed.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct complex [[Expeditionary warfare|expeditionary operations]] in the urban littorals and other challenging environments.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct [[amphibious warfare|amphibious operations]], including engagement, [[crisis response]], and [[power projection]] operations to assure access. The Marine Corps has primary responsibility for the development of amphibious doctrine, tactics, techniques, and equipment.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Conduct [[Stability and support operations|security and stability operation]]s and assist with the initial establishment of a [[military government]] pending transfer of responsibility to other authorities.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>
#Provide security detachments and units for service on armed vessels of the Navy, provide protection of naval property at naval stations and bases, provide security at designated U.S. [[embassy|embassies and consulates]], and perform other such duties as the president or secretary of defense may direct. These additional duties may not detract from or interfere with the operations for which the Marine Corps is primarily organized.

[[Marine Corps Security Force Regiment]] is responsible for supporting the Navy with Marine security operations, while the [[Marine Security Guard]] protects embassies and consulates of the [[United States Department of State]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01"/>

====Fleet Marine Force====
{{main|Fleet Marine Force}}
[[File:Four F-35B Lightning II aircraft perform a flyover above the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) during the Lightning Carrier Proof of Concept Demonstration (30357956614).jpg|thumb|Four Marine Corps [[F-35B Lightning II]] stealth fighters flying over the {{USS|America|LHA-6}}]]

The combat power of the Marine Corps is centralized in the [[Fleet Marine Force]] (FMF), which itself is organized into [[Fleet Marine Force Atlantic]], to support the U.S. Navy's [[United States Fleet Forces Command|Fleet Forces Command]], and [[Fleet Marine Force Pacific]], which supports the [[U.S. Navy]]'s [[United States Pacific Fleet|U.S. Pacific Fleet]].<ref name="auto4"/>

The basic Marine Corps unit for conducting operations is the [[Marine Air-Ground Task Force]] (MAGTF), which combines Marine Corps and Navy land, air, sea, and cyberspace capabilities into a single command. There are three size variants of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, but each consists of a [[command element (United States Marine Corps)|command element]], [[ground combat element]], [[aviation combat element]], and [[logistics combat element]].<ref name="auto7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.marines.com/about-the-marine-corps/marine-corps-structure/air-ground-task-force.html|title=Marine Air-Ground Task Force &#124; MAGTF &#124; Marines}}</ref>

A Marine [[ground combat element]] (GCE) is centered around Marine infantry, typically armed with a [[M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2019/04/19/all-of-the-marine-m27-rifles-are-in-if-youre-not-a-grunt-or-working-with-them-youre-not-getting-one/ | title=All of the Marine M27 rifles are in ― if you're not a grunt or working with them, you're not getting one | date=21 April 2019 }}</ref> Unlike the Army, the Marine Corps does not train its own [[combat medic]]s, relying on the Navy to provide [[hospital corpsman|hospital corpsmen]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/3107280/marines-navy-corpsmen-train-in-casualty-care-field-exercise-at-fort-mccoy/ | title=Marines, Navy Corpsmen train in casualty care field exercise at Fort McCoy }}</ref> These infantry units are supported by Marine Corps [[combat engineer]]s, who conduct engineer reconnaissance, obstacle system emplacement, and breaching operations; and [[United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance|Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance]] teams. While the Marine Corps no longer operates its own tanks, opting to request support from the Army if needed, it maintains Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions which operate the [[LAV-25]] amphibious armored reconnaissance vehicle. Assault Amphibian Battalions operate the [[Assault Amphibious Vehicle]] and [[Amphibious Combat Vehicle]], which enable the ground combat element to conduct amphibious landing operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2019/01/07/the-aging-marine-lav-is-still-active-across-the-corps-and-now-is-also-a-museum-piece/ | title=The aging Marine LAV is still active across the Corps ... And, now, also is a museum piece | date=7 January 2019 }}</ref> Marine Corps artillery operates the [[M777 howitzer]] and the [[M142 HIMARS]], both supporting the ground combat element and the Navy at sea by striking enemy ships.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usna.edu/MarineCorps/roles/index.php | title=Ground Combat Roles }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2021/04/09/how-a-marine-corps-shift-to-long-ranges-may-change-its-strong-cannoneer-tradition/ | title=How a Marine Corps shift to long ranges may change its strong cannoneer tradition | date=9 April 2021 }}</ref>

[[File:Defense.gov News Photo 051115-N-3527B-068.jpg|thumb|[[MV-22 Osprey]] tiltrotor aircraft from [[VMX-22]] taking off from the {{USS|Wasp|LHD-1}}]]

The Marine [[aviation combat element]] (ACE) is the operational arm of [[United States Marine Corps Aviation|Marine Corps Aviation]], working to support the ground combat element. The [[F-35B Lightning II]] and [[AV-8B Harrier II]] are flown off Navy amphibious assault ships, while the [[F-35C Lightning II]] and [[F/A-18 Hornet]] are flown off Navy carriers by Marine Corps pilots. The Marine Corps also operates the [[KC-130J]] to serve as a tanker and tactical airlift platform. The [[UH-1Y Venom]] helicopter provides the Marine Corps with light transport and attack, while the [[AH-1Z Viper]] is a dedicated attack helicopter. Medium-lift squadrons fly the [[MV-22 Osprey]], while heavy-lift squadrons use the [[CH-53K King Stallion]]. The Marine Corps has also begun flying unmanned aerial vehicles, such as the [[MQ-9 Reaper]] and [[MQ-8 Fire Scout]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2022/05/10/heres-how-marine-air-power-will-shift-with-the-corps-2022-aviation-plan/ | title=Here's how Marine air power will shift with the Corps' 2022 aviation plan | date=11 May 2022 }}</ref> Notably, the aviation combat element also includes Low-Altitude Air Defense Battalions, which employ the [[FIM-92 Stinger]] surface-to-air missile.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://coffeeordie.com/marine-corps-low-altitude-air-defense | title=Marine Corps Ready to Bring the Sting to Enemy Aircraft, Drones | date=3 February 1984 }}</ref>

The smallest MAGTF is the [[Marine Expeditionary Unit]] (MEU), which is typically forward deployed on a Navy ship. Commanded by a [[colonel (United States)|colonel]], a Marine Expeditionary Unit consist of 2,200 marines split across a battalion landing team (ground combat element), a composite helicopter squadron (aviation combat element), and a combat logistics element (logistics element). Marine Expeditionary Units are supplied for 15 days.<ref name="auto7"/> Forward deployed Marine Expeditionary Units are often embarked on Navy amphibious assault ships as part of an [[amphibious ready group]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.26thmeu.marines.mil/About/Who-We-Are/#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20MAGTF%3F,the%20range%20of%20military%20operations | title=Who We Are | access-date=26 February 2023 | archive-date=26 February 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226184737/https://www.26thmeu.marines.mil/About/Who-We-Are/#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20MAGTF%3F,the%20range%20of%20military%20operations | url-status=dead }}</ref>

The mid-sized MAGTF is the [[Marine Expeditionary Brigade]] (MEB), which is organized for specific missions. Commanded by a [[brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]], Marine Expeditionary Brigades consist of 4,000 to 16,000 marines across a Regimental-sized ground combat element, a Marine Aircraft Group, and a Combat Logistics Regiment. Marine Expeditionary Brigades are supplied for 30 days and offer increased firepower and airpower over the Marine Expeditionary Unit.<ref name="auto7"/>

The largest MAGTF is the [[Marine Expeditionary Force]] (MEF), which is the primary warfighting force for larger operations. A Marine Expeditionary Force is commanded by a [[lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] and consists of 46,000 to 90,000 marines. Currently there are only three Marine Expeditionary Forces, each with its own Marine Division, Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Logistics Group, and Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group. Marine Expeditionary Forces are supplied for 60 days.<ref name="auto7"/> Certain elements are held at the Marine Expeditionary Force level, such as [[United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance|Force Reconnaissance]]. The MEF Information Group (MIG) also provides a number of functions such as the intelligence battalion; [[Radio Battalion|radio battalion]] which conducts signals intelligence, electronic warfare, and cyberspace operations; communications battalion; the MEF support battalion; and the [[Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imef.marines.mil/Units/I-MIG/ | title=I MEF Information Group }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imef.marines.mil/Units/I-MIG/1ST-RADIO-BN/ | title=I Marine Expeditionary Force > Units > I MIG > 1ST RADIO BN }}</ref>

[[File:Marsoc vbss.jpg|thumb|[[Marine Raiders]] with the [[1st Marine Raider Battalion (MARSOC)|1st Marine Raider Battalion]] conducting a [[visit, board, search, and seizure]] operation]]

While not a MAGTF, the Marine Corps has begun to reorganize some of its regiments into Marine Littoral Regiments (MRL), which are similar in size to a Marine Expeditionary Unit. A Marine Littoral Regiment is a self-deployable force, designed to be naval in nature and operate in the littoral region. A Marine Littoral Regiment consists of a littoral combat team, a littoral anti-air battalion, and a combat logistics battalion. Notably, the Marine Littoral Regiment has no aviation combat element, unlike a Marine Expeditionary Unit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2708146/marine-littoral-regiment-mlr/https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2708146/marine-littoral-regiment-mlr/|title=Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR)|website=United States Marine Corps Flagship}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Another Marine Corps element that does not function as part of the MAGTF is the [[Marine Raider Regiment]], functioning under [[United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command]]. [[Marine Raiders]] specialize in direct action, unconventional warfare, maritime interdiction, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, counterterrorism, and counterinsurgency missions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://coffeeordie.com/marine-raiders/ | title=Marine Raiders: The Corps' Only Special Operations Unit }}</ref>

====Marine Corps commands====
Under Headquarters Marine Corps, the Marine Corps is organized into the [[Fleet Marine Force]], multiple commands, and Marine Corps service components to the [[unified combatant commands]].

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Marine Corps.svg|75px]]
|[[Headquarters Marine Corps]] (HQMC) 
| Marine Corps service headquarters led by the [[Commandant of the United States Marine Corps|commandant of the Marine Corps]]. 
|[[The Pentagon]], Virginia
|-
!colspan=5| Fleet Marine Force
|-
|[[File:FMFLANT (official).jpg|75px]]
|[[Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic]] (FMFLANT) / [[United States Marine Corps Forces Command|U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command]] (MARFORCOM)
|Provides Marine Corps forces in support of the U.S. Navy's [[United States Fleet Forces Command]]. Also serves as [[United States Marine Corps Forces Command]], commanding Marine Corps retained service forces and providing forces for joint, naval, and service requirements.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marforcom.marines.mil/About/|title=About|website=www.marforcom.marines.mil}}</ref>
|[[Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:Seal of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific.png|75px]]
|[[Fleet Marine Force, Pacific]] (FMFPAC)
|Provides Marine Corps forces in support of the U.S. Navy's [[United States Pacific Fleet]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marforpac.marines.mil/|title=U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific – Ensuring a Free and Open Indo-Pacific|website=www.marforpac.marines.mil}}</ref>
|[[Camp H. M. Smith]], Hawaii
|-
|[[File:MCSCLOGO VECTOR.png|75px]]
|[[Marine Corps Systems Command]] (MARCORSYSCOM)
|Acquisition command for all Marine Corps ground and information technology programs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marcorsyscom.marines.mil/About-Us/OverviewandHistory/|title=Marine Corps Systems Command: Equipping Our Marines|website=www.marcorsyscom.marines.mil}}</ref>
|[[Marine Corps Base Quantico]], Virginia 
|-
|[[File:Marine Forces Reserve insignia (transparent background).png|75px]]
|[[United States Marine Corps Reserve|U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve]] (MARFORRES)
|Oversees and maintains the U.S. Marine Corps reserve forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marforres.marines.mil/About/Mission-Statement/|title=Mission|website=www.marforres.marines.mil}}</ref>
|[[Marine Corps Support Facility New Orleans]], Louisiana
|-
|}

===U.S. Navy===
{{main|United States Navy}}
[[File:The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), left, and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) conduct dual aircraft carrier strike group operations (27142323334).jpg|thumb|{{USS|John C. Stennis|CVN-74}} and {{USS|Ronald Reagan|CVN-76}} conducting dual carrier strike group operations as part of the [[United States Seventh Fleet]]]]

The United States Navy (USN) is the United States Armed Forces' maritime force. Originally established in 1775 as the [[Continental Navy]], the U.S. Navy consists of the Regular Navy and the [[United States Navy Reserve|Navy Reserve]]. The Navy is the United States' principal maritime service, responsible for [[naval warfare|maritime warfare]] operations.<ref name="auto6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.navy.mil/About/|title=About|website=www.navy.mil}}</ref>

The U.S. Navy is organized under the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]], which is a military department under the leadership of the [[United States Secretary of the Navy|secretary of the Navy]] and the [[United States Under Secretary of the Navy|under secretary of the Navy]]. The U.S. Navy itself is led by the [[chief of naval operations]] and the [[vice chief of naval operations]], both [[admiral (United States)|admirals]] who are advised by the [[master chief petty officer of the Navy]].<ref name="auto6"/>

The five enduring functions of the Navy are:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cimsec.org/naval-warfare-2010-2020-a-comparative-analysis/45129|title = Naval Warfare 2010–2020: A Comparative Analysis|date = 6 August 2020}}</ref>
*[[Sea control]]
*[[Power projection]]
*[[Deterrence theory|Deterrence]]
*[[Maritime security]]
*[[Sealift]]

[[File:US Navy 031200-N-0000X-001 The guided missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69), and the guided missile destroyers USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) launch a coordinated volley of missiles d.jpg|thumb|The {{USS|Vicksburg|CG-69}}, {{USS|Roosevelt|DDG-80}}, {{USS|Carney|DDG-64}}, and {{USS|The Sullivans|DDG-68}} launching a coordinated missile volley]]
The nine specified tasks of the Navy are:
#Conduct offensive and defensive operations associated with the maritime domain including achieving and maintaining [[sea control]], to include [[Underwater warfare|subsurface]], [[surface warfare|surface]], [[land warfare|land]], [[aerial warfare|air]], [[space warfare|space]], and [[cyberwarfare|cyberspace]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Provide [[power projection]] through sea-based global strike, to include [[nuclear warfare|nuclear]] and [[conventional warfare|conventional]] capabilities; [[interdiction]] and interception capabilities; maritime and littoral fires, to include [[Naval gunfire support|naval surface fires]]; and [[close air support]] for ground forces.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Conduct [[missile defense|ballistic missile defense]]. This is executed through the Navy's [[Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Conduct ocean, hydro, and river survey and reconstruction.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Conduct [[riverine warfare|riverine operations]]. This is conducted by the [[Maritime Expeditionary Security Force]] and [[Naval Special Warfare Command]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Establish, maintain, and defend sea bases in support of naval, amphibious, land, air, or other joint operations as directed.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Provide [[military logistics|naval expeditionary logistics]] to enhance the deployment, sustainment, and redeployment of naval forces and other forces operating within the maritime domain, to include joint sea bases, and provide [[maritime transport|sea transport]] for the Armed Forces other than which is organic to the individual military services, [[United States Special Operations Command]], and [[United States Cyber Command]]. This is conducted by the [[Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (United States)|Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group]] and [[Military Sealift Command]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Provide support for joint [[space warfare|space operations]] to enhance naval operations, in coordination with the other military services (primarily the [[United States Space Force]]), combatant commands (primarily [[United States Space Command]]), and other U.S. government departments and agencies. U.S. Navy space operations are conducted by [[Navy Space Command]].<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Conduct [[nuclear warfare|nuclear operations]] in support of strategic deterrence, to include providing and maintaining nuclear surety and capabilities.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />

====Naval Surface Forces====
{{main|Naval Surface Forces}}
[[File:USS Zumwalt is on the final leg of its three-month journey to its new homeport in San Diego. (31620613005).jpg|thumb|The stealth destroyer {{USS|Zumwalt|DDG-1000}} alongside the {{USS|Independence|LCS-2}}]]

The Naval Surface Forces (NAVSURFOR) is the backbone of the U.S. Navy's combat power, conducting [[surface warfare]] operations and operating its fleet of combat surface ships.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usna.edu/SurfaceWarfare/index.php|title=Surface Warfare|website=www.usna.edu}}</ref>

The Naval Surface Forces operates eleven nuclear-powered [[aircraft carriers]] (CVN), split between the [[Nimitz-class aircraft carrier|''Nimitz''-class]] and the newer [[Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier|''Gerald R. Ford''-class]]. Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of the U.S. Navy's combat power, forming the nucleus of its eleven [[carrier strike group]]s (CSG). Each aircraft carrier has an embarked [[carrier air wing]] from the Naval Air Forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/article/2169795/aircraft-carriers-cvn/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.navy.mil%2FResources%2FFact-Files%2FDisplay-FactFiles%2FArticle%2F2169795%2Faircraft-carriers-cvn%2F|title=Aircraft Carriers – CVN|website=www.navy.mil}}</ref>

The Naval Surface Forces also operate 116 [[surface combatant]]s. These include the [[Ticonderoga-class cruiser|''Ticonderoga''-class]] [[guided-missile cruiser]]s, [[Arleigh Burke-class destroyer|''Arleigh Burke-class'']] [[guided-missile destroyer]]s (DDG) and [[Zumwalt-class destroyer|''Zumwalt-class'']] [[stealth ship|stealth]] [[guided-missile destroyer]]s. Cruisers and destroyers often operate as part of larger formations, where they serve as escorts for [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] and [[Anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine]] operations. However, they also are able to conduct [[sea control]] and striker operations ashore with their [[Tomahawk (missile family)|tomahawk]] cruise missiles. The Navy also operates a complement of smaller [[Freedom-class littoral combat ship|''Freedom''-class]] and [[Independence-class littoral combat ship|''Independence''-class]] [[littoral combat ship]]s (LCS) that can be modularly reconfigured for specific mission sets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/SHIPBATTLEFORCE.HTML|title=Ship Battle Forces|website=nvr.navy.mil}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.navy.com/life-in-the-navy/vessels|title=Submarines, Carriers, Cruisers & Other Vessels &#124; Navy.com|website=www.navy.com}}</ref> Having lacked a [[frigate]] since the [[Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate|''Oliver Hazard Perry''-class]] was decommissioned, the Navy is in the process of acquiring the new [[Constellation-class frigate|''Constellation''-class]] [[guided-missile frigate]]s (FFG).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.usni.org/2022/12/27/report-to-congress-on-constellation-class-frigate-program-ffg-62-12|title=Report to Congress on Constellation-class Frigate Program (FFG-62)|date=27 December 2022}}</ref>

Finally, the Naval Surface Forces operate 31 [[amphibious warfare ship]]s to support the [[Fleet Marine Force]] and its embarked [[Marine Air-Ground Task Force]]s as part of an [[amphibious ready group]] or [[expeditionary strike group]]. This includes the [[America-class amphibious assault ship|''America-class'']] [[landing helicopter assault]] (LHA) ships which can carry U.S. Marine Corps [[F-35B Lightning II]] fighters and helicopters; and [[Wasp-class amphibious assault ship|''Wasp-class'']] [[landing helicopter dock]] (LHD) ships, which can carry both F-35B fighters, helicopters, and landing craft. These are in addition to the [[San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock|San Antonio-class]] [[amphibious transport dock]]s (LPD), and the [[Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship|Whidbey Island-class]] and [[Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship|''Harpers Ferry''-class]] [[dock landing ship]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/FLEETSIZE.HTML|title=Fleet Size|website=nvr.navy.mil}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/Experience/Military-Units/Navy/|title=Military Units: Navy|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref>

====Naval Submarine Forces====
{{main|Naval Submarine Forces}}
[[File:A port bow view of the US Navy (USN) LOS ANGELES CLASS- Attack Submarine USS ALBUQUERQUE (SSN 706), underway in the Atlantic Ocean, while participating in Exercise MAJESTIC EAGLE 20 - DPLA - cd72cc6879754214027b11472a72fa7d.jpeg|thumb|The {{USS|Albuquerque|SSN-706}} attack submarine underway in the Atlantic Ocean]]

The Naval Submarine Forces (NAVSUBFOR) is often referred to as the "silent service", consisting of 68 commissioned submarines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wearethemighty.com/intel/video-shows-us-navy-worlds-best-submarine-force/|title=This video shows the awesomeness of the US Navy's submarine force|date=31 March 2018}}</ref>

[[Los Angeles-class submarine|''Los Angeles''-class]], [[Seawolf-class submarine|''Seawolf''-class]], and [[Virginia-class submarine|''Virginia''-class]] nuclear-powered [[attack submarine]]s are capable of performing [[sea control]] missions by destroying enemy submarines and surface ships, conducting surveillance and reconnaissance, performing irregular warfare, covert troop insertion, mine and anti-mine operations, and land attack missions with [[Tomahawk (missile family)|tomahawk]] cruise missiles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usna.edu/SubmarineForce/subs.php|title=Submarines|website=www.usna.edu}}</ref>

[[Ohio-class submarine|''Ohio''-class]] nuclear-powered [[ballistic missile submarine]]s (SSBN) have the sole mission of being launch platforms for the nuclear [[submarine-launched ballistic missile]] (SLBM). Each carries 20 [[UGM-133 Trident II]] SLBMs. The Navy is currently in the process of procuring the [[Columbia-class submarine|''Columbia''-class]] SSBNs to replace the ''Ohio''-class.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.csp.navy.mil/SUBPAC-Commands/Submarines/Ballistic-Missile-Submarines/|title=Ballistic Missile Submarines &#124; Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet|website=www.csp.navy.mil}}</ref> Some ''Ohio''-class submarines have been converted to [[cruise-missile submarine]]s (SSGN), capable of carrying 154 [[Tomahawk (missile family)|tomahawk]] cruise missiles and deploying 66 special operations forces personnel, such as [[Navy SEALs]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.csp.navy.mil/SUBPAC-Commands/Submarines/Guided-Missile-Submarines/|title=Guided Missile Submarines &#124; Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet|website=www.csp.navy.mil}}</ref>

====Naval Air Forces====
{{main|Naval Air Forces}}
[[File:F-A-18F Super Hornet flies over the USS Gerald R. Ford.jpg|thumb|An [[F/A-18F Super Hornet]] from [[VX-23]] flies over the {{USS|Gerald R. Ford|CVN-78}}, the world's largest aircraft carrier, and the largest warship ever constructed]]

The Naval Air Forces (NAVAIRFOR) is the Navy's [[naval aviation]] arm, centered around the [[carrier air wing]]. The core of the carrier air wing are the Naval Air Forces strike fighter squadrons (VFA), which fly the [[F-35C Lightning II]] stealth fighter and the [[F/A-18E/F Super Hornet]]. A variant of the F/A-18, the [[EA-18G Growler]] is an [[electronic-warfare aircraft]] flown by electronic attack squadrons (VAQ) off of carriers or land bases. The [[E-2 Hawkeye]] provides carriers with airborne early warning and command-and-control, while the [[C-2A Greyhound]] keeps carriers supplied. The [[CMV-22B Osprey]] is currently in the process of replacing the C-2 Greyhound for carrier resupply.<ref name="auto8">{{Cite web|url=https://www.usna.edu/NavalAviation/index.php|title=Aviation Warfare|website=www.usna.edu}}</ref>

The Naval Air Forces also operate the [[MH-60 Seahawk]] for [[anti-submarine warfare]], [[anti-ship warfare]], and search and rescue operations. The [[MH-53E]] is primarily used for anti-mine warfare but can also be used for assault support.<ref name="auto8"/>

Although primarily centered on carriers, the Naval Air Forces do operate a small number of land-based aircraft. These include the [[P-3C Orion]] and [[P-8A Poseidon]], which conduct [[anti-submarine warfare]] operations and serve as maritime patrol aircraft, alongside the unmanned [[MQ-4C Triton]]. The [[E-6 Mercury]] is also flown by the Navy to communicate instructions to U.S. strategic forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.airpac.navy.mil/Organization/Strategic-Communications-Wing-1/|title=Strategic Communications Wing 1|website=www.airpac.navy.mil}}</ref><ref name="auto8"/>

====Navy commands====
The U.S. Navy is organized into eight navy component commands, which command operational forces and serve as joint force maritime component commands; fifteen shore commands, which support the fleets' operating forces; five systems commands, which oversee the technical requirements of the Navy; and nine type commands, which administratively manage units of a certain type.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
|-
|[[File:Seal of the Chief of Naval Operations.svg|75px]]
|[[Office of the Chief of Naval Operations]] (OPNAV) 
| Navy service headquarters led by the [[chief of naval operations]]. 
|[[The Pentagon]], Virginia
|-
!colspan=5| Navy operating forces
|-
|[[File:Seal of the Commander of the United States Fleet Forces Command.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Fleet Forces Command|U.S. Fleet Forces Command]] (USFF) / U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command (NAVFORNORTH)
|Trains, certifies, and provides Navy forces for naval, joint, and combined operations. Navy service component and joint force maritime component command to [[United States Northern Command]] and [[United States Strategic Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usff.navy.mil/About-Us/Mission/|title=Mission|website=www.usff.navy.mil|access-date=26 February 2023|archive-date=26 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226000259/https://www.usff.navy.mil/About-Us/Mission/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|[[Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:Seal of the Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Pacific Fleet|U.S. Pacific Fleet]] (PACFLT)
|Navy service component and joint force maritime component command to [[United States Indo-Pacific Command]].
|[[Naval Station Pearl Harbor]], Hawaii
|-
|[[File:United States Naval Forces Central Command patch 2014.png|75px]]
|[[United States Naval Forces Central Command|U.S. Naval Forces Central Command]] (NAVCENT)
|Navy service component and joint force maritime component command to [[United States Central Command]].
|[[Naval Support Activity Bahrain]]
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Fleet Cyber Command.png|75px]] [[File:Emblem of the U.S. Navy Space Command.png|75px]]
|[[U.S. Fleet Cyber Command]] (FCC) / [[Navy Space Command|U.S. Navy Space Command]] (NAVSPACE)
|Navy service component to [[United States Cyber Command]] and [[United States Space Command]]
|[[Fort Meade]], Maryland
|-
|[[File:US Naval Forces Europe-Africa.png|75px]]
|[[United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa|U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa]] (NAVEUR-NAVAF)
|Navy service component and joint force maritime component command to [[United States European Command]] and [[United States Africa Command]].
|[[Naval Support Activity Naples]], Italy
|-
|[[File:Navso crest2 Ver 2.gif|75px]]
|[[United States Naval Forces Southern Command|U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command]] (NAVSO)
|Navy service component and joint force maritime component command to [[United States Southern Command]].
|[[Naval Station Mayport]], Florida
|-
|[[File:US NSWC insignia.jpg|75px]]
|[[United States Naval Special Warfare Command|U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command]] (USNSWC)
|Navy service component to [[United States Special Operations Command]].
|[[Naval Amphibious Base Coronado]], California
|-
|[[File:MSC Seal.png|75px]]
|[[Military Sealift Command]] (MSC)
|Navy service component and joint force maritime component command to [[United States Transportation Command]].
|[[Naval Station Norfolk]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Navy Reserve.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Navy Reserve|U.S. Navy Reserve]] (USNR)
|Oversees and maintains Navy reserve forces
|[[Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads]], Virginia 
|}

===U.S. Air Force===
{{main|United States Air Force}}
[[File:Stealth-y patrol - 090421-F-0000B-301.jpg|thumb|A [[B-2A Spirit]] stealth bomber from the [[509th Bomb Wing]] escorted by two [[F-22A Raptor]] stealth fighters from the [[3rd Wing]]]]
The [[United States Air Force]] (USAF) is the United States Armed Forces' air force. Originally established in 1947 when it gained independence from the U.S. Army, it traces its history back through the [[United States Army Air Forces]], [[United States Army Air Corps]], [[United States Army Air Service]], the [[Division of Military Aeronautics]], [[Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps]], to the birth of [[Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps]] on 1 August 1907. The U.S. Air Force serves as the principal air service, responsible for [[aerial warfare]] operations. The U.S. Air Force is composed of the Regular Air Force, [[United States Air Force Reserve|Air Force Reserve]], and [[Air National Guard]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/|title=About Us|website=www.af.mil}}</ref>

The U.S. Air Force is organized under the [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]], which is a military department under the leadership of the [[United States Secretary of the Air Force|secretary of the Air Force]] and [[United States Under Secretary of the Air Force|under secretary of the Air Force]]. The U.S. Air Force itself is led by the [[Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force|chief of staff of the Air Force]] and [[Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force|vice chief of staff of the Air Force]], both [[general (United States)|general]]s who are advised by the [[chief master sergeant of the Air Force]].

The five core missions of the Air Force are:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airforcemag.com/DocumentFile/Documents/2015/Future_Operating_Concept.pdf |title=Air Force Future Operating Concept: A View of the Air Force in 2035 |date=September 2015 |website=airforcemag.com |access-date=28 September 2021 }}</ref>
*[[Aerial warfare|Air superiority]]
*[[intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance|Global integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance]]
*[[airlift|Rapid global mobility]]
*[[Strategic bombing|Global strike]]
*[[Command and control]]

[[File:C17 DF-SD-06-03299.jpg|thumb|Air Mobility Command [[C-17 Globemaster]]s performing low-level flight training]]
The eight specified functions of the Air Force are:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.doctrine.af.mil/Portals/61/documents/Airman_Development/PurpleBook.pdf|title=The Joint Team|website=doctrine.af.mil}}</ref>
# Conduct [[nuclear warfare|nuclear operations]] in support of strategic deterrence, to include providing and maintaining nuclear surety and capabilities.
# Conduct offensive and defensive operations, to include appropriate [[air defense|air]] and [[missile defense]], to gain and maintain [[air superiority]] and [[air supremacy]] as required, to enable the conduct of operations by U.S. and allied land, sea, air, space, and special operations forces.
#Conduct global precision attack, to include [[strategic bombing|strategic attack]], [[air interdiction|interdiction]], [[close air support]], and prompt global strike.
# Provide timely, globally integrated [[intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance]] capability and capacity from forward deployed locations and globally distributed centers to support world-wide operations.
# Provide rapid global mobility to employ and sustain organic air and space forces and other military service and U. S. Special Operations Command forces, as directed, to include [[military transport aircraft|airlift forces]] for [[airborne forces|airborne operations]], air logistical support, [[Aerial refueling|tanker forces]] for in-flight refueling, and assets for [[aeromedical evacuation]].  
#  Provide agile combat support to enhance the air and space campaign and the deployment, employment, sustainment, and redeployment of air and space forces and other forces operating within the air and space domains, to include joint air and space bases, and for the Armed Forces other than which is organic to the individual military services and U.S. Special Operations Command in coordination with the other military services, combatant commands, and U.S. Government departments and agencies.
#  Conduct global personnel recovery operations including theater-wide combat and civil search and rescue in coordination with the other military services, combatant commands, and DoD components.
#  Conduct globally integrated command and control for air and space operations.

====Combat Air Force====
{{main|Air Combat Command|Air Force Global Strike Command|Air Force Special Operations Command}}
[[File:90th Fighter Squadron - F-22s.jpg|thumb|Two [[F-22A Raptor]]s from the [[90th Fighter Squadron]]]]
The Combat Air Force (CAF) comprises the majority of the Air Force's combat power, consisting of its [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]], [[bomber]], [[intercontinental ballistic missile]], and [[special operations]] forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.airandspaceforces.com/PDF/DocumentFile/Documents/2010/CAF_StratPlan2010_091610.pdf|title=Securing the High Ground|website=airandspaceforces.com}}</ref>

The Air Force's fighter forces are led by [[Air Combat Command]]'s [[Fifteenth Air Force]], with other fighter units under [[Pacific Air Forces]] and [[United States Air Forces in Europe]]. Air Force fighters are predominantly used to achieve air superiority and strike enemy ground and naval forces. The Air Force operates an expanding force of [[fifth-generation fighters]]. The [[F-22A Raptor]] stealth fighter is designed to replace the F-15C in [[air superiority]] operations carrying two [[AIM-9 Sidewinder]] and six [[AIM-120 AMRAAM]] missiles. It also has a significant air-to-ground mission, carrying two [[Joint Direct Attack Munition|GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munition]] bombs, in addition to two AIM-9 and two AIM-120 missiles.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104506/f-22-raptor/ | title=F-22 Raptor }}</ref> Ultimately, the F-22 is intended to be replaced by the [[sixth-generation fighter]], [[Next Generation Air Dominance]] program.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://breakingdefense.com/2022/08/if-congress-blocks-f-22-retirements-expect-impact-to-air-force-drone-programs-hunter/#:~:text=The%20Air%20Force%20plans%20to,replace%20the%20F%2D22%20Raptor | title=If Congress blocks F-22 retirements, expect impact to Air Force drone programs: Hunter | date=16 August 2022 }}</ref> The F-22 is complemented by the more numerous [[F-35A Lightning II]] multi-role stealth fighters, which are in the process of replacing the F-16C fighters and A-10 attack aircraft in air superiority and ground attack roles, to include the [[nuclear warfare|nuclear strike mission]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/478441/f-35a-lightning-ii/ | title=F-35A Lightning II }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-35-completes-final-test-for-nuclear-capable-b61-series-weapons/ | title=F-35 Completes Final Test for Nuclear-Capable B61 Series Weapons | date=5 October 2021 }}</ref>

The Air Force still operates an extremely sizable force of [[fourth-generation fighter]]s. The [[F-15C Eagle]] is a dedicated air superiority fighter, while the [[F-15E Strike Eagle]] has been modified to be a dual-role [[strike fighter]], carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104501/f-15-eagle/ | title=F-15 Eagle }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104499/f-15e-strike-eagle/ | title=F-15E Strike Eagle }}</ref> The F-15C Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle are both being replaced by the [[F-15EX Eagle II]], which is significantly more advanced.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-15ex-could-replace-strike-eagle-fleet-in-addition-to-older-c-d-models-usaf-says/ | title=F-15EX Could Replace Strike Eagle Fleet, in Addition to Older C/D Models, USAF Says | date=30 July 2020 }}</ref> The [[F-16C Fighting Falcon]] is a multirole fighter that has served as the primary Air Force fighter for decades, including as a dual-capable tactical nuclear strike fighter.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104505/f-16-fighting-falcon/ | title=F-16 Fighting Falcon }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/the-one-way-nuclear-mission/ | title=The One-Way Nuclear Mission }}</ref> The [[A-10C Thunderbolt II]] [[attack aircraft]] has been the first Air Force fighter specifically designed for [[close air support]] missions, operating against enemy ground forces and light naval ships with its [[GAU-8 Avenger]] gatling cannon and array of air-to-ground munitions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104490/a-10c-thunderbolt-ii/ | title=A-10C Thunderbolt II }}</ref>

[[File:B-52 and B-2.jpg|thumb|A [[B-52 Stratofortress]] of the [[2nd Bomb Wing]] and a [[B-2A Spirit]] of the [[509th Bomb Wing]] flying in formation]]
The Air Force's bomber forces are organized under [[Air Force Global Strike Command]]'s [[Eighth Air Force]], executing long-range strike operations. The [[B-2A Spirit]] stealth bomber is capable of conducting both conventional and nuclear strike operations flying through air defenses.<ref name="auto12">{{cite web | url=https://www.afgsc.af.mil/About/Fact-Sheets/Article/630717/b-2-spirit/ | title=B-2 Spirit }}</ref> The [[B-1B Lancer]], in contrast, is a supersonic bomber that carries only conventional munitions and serves as the backbone of the bomber force.<ref name="auto12"/> Both the B-2A Spirit and the B-1B Lancer are being replaced by the [[B-21 Raider]] stealth bomber, which can be equipped with both conventional and nuclear munitions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/2682973/b-21-raider/ | title=B-21 Raider }}</ref> The [[B-52H Stratofortress]] is a long-range, [[heavy bomber]] that the Air Force has flown since the 1950s and operates a variety of conventional and nuclear munitions, including the [[AGM-86 ALCM|AGM-86 air-launched cruise missile]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104465/b-52h-stratofortress/ | title=B-52H Stratofortress }}</ref>

The Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile forces are organized under Air Force Global Strike Command's [[Twentieth Air Force]], serving as the land component of the [[nuclear triad]]. The [[LGM-30G Minuteman III]] serves as the only ballistic missile operated by the Air Force, with 400 stationed in hardened silos.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104466/lgm-30g-minuteman-iii/ | title=LGM-30G Minuteman III }}</ref> The LGM-30G will be replaced by the [[LGM-35A Sentinel]] intercontinental ballistic missile.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/sentinel-icbm-on-track-for-flight-test-this-year-senior-usaf-official/ | title=Sentinel ICBM 'on track' for flight test this year: Senior USAF official | date=16 February 2023 }}</ref>

[[File:CV-22 Ospreys over Tokyo.jpg|thumb|A formation of [[CV-22 Osprey]]s from the [[353rd Special Operations Group]]]]

The Air Force's special operations forces are organized under [[Air Force Special Operations Command]], consisting of both special operations aviation and Air Force special tactics airmen on the ground. The [[AC-130J Ghostrider]] [[gunship]]s have the primary mission of [[close air support]] and [[air interdiction]], using cannons and precision guided munitions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/467756/ac-130j-ghostrider/ | title=AC-130J Ghostrider }}</ref> The [[MC-130J Commando II]], also a variant of the C-130 Hercules, fly exfiltration and resupply operations for special operations forces, along with conducting air-to-air refueling for helicopters.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104510/mc-130j-commando-ii/ | title=MC-130J Commando II }}</ref> The [[CV-22 Osprey]] is a tiltrotor aircraft used for the infiltration and exfiltration of special operations forces.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104531/cv-22-osprey/ | title=CV-22 Osprey }}</ref> While not under Air Force Special Operations Command, rescue operations are supported by the [[HC-130J Combat King II]] and [[HH-60W Jolly Green II]] combat rescue aircraft.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/08/12/combat-rescue-helicopter-cuts-trigger-cost-overrun-air-force-says/ | title=Combat rescue helicopter cuts trigger cost overrun, Air Force says | date=12 August 2022 }}</ref> The [[MQ-9 Reaper]] also serves as a remotely piloted intelligence and strike aircraft, serving under Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104470/mq-9-reaper/ | title=MQ-9 Reaper }}</ref>[[File:USAF HH-60 evac scenario.jpg|thumb|Air Force [[Pararescue]] with a [[HH-60]] helicopter in the background]]

Air Force Special Tactics are the ground special warfare force of the U.S. Air Force, integrating air-ground operations. Special Tactics conduct four core missions. Global access teams assess and open airfields, ranging from international airports to dirt strips, in permissive or hostile locations to facilitate the landing and operation of air forces. Precision strike teams are trained to direct aircraft and other forces to conduct kinetic and non-kinetic strikes, as well as humanitarian aid drops. Special Tactics teams also conduct personnel recovery missions, possessing significant medical and rescue experience. Finally, Special Operations Surgical Teams conduct surgery and medical operations in battlefield operations in support of special operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/About/Mission/ | title=Mission }}</ref>

The Air Force also operates a wide array of [[reconnaissance aircraft]] under Air Combat Command's [[Sixteenth Air Force]], including the [[RQ-4 Global Hawk]] drone, [[U-2 Dragon Lady]], and [[RC-135 Rivet Joint]]. Air Force operations are typically supported by command and control aircraft, such as the [[E-3 Sentry]] [[airborne warning and control system]]. The E-3 Sentry is in the process of being replaced by the [[E-7A Wedgetail]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104504/e-3-sentry-awacs/ | title=E-3 Sentry (AWACS) }}</ref>

====Mobility Air Force====
{{main|Air Mobility Command}}

[[File:Boeing Flight Test & Evaluation (28081863073).jpg|thumb|A [[KC-46A Pegasus]] refueling a [[C-17A Globemaster III]]]]

The Mobility Air Force (MAF) is organized under Air Mobility Command and comprises the Air Force's [[Military transport aircraft|airlift]], [[Aerial refueling|air refueling]], and [[aeromedical evacuation]] forces.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.amc.af.mil/About-Us/ | title=Gen. Minihan Keynote Intro for A/TA 2021 }}</ref>

The airlift forces operate three different major aircraft. The [[C-5M Super Galaxy]] is the largest aircraft in the Air Force, serving as a strategic transport aircraft.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104492/c-5m-super-galaxy/ | title=C-5M Super Galaxy }}</ref> The [[C-17A Globemaster III]] is the airlift force's most flexible aircraft, conducting both strategic and tactical airlift operations. It is also capable of conducting airborne operations for the Army and aerial resupply through airdropping cargo.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1529726/c-17-globemaster-iii/ | title=C-17 Globemaster III }}</ref> Finally, the [[C-130J Super Hercules]] is a tactical airlifter, conducting both cargo airlift and supporting Army airborne operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1555054/c-130-hercules/ | title=C-130 Hercules }}</ref> Other major airlift platforms include the [[VC-25]], which serves as the personal plane of the [[president of the United States]], better known as [[Air Force One]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104588/vc-25-air-force-one/ | title=VC-25 – Air Force One }}</ref>

The Air Force also operates three major aerial refueling tankers. The [[KC-46A Pegasus]] is its most modern tanker, replacing the aging [[KC-10A Extender]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104537/kc-46a-pegasus/ | title=KC-46A Pegasus }}</ref> The remaining tanker is the [[KC-135 Stratotanker]], which has flown since the 1950s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1529736/kc-135-stratotanker/ | title=KC-135 Stratotanker }}</ref> Tankers are also capable of conducting limited airlift operations.

====Air Force commands====
The U.S. Air Force is organized into nine major commands, which conduct the majority of the service's organize, train, and equip functions. It commands forces attached to the combatant commands as joint force air component commands.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.airforcemag.com/PDF/MagazineArchive/Magazine%20Documents%2F2013%2FMay%202013%2F0513MC_RC.pdf |title=Major Commands and Reserve Components |website=airforcemag.com |date=30 September 2012 |access-date=28 September 2021 }}</ref>
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
|-
|[[File:Headquarters US Air Force Badge.png|75px]]
|[[Headquarters Air Force]] (HAF) 
| Air Force service headquarters led by the [[chief of staff of the United States Air Force|chief of staff of the Air Force]]. 
|[[The Pentagon]], Virginia
|-
!colspan=4| Major Commands and Air National Guard
|-
|[[File:ACC Shield.svg|75px]]
|[[Air Combat Command]] (ACC)
| Primary provider of combat air forces to the unified combatant commands. Air Combat Command operates fighter, reconnaissance, battle-management, and electronic-combat aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.acc.af.mil/About-Us/|title=About Us|website=www.acc.af.mil}}</ref>
|[[Joint Base Langley-Eustis]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:Air Education and Training Command.svg|75px]]
|[[Air Education and Training Command]] (AETC)
|Recruits, trains, and educates airmen and develops Air Force doctrine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aetc.af.mil/About-Us/|title=Air Education and Training Command > About Us|website=www.aetc.af.mil}}</ref>
|[[Joint Base San Antonio]], Texas
|-
|[[File:Air Force Global Strike Command.svg|75px]] 
|[[Air Force Global Strike Command]] (AFGSC)
| Operates the Air Force strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile forces. Air Force component and joint force air component command for [[United States Strategic Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afgsc.af.mil/About/|title=About|website=www.afgsc.af.mil}}</ref>
|[[Barksdale Air Force Base]], Louisiana 
|-
|[[File:Air Force Materiel Command shield.svg|75px]]
|[[Air Force Materiel Command]] (AFMC)
|Manages installation and mission support, discovery and development, test and evaluation, and life cycle management services and sustainment for every major Air Force weapon system.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afmc.af.mil/About-Us/|title=About Us|website=www.afmc.af.mil}}</ref>
|[[Wright-Patterson Air Force Base]], Ohio
|-
|[[File:Air Force Reserve Command.png|75px]]
|[[Air Force Reserve Command]] (AFRC)
|Manages Air Force reserve forces.
|[[Robins Air Force Base]], Georgia
|-
|[[File:Shield of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command.svg|75px]]
|[[Air Force Special Operations Command]] (AFSOC)
| Organizes, trains, and equips air commandos. Air Force component and joint force air component command for [[United States Special Operations Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afsoc.af.mil/About-Us/|title=About Us|website=www.afsoc.af.mil}}</ref>
| [[Hurlburt Field]], Florida
|-
|[[File:Air Mobility Command.svg|75px]]
|[[Air Mobility Command]] (AMC)
| Primary provider of air mobility forces to the unified combatant commands. Air Force component and joint force air component command for [[United States Transportation Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amc.af.mil/About-Us/|title=Gen. Minihan Keynote Intro for A/TA 2021|website=www.amc.af.mil}}</ref>
| [[Scott Air Force Base]], Illinois
|-
|[[File:Pacific Air Forces.svg|75px]]
|[[Pacific Air Forces]] (PACAF)
|Air Force component and joint force air component command for [[United States Indo-Pacific Command]].
|[[Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam]], Hawaii
|-
|[[File:United States Air Forces in Europe.svg|75px]] [[File:United States Air Forces in Africa.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa]] (USAFE-AFAFRICA)
|Air Force component and joint force air component command for [[United States European Command]] and [[United States Africa Command]].
|[[Ramstein Air Base]], Germany
|-
|[[file:US-AirNationalGuard-2007Emblem.svg|75px]]
|[[Air National Guard]] (ANG)
|Air Force component of the [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]].
|[[The Pentagon]], Virginia 
|-
|}

===U.S. Space Force===
{{main|United States Space Force}}
[[File:X-37B concludes sixth mission (221111-F-XX000-0002).jpg|thumb|[[Boeing X-37|Boeing X-37B]] spaceplane after deorbiting and landing]]

The [[United States Space Force]] (USSF) is the United States Armed Forces' space force and is the newest military branch. Originally established in 2019, it traces its history through Air Force Space Command and the Western Development Division to 1954. The United States Space Force is the principal space service, responsible for [[space warfare]] operations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spaceforce.com/history|title=Our History – U.S. Space Force|website=www.spaceforce.com}}</ref> The U.S. Space Force is composed of the Regular Space Force, not yet having organized a reserve component outside of the Air Force.

The U.S. Space Force is organized under the [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]], which is a military department under the leadership of the [[United States Secretary of the Air Force|secretary of the Air Force]] and [[United States Under Secretary of the Air Force|under secretary of the Air Force]]. The U.S. Space Force itself is led by the [[chief of space operations]] and [[vice chief of space operations]], both [[general (United States)|general]]s who are advised by the [[chief master sergeant of the Space Force]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Leadership/|title=Leadership|website=www.spaceforce.mil}}</ref>

[[File:45th Space Wing Supports Successful Delta IV Heavy NROL-44 Launch (6453152).jpeg|thumb|[[Delta IV Heavy]] launch for the [[NROL-44]] mission]]
The five core competencies of the Space Force are:<ref name="Spacepower">{{cite web|url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/2306828/space-force-releases-1st-doctrine-defines-spacepower-as-distinct-form-of-milita|title=Space Force releases 1st doctrine, defines "spacepower" as distinct form of military power|website=United States Space Force|date=10 August 2020 }}</ref>
*[[International security|Space security]]
*[[Space warfare|Combat]] [[power projection]]
*[[Military logistics|Space mobility and logistics]]
*[[Information warfare|Information mobility]]
*[[Space domain awareness]]
The five specified functions of the Space Force are:
#Provide freedom of operation for the United States in, from, and to space.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Provide prompt and sustained space operations.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Protect the interests of the United States in space.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Deter aggression in, from, and to space.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />
#Conduct space operations.<ref name="DoDI 5100.01" />

====Orbital warfare and space electromagnetic warfare====
{{main|Space Delta 3|Space Delta 9}}
The Space Force's combat power is centered around Space Delta 3, which conducts [[electronic warfare|space electromagnetic warfare]] and Space Delta 9, which conducts [[space warfare|orbital warfare]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Program-Executive-Offices/Space-Domain-Awareness-Combat-Power | title=Space Domain Awareness & Combat Power }}</ref>

Combat power projection operations ensure freedom of action in space for the U.S. and its allies and denies an adversary freedom of action in space. These are divided into offensive and defensive space operations. Defensive operations preserve and protect U.S. and allied space capabilities, which are further sub-divided into active and passive actions. Offensive operations target a U.S. adversary's space and counterspace capabilities, achieving space superiority.<ref name="Spacepower"/>

Orbital warfare forces conduct protect-and-defend operations and provide U.S. national decision authorities with response options to deter and, when necessary, defeat orbital threats. The space electromagnetic warfare forces conduct offensive and defensive space control operations. Space Force cyber forces conduct defensive cyber operations to protect space assets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2510837/space-delta-9-builds-orbital-warfare-tradecraft-from-the-ground-up/https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2510837/space-delta-9-builds-orbital-warfare-tradecraft-from-the-ground-up/|title=Space Delta 9 builds orbital warfare tradecraft from the ground up|website=Schriever Space Force Base (Archived)}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/2506638/space-delta-3-focuses-on-electromagnetic-spectrum/http://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/2506638/space-delta-3-focuses-on-electromagnetic-spectrum/|title=Space Delta 3 focuses on electromagnetic spectrum|website=United States Space Command}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

====Cyber operations and Satellite Control Network====
{{main|Space Delta 6}}
[[File:The Watchers on Oahu (7526583).jpeg|thumb|[[Satellite Control Network]] antenna at [[Kaena Point Space Force Station]]]]
Although the U.S. Space Force is not a [[cyber force]], it does conduct extensive [[cyberwarfare|cyber operations]] under Space Delta 6. The primary focus of Space Force cyber operations is defending U.S. Space Force networks and ensuring the operations of its spacecraft, which are controlled remotely from ground stations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2022/11/10/entering-year-four-space-force-focusing-on-cyber-capabilities | title=Entering Year Four, Space Force Focusing on Cyber Capabilities }}</ref> All space operations units have cyber squadrons assigned to defend them and incorporate offensive cyber operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://spacenews.com/space-force-coming-to-grips-with-cybersecurity-threats/ | title=Space Force coming to grips with cybersecurity threats | date=7 July 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/3190976/ | title=Space Force embeds Cyber Squadrons into delta missions | date=11 October 2022 }}</ref><ref name="auto17">{{cite web | url=https://www.airandspaceforces.com/space-forces-plan-for-cyber-focused-airmen/ | title=Space Force's Plan for Cyber Warriors | date=29 May 2020 }}</ref>

Additionally, Space Delta 6 is responsible for managing the [[Satellite Control Network]], a global network of antennas used to communicate with the service's spacecraft. The [[22nd Space Operations Squadron]] is responsible for overall operations, with the [[21st Space Operations Squadron]] and [[23rd Space Operations Squadron]] managing the ground station sites at [[Vandenberg Space Force Base]], [[New Boston Space Force Station]], [[Kaena Point Space Force Station]], Diego Garcia, Guam, Greenland, and the United Kingdom.<ref name="auto17"/>

====Space domain awareness====
{{main|Space Delta 2}}
[[File:15th SPSS- The neighborhood watch of space (7542481).jpeg|thumb|[[15th Space Surveillance Squadron]] [[Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance|GEODSS]] telescope at [[White Sands Missile Range]]]]
The Space Force's Space Delta 2 operates the [[United States Space Surveillance Network]], tracking 47,000 objects in space as of 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3196701/us-space-command-to-transfer-space-object-tracking-to-department-of-commerce/#:~:text=Right%20now%2C%20U.S.%20Space%20Command,there%2C%20the%20Spacecom%20commander%20said | title=U.S. Space Command to Transfer Space Object Tracking to Department of Commerce }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Space Delta 2 monitors deep space |url=https://www.nellis.af.mil/News/Article/2564700/space-delta-2-monitors-deep-space/ |website=Nellis Air Force Base|date=7 April 2021 }}</ref> Space domain awareness encompasses the identification, characterization, and understanding of any factor associated with the space domain that could affect space operations.<ref name="Spacepower"/>

Space Delta 2 sensors include the [[AN/FPS-85]] phased array radar at [[Eglin Air Force Base]] and the [[Space Fence]] radar at Kwajalein Atoll operated by the [[20th Space Surveillance Squadron]]; and a global network of three [[Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance]] telescopes operated by the [[15th Space Surveillance Squadron]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.eglin.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/391473/ | title=Premier space surveillance squadron located at Eglin | date=12 December 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/space-fence.html | title=Space Fence | date=7 March 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.afspc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/249016/ground-based-electro-optical-deep-space-surveillance/ | title=Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance | access-date=4 March 2023 | archive-date=4 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304180422/https://www.afspc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/249016/ground-based-electro-optical-deep-space-surveillance/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[18th Space Defense Squadron]], collocated with the [[Combined Space Operations Center]], executes command and control of the Space Surveillance Network and manages the [[Satellite Catalog Number|Space Catalog]] of all objects in Earth orbit. The [[19th Space Defense Squadron]] focuses on objects further in [[cislunar space]], beyond [[geosynchronous orbit]], with a specific focus on supporting [[NASA]]'s [[Artemis program]] and other human spaceflight operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.afcea.org/signal-media/space-force-rounds-out-delta-2s-structure | title=Space Force Rounds Out Delta 2's Structure | date=4 May 2022 }}</ref>

====Missile warning====
{{main|Space Delta 4}}
[[File:STS-44 DSP deployment.jpg|thumb|Deployment of a [[Defense Support Program]] missile warning spacecraft from the [[Space Shuttle Atlantis|Space Shuttle ''Atlantis'']] on the [[STS-44]] mission]]

The Space Force's Space Delta 4 uses orbital spacecraft and ground-based radars to conduct theater and strategic missile warnings for the United States and its international partners.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/2334034/space-delta-4#:~:text=Space%20Delta%204%20(DEL%204,strategic%20and%20theater%20missile%20warning | title=Space Delta 4 | access-date=26 February 2023 | archive-date=21 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321034107/http://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/2334034/space-delta-4#:~:text=Space%20Delta%204%20(DEL%204,strategic%20and%20theater%20missile%20warning | url-status=dead }}</ref> This includes the network of [[Upgraded Early Warning Radar]]s at [[Beale Air Force Base]], [[Clear Space Force Station]], [[Cape Cod Space Force Station]], [[Pituffik Space Base]], and [[RAF Fylingdales]], along with the [[AN/FPQ-16 PARCS]] radar at [[Cavalier Space Force Station]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.raytheonmissilesanddefense.com/news/2022/09/16/all-five-uewrs-complete-second-generation-hardware-software-upgrades|title=All five Upgraded Early Warning Radars complete second generation hardware, software upgrades|date=19 September 2022|website=raytheonmisslesanddefense.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002201919/https://www.raytheonmissilesanddefense.com/news/2022/09/16/all-five-uewrs-complete-second-generation-hardware-software-upgrades|archive-date=2 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afspc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1126406/perimeter-acquisition-radar-attack-characterization-system/https://www.afspc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1126406/perimeter-acquisition-radar-attack-characterization-system/|title=Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System|website=Air Force Space Command (Archived)}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Currently, the Space Force is working with the [[Missile Defense Agency]] to acquire the [[Long Range Discrimination Radar]] at Clear Space Force Station in Alaska. These ground-based radars also contribute to the Space Surveillance Network.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mda.mil/global/documents/pdf/lrdr.pdf|title=Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR), Clear Space Force Station (CSFS), Alaska|website=mda.mil}}</ref>

Space-based missile warning systems include the [[Defense Support Program]] and [[Space-Based Infrared System]] (SIBRS) spacecraft, which use infrared sensors to conduct missile defense and missile warning. SIBRS also has a battlespace awareness and technical intelligence mission.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/sbirs.html | title=SBIRS | date=9 August 2022 }}</ref> The Defense Support Program spacecraft are also capable of detecting nuclear detonations, in addition to space and missile launches.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/2197774/defense-support-program-satellites/ | title=Defense Support Program Satellites }}</ref>

====Global Positioning System and military satellite communications====
{{main|Space Delta 8}}
[[File:4th Space Operations Squadron (7141773).jpeg|thumb|Members of the [[4th Space Operations Squadron]] Mobile Operations Flight conducting armed convoy operations]]
The Space Force's Space Delta 8 is the operator of the [[Global Positioning System]] and the military's array of communications spacecraft.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Units/Space-Delta-8/|title=Space Delta 8|website=www.schriever.spaceforce.mil|access-date=26 February 2023|archive-date=26 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226020120/https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Units/Space-Delta-8/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Global Positioning System is operated by the [[2nd Space Operations Squadron]], providing [[positioning, navigation, and timing]] information for civilian and military users across the entire world.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/2197765/global-positioning-system/ | title=Global Positioning System }}</ref> The Space Force's GPS system has become an integral element of the global information infrastructure, being used in virtually all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, aviation, marine transportation, surveying and mapping, and transit navigation. Its timing signal is used to synchronize global communication systems, electrical power grids, and financial networks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gps.gov/applications/timing/|title=GPS.gov: Timing Applications|website=www.gps.gov}}</ref> The Global Positioning System also has a secondary mission of carrying [[Nuclear detonation detection system|nuclear detonation detection sensor]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/articles/nnsa-delivers-enduring-space-based-nuclear-detonation-detection-capability | title=NNSA delivers enduring space-based nuclear detonation detection capability }}</ref>

Military satellite communication systems include the [[Fleet Satellite Communications System]], [[UHF Follow-On satellite]], and [[Mobile User Objective System]], operated by the [[10th Space Operations Squadron]] and inherited from the U.S. Navy.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.spacebasedelta1.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/3146952/10th-space-operations-squadron/ | title=10th Space Operations Squadron }}</ref> The payloads on the [[Wideband Global SATCOM]] and [[Defense Satellite Communications System]] are operated by the [[53rd Space Operations Squadron]], a role inherited from the U.S. Army.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.spacebasedelta1.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/3146992/53rd-space-operations-squadron/ | title=53rd Space Operations Squadron }}</ref> Finally, spacecraft operations for the Wideband Global SATCOM and Defense Satellite Communications System are conducted by the [[4th Space Operations Squadron]], in addition to the [[Milstar]] and [[Advanced Extremely High Frequency]] satellites, which both additionally support command and control of strategic nuclear forces.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.spacebasedelta1.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/2815644/4th-space-operations-squadron/ | title=4th Space Operations Squadron }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/2381348/advanced-extremely-high-frequency-system-aehf | title=Advanced Extremely High Frequency System (AEHF) | access-date=4 March 2023 | archive-date=4 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304180427/https://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/2381348/advanced-extremely-high-frequency-system-aehf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

====Space launch====
{{main|Space Launch Delta 30|Space Launch Delta 45}}
[[File:SpaceX Falcon Heavy DoD STP-2 Launch (NHQ201906250100).jpg|thumb|Launch of the [[Falcon Heavy]] on the [[Space Test Program|STP-2]] mission]]
The Space Force's [[space launch]] enterprise is organized under [[Space Systems Command]], with [[Space Launch Delta 30]] managing the [[Western Range (USSF)|Western Range]] from [[Vandenberg Space Force Base]] and [[Space Launch Delta 45]] managing the [[Eastern Range]] from [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station]].<ref name="auto16">{{cite web | url=https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Program-Executive-Offices/Assured-Access-To-Space | title=Assured Access to Space }}</ref>

The Space Force does not just manage military space launches, but also supports [[NASA]] and commercial space launches.<ref name="auto16"/> Major space launch vehicles flown or scheduled to fly off of Space Force launch ranges include [[NASA]]'s [[Space Launch System]], [[SpaceX]]'s [[SpaceX Starship|Starship]], [[Falcon Heavy]], and [[Falcon 9]], and [[United Launch Alliance]]'s [[Vulcan Centaur|Vulcan]], which will replace the [[Atlas V]] and [[Delta IV Heavy]]. Currently, vehicles for the [[National Security Space Launch]] program include the Vulcan, Atlas V, Falcon Heavy, and Falcon 9 rockets.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://spacenews.com/national-security-launch-in-transition-as-space-force-waits-for-vulcan/ | title=National security launch in transition as Space Force waits for Vulcan | date=19 August 2021 }}</ref>

An experimental [[Air Force Research Laboratory]] vanguard program that the Space Force leads, [[Rocket Cargo]], is exploring using rockets to supplement naval and air transport to rapidly deliver supplies to forces across the Earth.<ref name="auto11">{{cite web | url=https://afresearchlab.com/technology/successstories/rocket-cargo-for-agile-global-logistics/ | title=ROCKET CARGO FOR AGILE GLOBAL LOGISTICS – Air Force Research Laboratory }}</ref> The [[SpaceX Starship]] rocket is one such system currently being explored.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/spacex-signs-a-deal-to-rocket-military-cargo-around-the-world/ | title=SpaceX signs a deal to rocket military cargo around the world }}</ref>

====Space Force commands====
The Space Force is organized into three field commands and multiple component field commands, which serve as joint force space component commands for the unified combatant commands.<ref name="spaceforce.mil">{{cite web|url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/2287005/space-force-begins-transition-into-field-organizational-structure|title=Space Force begins transition into field organizational structure|website=United States Space Force|date=24 July 2020 }}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
|-
|[[File:Space Staff Identification Badge.png|75px]]
|[[Headquarters Space Force]] (HSF) 
| Space Force service headquarters led by the [[chief of space operations]]. 
|[[The Pentagon]], Virginia
|-
!colspan=4| Field commands
|-
|[[File:Space Operations Command emblem.png|75px]]
|[[Space Operations Command]] (SpOC)
|The Space Force's operations field command, conducting space operations, cyberspace operations, and intelligence operations. Space Force component to [[United States Space Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/About-Space-Operations-Command|title=About Space Operations Command|website=www.spoc.spaceforce.mil}}</ref>
|[[Peterson Space Force Base]], Colorado
|-
|[[File:Space Systems Command emblem.svg|75px]]
|[[Space Systems Command]] (SSC)
|Conducts research, development, acquisitions, and sustainment of Space Force systems and conducts space launch operations.
|[[Los Angeles Air Force Base]], California
|-
|[[File:Space Training and Readiness Command emblem.png|75px]]
|[[Space Training and Readiness Command]] (STARCOM)
|Conducts Space Force training, education, doctrine development, and testing.
|[[Peterson Space Force Base]], Colorado
|-
|[[File:Space Force Element to the National Reconnaissance Office emblem.png|75px]]
|[[National Reconnaissance Office|Space Force Element, National Reconnaissance Office]] (SFELM NRO)
|Space Force component for the [[National Reconnaissance Office]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/about/leadership/bios/Major_General_Christopher_S_Povak_bio.pdf?ver=Xl0BhACsBe5LE21mmLpDLA%3d%3d|title=Major General Christopher S. Povak|website=nro.gov}}</ref>
|Chantilly, Virginia
|-
|[[File:U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific emblem.png|75px]]
|[[United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific|U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific]] (USSPACEFOR-INDOPAC)
|Space Force component and joint force space component command for [[United States Indo-Pacific Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/3227481/space-force-presents-forces-to-us-indo-pacific-command/https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/3227481/space-force-presents-forces-to-us-indo-pacific-command/|title=Space Force Presents Forces to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command|website=United States Space Force}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|[[Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam]], Hawaii
|-
|[[File:United States Space Forces Central emblem.png|75px]]
|[[United States Space Forces Central|U.S. Space Forces Central]] (USSPACEFOR-CENT)
|Space Force component and joint force space component command for [[United States Central Command]].
|[[MacDill Air Force Base]], Florida
|-
|[[File:United States Space Forces Korea emblem.png|75px]]
|[[United States Space Forces Korea|U.S. Space Forces Korea]] (USSPACEFOR-KOR)
|Space Force component and joint force space component command for [[United States Forces Korea]].
|[[Osan Air Base]], South Korea
|}

===U.S. Coast Guard===
{{main|United States Coast Guard}}
[[File:USCG cutters Hamilton and Flores -c.jpg|right|thumb| {{USCGC|Hamilton|WMSL-753}} sailing alongside the {{USCGC|William Flores|WPC-1103}}]]

The [[United States Coast Guard]] (USCG) is the United States Armed Forces' [[maritime security]], maritime [[search and rescue]], and [[maritime law enforcement]] force. It was first established in 1790 as the [[United States Revenue Cutter Service|United States Revenue-Marine]] and consists of the Regular Coast Guard and the [[United States Coast Guard Reserve|Coast Guard Reserve]].

Although it has always been one of the six military branches, the Coast Guard is organized under the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]] under the leadership of the [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|secretary of Homeland Security]] and the [[United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security|deputy secretary of Homeland Security]]. During times of war, the U.S. Coast Guard can be transferred to the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/14/103|title=14 U.S. Code § 103 – Department in which the Coast Guard operates|website=LII / Legal Information Institute}}</ref> The Coast Guard itself is led by the [[commandant of the Coast Guard]] and [[Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard|vice commandant of the Coast Guard]], both [[admiral (United States)|admiral]]s advised by the [[master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uscg.mil/alwaysready/|title=United States Coast Guard – Always Ready|website=www.uscg.mil}}</ref>

[[File:U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team USNS Sisler 2006.jpg|thumb|A Coast Guard [[Maritime Safety and Security Team|Maritime Security Response team]] executing a boarding action from an [[MH-60 Jayhawk]] helicopter]]

The Coast Guard has six major operational mission programs, through which it executes its 11 statutory missions:<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.uscg.mil/About/Missions/|title=About U.S. Coast Guard Missions|website=Uscg.mil}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
* Maritime law enforcement
* Maritime response
* Maritime prevention
* Maritime transport system management
* Maritime security operations
* Defense operations

[[Maritime law enforcement]] operations focus on protecting the United States maritime borders and assuring its maritime sovereignty. The Coast Guard conducts operations to suppress violations of U.S. law at sea, including counter-illegal migration and transnational organized crime operations. Codified missions executed under the maritime law enforcement program include drug interdiction, migrant interdiction, living marine resources, and other law enforcement.<ref name="auto2"/>

Maritime response operations see the Coast Guard conducting search-and-rescue operations and rescuing mariners responding to maritime disasters. Codified missions include search and rescue and marine environmental protection (response activities).<ref name="auto2"/>

[[File:221697.jpg|thumb|upright|Coast Guard aviation [[MH-60 Jayhawk]] helicopter with a rescue swimmer]]

Maritime prevention operations prevent marine casualties and property losses, minimize security risks, and protect the marine environment. The Coast Guard does so by developing and enforcing federal regulations, conducting safety and security inspections, and analyzing port security risk assessments. Codified missions include ports, waterways, and coastal security, marine safety, and marine environmental protection (protection activities).<ref name="auto2"/>

Maritime transport system management ensures a safe, secure, and environmentally sound waterways system. Codified missions include maintaining aids to navigation and ice operations.<ref name="auto2" />

Maritime security operations include activities to detect, deter, prevent, and disrupt terrorist attacks, and other criminal acts in the U.S. maritime domain. This includes the execution of anti-terrorism, response, and select recovery operations. This mission performs the operational element of the Coast Guard's Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security mission and complements its Maritime Response and Prevention efforts. Codified missions include ports, waterways, and coastal security (response activities).<ref name="auto2"/>

Coast Guard Defense Operations deploy the Coast Guard globally under the Department of Defense's unified combatant commands, where it operates under the joint force maritime component commands. Codified missions include defense readiness.<ref name="auto2"/>

====Coast Guard commands====
The U.S. Coast Guard is organized into two area commands that cover the entire globe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uscg.mil/Units/Organization/#cyber|title=United States Coast Guard > Units > Organization|website=www.uscg.mil}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
|-
|[[File:USCG - Commandant's Staff Badge.png|75px]]
|[[Commandant of the Coast Guard|Coast Guard Headquarters]] (USCG HQ) 
| Coast Guard service headquarters led by the [[commandant of the Coast Guard]]. 
|[[Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building]], Washington D.C.
|-
!colspan=4| Operating forces
|-
|[[File:Commander Atlantic Area Crest.png|75px]]
|[[Coast Guard Atlantic Area]] (LANTAREA)
|Conducts Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains, to include the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
|Coast Guard Station Portsmouth, Virginia
|-
|[[File:USCG Pacarea.png|75px]]
|[[Coast Guard Pacific Area]] (PACAREA)
|Conducts Coast Guard operations west of the Rocky Mountains, to include the Indo-Pacific region.
|[[Coast Guard Island|Coast Guard Base Alameda]], California
|-
|[[File:Coast Guard Cyber Command.png|75px]]
|[[Coast Guard Cyber Command]] (CGCYBER)
|Conducts Coast Guard cyber operations and collaborates with [[United States Cyber Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cybercom.mil/Media/News/Article/3247521/cyber-101-us-coast-guard-cyber-command-cgcyber/https://www.cybercom.mil/Media/News/Article/3247521/cyber-101-us-coast-guard-cyber-command-cgcyber/|title=CYBER 101: US Coast Guard Cyber Command (CGCYBER)|website=U.S. Cyber Command}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|Washington D.C.
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Coast Guard Reserve.png|75px]]
|[[United States Coast Guard Reserve|U.S. Coast Guard Reserve]] (USCGR)
|Oversees and maintains Coast Guard reserve forces
|[[Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building]], Washington D.C.
|}

==Modernization and budget==
===Budget===
{{Main|Military budget of the United States}}
The United States manages the [[List of countries by military expenditures|world's largest]] [[Military budget of the United States|military budget]], followed by the [[Military budget of China|People's Republic of China]], [[Military budget of India|India]], United Kingdom, and [[Military budget of Russia|Russia]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-top-10-countries-by-military-spending/ | title=Ranked: Top 10 Countries by Military Spending | date=18 August 2022 }}</ref>

The [[James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023]] established the topline defense budget as $857.9 billion, with the Department of Defense receiving $816.7 billion and the [[United States Department of Energy|Department of Energy]]'s national security programs receiving $30.3 billion, an 8% increase from Fiscal Year 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy23_ndaa_agreement_summary.pdf|title=Summary of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act|website=armed-services.senate.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.defensenews.com/congress/budget/2022/12/16/congress-authorizes-8-defense-budget-increase/ | title=Congress authorizes 8% defense budget increase | date=16 December 2022 }}</ref>

The [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]] budget, unlike the [[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]] or [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]] has a sizable portion of "pass-through." This is money not controlled or used by the Air Force, but is instead passed to other Department of Defense agencies and can be up to 17% of the department's budget. This pass-through allocation gives the impression that the Air Force is the highest funded military department. It is actually the least funded.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.afa.org/news/congress-must-stop-dods-misleading-budget-practices-and-end-pass-through-practices|title=Congress Must Stop DOD's Misleading Budget Practices and End Pass-Through Practices|website=afa.org}}</ref>

{{Bar chart
| title       = Defense budget by account (FY23)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.csis.org/analysis/strategy-and-congressional-national-defense-authorization-act-fiscal-year-2023 | title=Strategy and the Congressional National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 | date=7 December 2022 | last1=Cordesman | first1=Anthony H. }}</ref>
| label_type  = Account
| data_type   = U.S. dollars (billions)
| bar_width   = 35
| width_units = em
| data_max    = 300
| label1   = Procurement
| data1    = 163
| label2   = Research, Development, Test, & Evaluation
| data2    = 139
| label3   = Operations & Maintenance 
| data3    = 279
| label4   = Military Personnel & Health 
| data4    = 210
| label5   = Military Construction 
| data5    = 19
| label6   = Defense-related Nuclear Programs 
| data6    = 30
}}

{{Bar chart
| title       = Defense budget by military service (FY24)
| label_type  = Service
| data_type   = U.S. dollars (billions)
| bar_width   = 35
| width_units = em
| data_max    = 250
| label1   = Army<ref>{{cite web | url=https://breakingdefense.com/2023/03/us-army-delivers-185-5-billion-request-for-fy24-maintains-weapon-development-portfolio/ | title=US Army delivers $185.5 billion request for FY24, maintains weapon development portfolio | date=13 March 2023 }}</ref>
| data1    = 185.5
| label2   = Marine Corps<ref>{{cite web | url=https://breakingdefense.com/2023/03/in-255b-budget-navy-prioritizes-3-subs-and-hypersonics-skips-amphib-buys/ | title=In $255B budget, Navy prioritizes 3 subs and hypersonics, skips amphib buys | date=13 March 2023 }}</ref>
| data2    = 53.2
| label3   = Navy<ref name="auto15">{{cite web|url=https://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2024/FY2024_Budget_Request.pdf|title=Office of the Under Secretary of Defense {{notatypo|(}}Comptroller/Chief Financial Officer March 2023|website=comptroller.defense.gov}}</ref>
| data3    = 202.6
| label4   = Air Force<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2023/03/13/air-force-proposes-stagnant-workforce-flight-time-in-fy24-budget/ | title=Air Force proposes stagnant workforce, flight time in FY24 budget | date=13 March 2023 }}</ref>
| data4    = 185.1 
| label5   = Space Force<ref>{{cite web | url=https://spacenews.com/u-s-space-force-budget-hits-30-billion-in-2024-funding-proposal/ | title=U.S. Space Force budget hits $30 billion in 2024 proposal | date=13 March 2023 }}</ref>
| data5    = 30
| label6   = Coast Guard<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/U.S.%20COAST%20GUARD.pdf|title=U.S. Coast Guard|website=dhs.gov}}</ref>
| data6    = 13.45
| label7   = Defense-wide<ref name="auto15"/>
| data7    = 141.3
}}

===Army modernization===
{{main|Army Futures Command}}
[[File:U S Space Force Essential to U S Army Modernization (7006666).jpeg|thumb|upright|Launch of [[Precision Strike Missile]] from a [[M142 HIMARS]] at [[Vandenberg Space Force Base]]]]

The Army's modernization efforts, led by [[Army Futures Command]], are centralized into six priorities. Each priority is led by a Cross Functional Team.

[[Long Range Precision Fires]] is the land service's top modernization priority, focusing on rebuilding its [[Field Artillery Branch (United States)|Field Artillery Branch]] in response to longer range Russian and Chinese artillery systems. The [[Extended Range Cannon Artillery]] program is developing a cannon artillery piece that can accurately fire at targets 70 kilometers away, an increase from the 30 kilometer distance of current cannon artillery. The [[Precision Strike Missile]] is a surface-to-surface guided missile intended to be fired from the current [[M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System]] and [[M142 HIMARS]], replacing their current missiles and doubling the rate of fire. The Army is also working with the [[Missile Defense Agency]], U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force to develop a common hypersonic glide body, which the Army will employ as part of the mobile ground launched [[Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon]] program. Finally, the Army is working to modify the U.S. Navy's [[RIM-174 Standard ERAM]] and [[Tomahawk (missile family)|UGM-109 Tomahawk]] land attack cruise missile for ground launch to provide the Army with mid-range artillery capability.<ref name=":3" />

The [[Next Generation Combat Vehicle]] program is developing a family of fighting vehicles for the [[Armor Branch]] to increase firepower, speed, and survivability. The [[Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle]] is intended to replace the [[M2 Bradley]], while the [[Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle]] will replace the [[M113 armored personnel carrier]]s, which have been used since the Vietnam War. The three variants of the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle are general purpose, mission command, and medical treatment. The [[Mobile Protected Firepower]] is designed to be a [[light tank]] for [[Infantry Brigade Combat Team]]s. Finally, the [[Robotic Combat Vehicle]]s are intended to come in light, medium, and heavy variants that will serve as scouts and escorts for crewed combat vehicles.<ref name=":3" />

[[File:Bell V-280 Valor takeoff demo, 2019 Alliance Air Show, Fort Worth, TX.jpg|thumb|The [[V-280 Valor]] flying in tiltrotor configuration]]
The [[Future Vertical Lift]] program is intended to replace the current helicopter fleet flown by the [[United States Army Aviation Branch|Army Aviation Branch]].

The [[Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft]] is intended to replace the [[UH-60 Black Hawk]] and the Marine Corps [[UH-1Y Venom]], with the Army selecting the [[Bell V-280 Valor]] [[tiltrotor]] aircraft as the winner.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/erictegler/2022/12/06/bells-v-280-valor-just-won-the-most-important-army-helicopter-competition-in-40-years/?sh=1d42f5444fcc | title=Bell's V-280 Valor Just Won the Most Important Army Helicopter Competition in 40 Years | website=[[Forbes]] }}</ref> The [[Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft]] is intended to replace the [[AH-64 Apache]] in the attack and reconnaissance roles.<ref name=":3" />

The Army is working to modernize its [[military communication|communication]] networks for the [[Army Signal Corps]], including developing a Unified Network consisting of an integrated tactical network, an integrated enterprise network, and unified network-enabling capabilities. Other sub-efforts include developing a common operating environment, ensuring the network is interoperable with the other services and allied countries, and increasing the mobility and reducing the signature of its [[command post]]s. Efforts also include modernizing [[Global Positioning System]] technology to provide assured positioning, navigation, and timing, and working with the [[United States Intelligence Community]] and commercial space companies to increase the Army's access to space-based [[intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance]] capabilities.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-15 |title=Army Readiness and Modernization in 2022 |url=https://www.ausa.org/publications/army-readiness-and-modernization-2022 |access-date=2023-08-08 |website=AUSA |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:2022 09 16 Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade Rangers in Action demonstration and Graduation 200609-A-YH902-002.jpg|thumb|Army Rangers armed with the [[XM7 rifle]] and [[XM250]] light machine gun]]

Recognizing that that United States is unlikely to have uncontested [[air superiority]], the Army is undergoing a mass revitalization of its [[Integrated Air and Missile Defense|air and missile defense enterprise]] through the [[Air Defense Artillery Branch]].

The first layer of defense is the Ballistic Low-Altitude Drone Engagement, which will be mounted on the [[Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station]] and is designed to engage small [[unmanned aerial vehicle]]s. The second layer is the Multi-Mission High Energy Laser, which will intercept small drones and munitions. The third and fourth layers comprise the Maneuver Air Defense Technology and Next-Generation Fires Radar, which will be integrated into [[short range air defense]] systems. The fifth layer puts a High-Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator onto a [[Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles|Medium Tactical Vehicle]], while the sixth layer encompasses the Low-Cost Extended-Range Air Defense to supplement the [[MIM-104 Patriot]] missiles.<ref name=":3"/>

Finally, the Army is looking to improve the equipment of its soldiers in the [[Infantry Branch (United States)|Infantry Branch]] with the [[Next Generation Squad Weapon]], the [[Integrated Visual Augmentation System]], and the Synthetic Training Environment.<ref name=":3" /> In 2022, the Army selected the [[SIG Sauer]]'s [[XM7 rifle]] and [[XM250]] light machine gun to replace the [[M4 carbine]] and the [[M249 light machine gun]] through the Next Generation Squad Weapon program.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.armytimes.com/news/2022/10/10/next-generation-squad-weapon-fielding-in-2023/ | title=Next Generation Squad Weapon on target for 2023 | date=10 October 2022 }}</ref>

===Marine Corps modernization===
{{main|Force Design 2030}}
[[File:NMESIS launcher.jpg|thumb|A [[Naval Strike Missile]] launcher on the [[Joint Light Tactical Vehicle]]]]
The Marine Corps modernization is being executed under the aegis of [[Force Design 2030]], which is intended to return the service to its naval and amphibious roots serving as a "stand-in" force within contested areas of the maritime littorals.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://breakingdefense.com/2022/06/analyzing-the-biggest-changes-in-the-marine-corps-force-design-2030-update/ | title=Analyzing the biggest changes in the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 update | date=14 June 2022 }}</ref> As part of this effort, the Marine Corps has begun establishing naval-focused Marine Littoral Regiments, consisting of a Littoral Combat Team, Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, and a Combat Logistics Battalion. The Littoral Combat Team is organized around an infantry battalion with an anti-ship missile battery, focused on conducting sea denial operations in support of the Navy.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2708146/marine-littoral-regiment-mlr/ | title=Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) }}</ref>

The Marine Corps is in the process of acquiring the [[Amphibious Combat Vehicle]], which is slated to replace the aging [[Assault Amphibious Vehicle]]. The Amphibious Combat Vehicle is intended to support the Marines during amphibious assaults and once they have reached shore. The Marine Corps has also adopted the [[Naval Strike Missile]] which is fielded from a modified [[Joint Light Tactical Vehicle]] as part of the Marines' artillery battalions. The concept is that small mobile units of Marines would move around different islands and shorelines with these weapons to fire on adversary ships.<ref name="auto18">{{cite web | url=https://news.usni.org/2022/12/22/top-stories-2022-u-s-marine-corps-acquisition | title=Top Stories 2022: U.S. Marine Corps Acquisition | date=22 December 2022 }}</ref>

Marine Corps aviation is also in the process of acquiring the [[CH-53K King Stallion]] helicopter for heavy lift, replacing the current [[CH-53E Super Stallion]] in the role. The Marine Corps is also looking to replace its [[UH-1Y Venom]] helicopters through the [[Future Vertical Lift]] program and is in the process of acquiring a significant number of [[unmanned aerial vehicles]], such as the [[MQ-9 Reaper]].<ref name="auto18"/>

===Navy modernization===
[[File:U.S. Navy guided-missile frigate FFG(X) artist rendering, 30 April 2020 (200430-N-NO101-150).JPG|thumb|Rendering of {{USS|Constellation|FFG-62}}]]
Like the Marine Corps, the Navy is in the process of overhauling and modernizing its fleet with a renewed focus. While the Navy is continuing to purchase [[Arleigh Burke-class destroyer|''Arleigh Burke''-class destroyer]]s, it is embarking on the [[DDG(X)]] program of guided missile destroyers to replace them and the [[Ticonderoga-class cruiser|''Ticonderoga''-class cruiser]]s. The DDG(X) will include [[directed energy weapon]]s and potentially hypersonic weapons.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2023/1/11/navy-moves-out-on-ddgx-requirements | title=Navy Moves Out on DDG(X) Requirements }}</ref>

The [[Constellation-class frigate|''Constellation''-class frigate]]s will be the first frigates in the U.S. Navy since the [[Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate|''Oliver Hazard Perry''-class frigate]]s were retired. The ''Constellation''-class frigates are based on the Italian [[FREMM multipurpose frigate]]s and will replace the [[littoral combat ship]]s.<ref name="auto19">{{cite web | url=https://news.usni.org/2022/12/26/top-stories-2022-u-s-navy-acquisition | title=Top Stories 2022: U.S. Navy Acquisition | date=26 December 2022 }}</ref>

[[File:Artist rendering of a Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, 2019 (190306-N-N0101-125).jpg|thumb|Rendering of a [[Columbia-class submarine|''Columbia''-class]] ballistic missile submarine]]
The Navy is starting development on the [[SSN(X)]] attack submarines, intended to replace the [[Virginia-class submarine|''Virginia''-class]] and [[Seawolf-class submarine|''Seawolf''-class submarine]]s. The [[Columbia-class submarine|''Columbia''-class submarine]]s will begin replacing the [[Ohio-class submarine|''Ohio''-class]] ballistic missile submarines. The acquisition of the ''Columbia''-class submarines is the first priority of the Navy.<ref name="auto13">{{cite web | url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3052900/keel-laying-ceremony-held-for-first-columbia-class-ballistic-missile-submarine/ | title=Keel Laying Ceremony Held for First Columbia-Class Ballistic Missile Submarine }}</ref><ref name="auto19"/>

With Naval Aviation, the service is continuing to procure additional [[Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier|''Gerald R. Ford''-class aircraft carrier]]s and [[F-35C Lightning II]] stealth fighters. Ultimately, the [[F/A-XX program]] is intended to produce a [[sixth-generation fighter]] to replace the legacy [[F/A-18E/F Super Hornet]]s as part of the Carrier Air Wing and is using the [[Future Vertical Lift]] program to replace its fleet of [[SH-60 Seahawk]] helicopters.<ref name="auto13"/><ref name="auto19"/>

The service is also investing heavily in unmanned platforms, such as [[unmanned surface vehicle]]s, using the [[Ghost Fleet Overlord]] to test the concept. It is also fielding [[unmanned aerial vehicle]]s, such as the land-based [[MQ-4C Triton]] for maritime patrol and the carrier-based [[MQ-25A Stingray]] for [[aerial refueling]], replacing the F/A-18F in the role.<ref name="auto19"/>

===Air Force modernization===
[[File:B-21 Plant 42 night.jpg|thumb|[[B-21 Raider]] at [[United States Air Force Plant 42]]]]
[[File:F-15EX Eagle II.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing F-15EX Eagle II|F-15EX Eagle II]] from the [[40th Flight Test Squadron]]]]

The [[B-21 Raider]] stealth bomber is the first new Air Force bomber since the [[B-2A Spirit]]. The B-21 will replace the B-2 and the [[B-1B Lancer]], flying alongside the [[B-52 Stratofortress]].<ref name="auto10">{{cite web | url=https://aviationweek.com/shows-events/afa-air-space-cyber-conference/us-air-forces-major-modernization-programs | title=The U.S. Air Force's Major Modernization Programs &#124; Aviation Week Network }}</ref> The development of the B-21 Raider was led by the [[Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office]]. The service is also developing the [[LGM-35 Sentinel]] intercontinental ballistic missile to replace the [[LGM-30G Minuteman III]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/01/10/building-a-better-bomber-how-the-stealthy-b-21-subverted-bureaucracy/ | title=The B-21 stealth bomber's first mission: Evading Pentagon red tape | date=10 January 2023 }}</ref>

The U.S. Air Force is also in the process of developing the [[Next Generation Air Dominance]] program, which will produce a [[sixth generation fighter]] to replace the [[F-22 Raptor]]. The service is also procuring the [[fourth generation fighter|fourth generation]] [[Boeing F-15EX Eagle II|F-15EX Eagle II]] to replace the aging [[F-15C Eagle]] and [[F-15E Strike Eagle]]. It is procuring the [[T-7A Red Hawk]] trainer jet to replace the 1950s-era [[T-38 Talon]].<ref name="auto10"/>

While not an aircraft, the Air Force is investing in developing the [[AIM-260 JATM|AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile]] to replace or supplement the [[AIM-120 AMRAAM]] for its fighter forces. It is also procuring the [[AGM-181 LRSO|AGM-181 Long Range Stand Off Weapon]] to replace the [[AGM-86 ALCM]] as a nuclear air-launched cruise missile for the B-21 Raider and the B-52 Stratofortress. The air service is investing in hypersonic weapons, with the [[AGM-183 ARRW|AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon]], the [[Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept]], and the [[Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile]] in development.<ref name="auto10"/>

===Space Force modernization===
{{main|Space Warfighting Analysis Center}}
[[File:Rocketcargo image.jpg|thumb|Concept for a Space Force [[Rocket Cargo]] program conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations]]
The U.S. Space Force is undergoing intensive modernization efforts. The [[Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability]] (DARC) is intended to track objects in [[geosynchronous orbit]] with three sites, one in the United States, one in the Indo-Pacific, and one in Europe.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://breakingdefense.com/2022/06/space-force-says-darc-software-on-track-following-gao-concerns/ | title=Space Force says DARC software on track, following GAO concerns | date=16 June 2022 }}</ref>

[[File:Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway with approaching Orion spacecraft.jpg|thumb|[[NASA]]'s return to the Moon through the [[Artemis program]] is leading to a greater emphasis on cislunar domain awareness]]
Oracle, a spacecraft developed by the [[Air Force Research Laboratory]] for the Space Force, will demonstrate technologies that the space service needs for cislunar domain awareness – tracking objects outside of geosynchronous orbit and between Earth and the Moon. The spacecraft itself will launch to an area of gravitational stability between the Earth and the Moon to conduct operations, using a wide-field sensor and a more sensitive narrow-field sensor to discover and maintain custody of objects operating in this region. Oracle will directly support [[NASA]]'s [[Artemis program]] as it returns to the Moon and track potentially hazardous near-Earth objects in support of [[planetary defense]] operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://afresearchlab.com/technology/oracle/ | title=ORACLE – Air Force Research Laboratory }}</ref>

Also an Air Force Research Laboratory program for the Space Force, Arachne is the keystone experiment in the [[Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research Project]], which aims to prove and mature essential technologies for a prototype [[space-based solar power]] transmission system capable of powering a [[forward operating base]]. Arachne will specifically demonstrate and mature technologies related to more efficient energy generation, radio frequency forming, and radio frequency beaming. Current forward operation bases rely on significant logistics convoys to transport fuel for power – space-based solar power would move these supply lines to space, where they cannot be easily attacked. Space Force provided space-based solar power may transition to civilian use in the same vein as GPS.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://afresearchlab.com/technology/arachne/ | title=ARACHNE – Air Force Research Laboratory }}</ref> Other space-based power beaming demonstrations include the Space Power InfraRed Regulation and Analysis of Lifetime (SPIRRAL) and Space Power INcremental DepLoyable Experiment (SPINDLE) experiments.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://afresearchlab.com/technology/space-power-beaming/ | title=SPACE POWER BEAMING – Air Force Research Laboratory }}</ref>

[[File:Solar power satellite sandwich or abascus concept.jpg|thumb|Concept for a [[space-based solar power]] spacecraft]]
The Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3), building on the Space Force's [[Global Positioning System]] constellation, is an Air Force Research Laboratory spacecraft that will operate in geosynchronous orbit to test advanced techniques and technologies to detect and mitigate interference to positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities and increase system resiliency for military, civil, and commercial users. NTS-3 is a Vanguard program, described as aiming to deliver potentially game changing capabilities.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://afresearchlab.com/technology/space-vehicles/successstories/nts-3 | title=NAVIGATION TECHNOLOGY SATELLITE – 3 (NTS-3) – Air Force Research Laboratory | access-date=5 March 2023 | archive-date=5 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305041227/https://afresearchlab.com/technology/space-vehicles/successstories/nts-3 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Space Force's [[Rocket Cargo]] program is another Air Force Research Laboratory Vanguard program, focused on leasing space launch services to quickly transport military materiel to ports across the globe. If proven viable, the Space Force's [[Space Systems Command]] will be responsible for transitioning it to a program of record. [[United States Transportation Command]] would be the primary user of this capability, rapidly launching up to 100 tons of cargo anywhere in the world.<ref name="auto11"/>

==Personnel==
{{update section|date=June 2024|reason='''first paragraph and women section'''}}
[[File:New York City am 20.4.2014 8.jpg|thumb|U.S. Armed Forces recruiting station at Times Square, New York City]]
[[File:Active duty military personnel.webp|thumb|Active duty military personnel numbers<br />
{{color box|orange}} [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] and [[United States Space Force|Space Force]]<br /> 
{{color box|gray}} [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] <br />
{{color box|#7FFF00}} [[United States Navy|Navy]] <br />
{{color box|#1DACD6}} [[United States Army|Army]]
]]
The U.S. Armed Forces is the [[List of countries by number of active troops|world's third largest]] military by active personnel, after the Chinese [[People's Liberation Army]] and the [[Indian Armed Forces]], consisting of 1,359,685 servicemembers in the regular armed forces with an additional 799,845 servicemembers in the reserves as of 28 February 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/dwp/dwp_reports.jsp|title=DoD Personnel, Workforce Reports & Publications|website=dmdc.osd.mil|publisher=Defence Manpower Data Centre|access-date=7 May 2019|archive-date=10 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310233433/https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/dwp/dwp_reports.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{update inline|date=June 2024|reason=stale data}}

While the United States Armed Forces is an all-volunteer military, conscription through the [[Selective Service System]] can be enacted at the president's request and Congress' approval, with all males ages 18 through 25 living in the United States required to register with the Selective Service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sss.gov/About/Quick-Facts-and-Figures|title=Quick Facts and Figures|website=Sss.gov|access-date=17 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141339/https://www.sss.gov/About/Quick-Facts-and-Figures|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Although the constitutionality of registering only males for Selective Service was [[National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System|challenged by federal district court]] in 2019, its legality was upheld by a federal appeals court in 2020.<ref name="McGill">{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/6240679fed466f36679b7492d015cf0c|title=Federal appeals court: Male-only draft is constitutional|last=McGill|first=Kevin|website=Associated Press|date=13 August 2020|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref>

As in most militaries, members of the U.S. Armed Forces hold a rank, either that of [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]], [[Warrant Officer (United States)|warrant officer]] or [[Enlisted rank|enlisted]], to determine seniority and eligibility for promotion. Those who have served are known as [[Veteran#United States|veterans]]. 

Rank names may be different between services, but they are matched to each other by their corresponding [[U.S. uniformed services pay grades|paygrade]].<ref>For example, a [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] in the Air Force is equivalent to a [[Vice admiral (United States)|vice admiral]] in that Navy since they both carry a paygrade of O-9.</ref> Officers who hold the same rank or paygrade are distinguished by their date of rank to determine seniority. Officers who serve in certain positions of office of importance set by law, outrank all other officers on active duty of the same rank and paygrade, regardless of their date of rank.<ref name="senior officers">{{cite web |url=http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/131001p.pdf |title=Department of Defence Instruction 1310.01: Rank and Seniority of Commissioned Officers |date=6 May 2006 |publisher=[[United States Department of Defense]] |access-date=9 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026035949/http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/131001p.pdf |archive-date=26 October 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Personnel by service===
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE HERE OR ELSEWHERE IN THE ARTICLE. -->
Total number of authorized personnel in FY23.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 2023 |title=United States Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request |url=https://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2024/FY2024_Budget_Request.pdf |access-date=8 August 2023 |website=Office of the Under Secretary of Defense}}</ref> 
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE HERE. -->
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: right; margin: 1em auto;"
|- style="text-align: left; background:white; color:black"
|'''Component''' || '''Total''' || '''Active''' || '''Reserve''' || '''National Guard'''
|-
|style="text-align: left"| {{Army|United States|name=U.S. Army|Size=25px}} ||  {{decrease}} '''954,000''' || {{decrease}} 452,000 || {{increase}} 177,000 || {{decrease}} 325,000
|-
| style="text-align: left" | {{Marines|United States|name=U.S. Marine Corps|size=23px}} ||  {{increase}} '''210,000''' ||  {{increase}} 177,000 ||  {{increase}} 33,000
|-
| style="text-align: left" | {{Navy|United States|name=U.S. Navy|size=25px}} || {{increase}} '''411,000''' ||  {{increase}} 354,000 ||  {{increase}} 57,000
|-
|style="text-align: left"| {{Air force|United States|name=U.S. Air Force|size=25px}} || {{increase}} '''503,744''' ||  {{increase}} 325,344 ||  {{increase}} 70,000 ||  {{increase}} 108,400
|-
|style="text-align: left"| {{Space force|United States|name=U.S. Space Force|size=25px}} ||  {{increase}} '''8,600''' ||  {{increase}} 8,600
|-
|style="text-align: left"| {{Flag|United States Coast Guard|name=U.S. Coast Guard|size=25px}} || '''49,500''' || 41,700 || 7,800
|- style="background:lavender; color:black"
||| '''2,136,844''' || 1,358,644 || 344,800 || 433,400
|}

===Rank structure===
Rank in the United States Armed Forces is split into three distinct categories: [[Officer (armed forces)|officers]], [[Warrant officer (United States)|warrant officers]], and [[Enlisted rank|enlisted]] personnel. 

Officers are the leadership of the military, holding commissions from the president of the United States and confirmed to their rank by the [[United States Senate|Senate]]. 

Warrant officers hold a warrant from the secretaries of the military departments, serving as specialists in certain military technologies and capabilities. Upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2, they gain a commission from the president of the United States. 

Enlisted personnel constitute the majority of the armed forces, serving as specialists and tactical-level leaders until they become senior non-commissioned officers or senior petty officers. 

Military ranks across the services can be compared by U.S. Uniformed Services pay grade or NATO rank code.<ref name="ReferenceC">{{cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/Our-Story/Insignias/|title=U.S. Military Rank Insignia|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref>

====Officer corps====
<div style="width:100%; overflow:auto">
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin:0 12px 12px 0;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{United States uniformed services pay grades/officer/blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OF/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/OF/United States (USMC)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/OF/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Air Forces/OF/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Air Forces/OF/United States (USSF)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/OF/United States (USCG)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{United States uniformed services pay grades/officer/blank}}
|}
</div>

Officers represent the top 18% of the armed forces, serving in leadership and command roles.<ref name="bls.gov">{{cite web|url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/military/military-careers.htm#:~:text=Enlisted+personnel+make+up+about,manage+operations+and+enlisted+personnel|title=Military Careers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics|website=www.bls.gov}}</ref> Officers are divided into three categories:<ref name="ReferenceC"/>
*O-1 to O-3: [[Company grade officers]] in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force or [[junior officers]] in the Navy and the Coast Guard.
*O-4 to O-6: [[Field grade officers]] in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force or [[mid-grade officers]] in the Navy and Coast Guard.
*O-7 to O-10: [[General officers]] in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force or [[flag officers]] in the Navy and Coast Guard.
Officers are typically commissioned as second lieutenants or ensigns with a bachelor's degree after several years of training and education or [[Direct commission officer|directly commissioned]] from civilian life into a specific specialty, such as a medical professional, lawyer, chaplain, or cyber specialist.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.todaysmilitary.com/joining-eligibility/becoming-military-officer|title=Becoming an Officer — Today's Military|website=www.todaysmilitary.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/08/17/direct-commissions-for-army-cyber-officers-finally-gaining-steam-two-star-says/|title=Direct commissions for Army cyber officers finally gaining steam, two-star says|first=Kyle|last=Rempfer|date=17 August 2020|website=Army Times}}</ref>

{{Gallery
|width=200
|File:President Trump at the U.S. Military Academy Graduation (50009349552).jpg|The [[United States Military Academy]] commissions officers into the [[United States Army]].
|File:DSC 7108 (37186744105).jpg|The [[United States Naval Academy]] commissions officers into the [[United States Marine Corps]] and [[United States Navy]].
|File:SpaceForceCadets_USAFA2020.jpg|The [[United States Air Force Academy]] commissions officers into the [[United States Air Force]] and [[United States Space Force]].
|POTUS attends Coast Guard Academy Commencement 170517-G-ZX620-009.jpg|The [[United States Coast Guard Academy]] commissions officers into the [[United States Coast Guard]].
}}

Officers are commissioned through the [[United States service academies]], [[Reserve Officer Training Corps]] programs, and the [[Officer Candidate School|Officer Candidate]] and [[Officer Training School]]s. During a time of war, officers may be promoted to [[five-star rank]]s, with [[general of the Army (United States)|general of the Army]], [[fleet admiral (United States)|fleet admiral]], and [[general of the Air Force]] the only five-star ranks currently authorized.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/these-are-the-9-five-star-general/|title=These are the 9 general officers who have earned five stars|date=28 January 2019}}</ref>

====Warrant officer corps====
<div style="width:100%; overflow:auto">
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin:0 12px 12px 0;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/WO/Blank}}
{{United States uniformed services pay grades/warrant officer/blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/WO/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/WO/United States (USMC)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/WO/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Air Forces/WO/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/WO/United States (USCG)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/WO/Blank}}
{{United States uniformed services pay grades/warrant officer/blank}}
|}
</div>

[[Warrant officer (United States)|Warrant officers]] are specialists, accounting for only 8% of the officer corps.<ref name="bls.gov"/> Warrant officers hold warrants from their service secretary and are specialists and experts in certain military technologies or capabilities. The lowest-ranking warrant officers serve under a warrant, but they receive commissions from the president upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2. They derive their authority from the same source as commissioned officers but remain specialists, in contrast to commissioned officers, who are generalists. There are no warrant officers in the Air Force or Space Force.<ref name="ReferenceC"/>

Warrant officers are typically non-commissioned officers before being selected, with the exception of Army Aviation where any enlisted grade can apply for a warrant. Army Warrant officers attend the [[Warrant Officer Candidate School (United States Army)|Army Warrant Officer Candidate School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/current-and-prior-service/advance-your-career/warrant-officer.html|title=What is a Warrant Officer?|website=goarmy.com|access-date=27 October 2020|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101020739/https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/current-and-prior-service/advance-your-career/warrant-officer.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Enlisted corps====
<div style="width:100%; overflow:auto">
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin:0 12px 12px 0;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OR/Blank}}
{{United States uniformed services pay grades/enlisted/blank (no special grade)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OR/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/OR/United States (USMC)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/OR/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Air Forces/OR/United States}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Air Forces/OR/United States (USSF)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/OR/United States (USCG)}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OR/Blank}}
{{United States uniformed services pay grades/enlisted/blank (no special grade)}}
|}
</div>

[[File:Air Force Basic Training Field.jpg|thumb|upright|Air Force basic trainees in a base defense exercise at [[United States Air Force Basic Military Training|Air Force Basic Military Training]]]]

Enlisted personnel comprise 82% of the armed forces, serving as specialists and tactical leaders.<ref name="bls.gov" /> Enlisted personnel are divided into three categories:
* E-1 to E-3/4: Junior enlisted personnel are usually in initial training or at their first assignment. E-1 to E-3 in the Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard, and E-1 to E-4 in the Army, Air Force, and Space Force. In the Army, specialists (E-4) are considered to be junior enlisted, while corporals (E-4) are non-commissioned officers.
* E-4/5 to E-6: [[Non-commissioned officers]] in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force and [[petty officers]] in the Navy and Coast Guard. In the Air Force and Space Force, E-5 is the first non-commissioned officer rank. Non-commissioned officers and petty officers are responsible for tactical leadership.
* E-7 to E-9: [[Senior non-commissioned officers]] in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force and [[chief petty officers]] in the Navy and Coast Guard. Serve as senior enlisted advisors to officers.

The rank of [[senior enlisted advisor]] is the highest rank in each service, serving as the primary advisor to its service secretary and service chief on enlisted matters. Prior to entering service, enlisted personnel must complete their service's [[Recruit training|basic training]]. In the Army, after completing [[United States Army Basic Training|Basic Combat Training]], recruits then go to [[advanced individual training]] for their [[United States military occupation code|military occupational specialty]].

Upon completion of [[United States Marine Corps Recruit Training|Marine Corps Recruit Training]], Infantry Marines attend the [[United States Marine Corps School of Infantry|School of Infantry]]. Non-infantry Marines complete Marine Combat Training before advancing to technical schools for their [[List of United States Marine Corps MOS|Military Occupational Specialty]]. In the Navy, after completing [[Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois|Recruit Training]], sailors advance to their "A" schools to complete training for their [[List of United States Navy ratings|rating]]. In the Air Force and Space Force, recruits complete combined [[Air Force Basic Military Training|Basic Military Training]] before going to technical training for their [[Air Force Specialty Code]]s. In the Coast Guard, after completing [[United States Coast Guard Training Center Cape May|Recruit Training]], sailors advance to their "A" schools to complete training for their [[List of United States Coast Guard ratings|rating]].

===Women in the armed forces===
[[File:Beyond Firsts - Powering the Future Force 230306-D-KY598-1076.jpg|thumb|The existing four-star women in the United States Armed Forces in March 2023 during [[Women's History Month]]. From left to right: Admiral [[Linda L. Fagan]], General [[Jacqueline Van Ovost]], General [[Laura J. Richardson]] and Admiral [[Lisa Franchetti]]]]

[[File:Defense.gov News Photo 100806-M-0301S-111 - U.S. Marine Cpl. Mary E. Walls right an ammunition technician and linguist Sahar both with a female engagement team patrol with 1st Battalion.jpg|thumb|Two female Marines of the [[2nd Marine Regiment]] patrolling in Afghanistan in 2010]]

Women such as [[Deborah Sampson]] disguised themselves as men to join the military during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. Some historians estimate that as many as 400 women disguised themselves as men to enlist during the Civil War. The first woman doctor in the Army, [[Mary Edwards Walker]], was commissioned in 1864. In 1901, the [[United States Army Nurse Corps]] was established as a quasi-military auxiliary, followed by the [[United States Navy Nurse Corps]] in 1908.<ref name=holm>{{cite book|last=Holm | first=Jeanne | title=Women in the Military: An Unfinished Revolution | publisher=Presidio Press | year=1982 | isbn=0891414509}}</ref>{{rp|pp=4-9}}

Women were not accepted in the armed forces outside of medical roles until World War I, when they were allowed to enlist to perform clerical roles. Women were accepted into the Naval Reserve Force in 1917, and the Marine Corps Reserves and Coast Guard in 1918.{{r|holm|pp=9-10}} The War Department forbid Army and National Guard posts from employing any women except as nurses,{{r|holm|p=13}}  but the need for telephone operators overseas during World War I became urgent and hundreds of [[Hello Girls|"Hello Girls"]] were recruited. These members of the Army Signal Corps wore military uniforms and took the Army oath, but were classified as civilian employees until 1977 when their military service was officially recognized.<ref name="hoffman">{{cite book | last=Hoffman | first=Elizabeth | author-link=Elizabeth Cobbs | title=The Hello Girls : America's first women soldiers | publisher=Harvard University Press | publication-place=Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England | year=2017 | isbn=978-0-674-97147-9 | oclc=959649181 |pages=69–73; 289–301}}</ref>

After the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]] was signed, enlisted women were demobilized and the nurse corps returned to peacetime strength. The Naval Reserve Act of 1916, which authorized the Navy to enlist "citizens", was changed in 1925 to specify "male citizens".{{r|holm|pp=16-17}}

During World War II, all branches of the U.S. military enlisted women. The [[Women's Army Corps|Woman's Army Auxiliary Corps]] (WAAC) was established by the Army in 1942 with auxiliary status, and converted to the [[Women's Army Corps]] (WAC) in June, 1943.{{efn|WAAC members lacked military status and legal protections; they did not receive the same pay or entitlements as male counterparts, and they had no military rank.}}{{r|holm|pp=24-25}} Also formed during this time were the Women's Airforce Service Pilots ([[Women Airforce Service Pilots|WASP]]s), the Navy's Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services ([[WAVES]]), the Marine Corps Women's Reserve, and the Coast Guard Women's Reserve ([[SPARS]]).<ref name=desimone>{{cite web |last=DeSimone |first=Danielle |date=1 March 2022 |title=Over 200 Years of Service: The History of Women in the U.S. Military |url=https://www.uso.org/stories/3005-over-200-years-of-service-the-history-of-women-in-the-us-military |access-date=7 March 2022 |website=USO}}</ref> 

Women experienced combat as nurses in the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] on 7 December 1941, before the U.S. officially entered the war. In 1944, WACs arrived in the Pacific and in Normandy. During the war, 67 Army nurses and 16 [[United States Navy Nurse Corps|Navy nurses]] were captured and spent three years as Japanese prisoners of war. There were 350,000 American women who served during World War II, and 432 were killed in the line of service.{{r|desimone}} In total, they gained over 1,500 medals, citations, and commendations.

After World War II, demobilization led to the vast majority of serving women being returned to civilian life. By 1946, the Coast Guard had demobilized all of its women members, while the other branches retained some.{{r|holm|p=105}} Law 625, [[Women's Armed Services Integration Act|The Women's Armed Services Act]] of 1948, was signed by President Harry S. Truman, allowing women to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces in fully integrated units during peace time, albeit with limits that did not apply to men.{{efn|The proportion of women in each service was limited to 2 percent, and additional limits were placed on commissioned ranks, age of enlistment, and designation of their family members as dependents.{{r|holm|p=120}}}} The intent of Congress was that women should be noncombatants only, but because of the difficulty in defining restrictions for the Army in the law, it was left up to the [[Organizational_structure_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Defense#Military Departments|service secretaries]] to comply with that intent, although the law did prohibit women from serving aboard ships and on aircraft that engaged in combat missions.{{r|holm|pp=118-120}} The Army retained a separate corps for women (WAC), while the other services integrated women into their organizational structure.{{r|holm|p=121}} In 1951, Executive Order 10240 was issued, authorizing the services to discharge women who became pregnant or had minor children in the home (including stepchildren, foster children, and siblings).{{r|holm|p=125}} 

During the Korean War of 1950–1953, many women served in the [[Mobile Army Surgical Hospital]]s. A recruiting project started in 1951 aimed to increase the number of women in the military from 40,000 to 112,000 by July 1952, but it only achieved 46,000. Some of the reasons were the lack of public support for involvement in Korea; public disapproval of women in the military; fewer women in the right age group due to the low birthrate during the Depression; and the higher standards required for women enlistees.{{r|holm|pp=149-155}}{{efn|Women recruits had to meet higher educational, mental, and physical standards than men. In addition, they had to pass a psychiatric examination as well as "an investigation of the records of local police, mental hospitals, schools, former employers, and personal references".{{r|holm|pp=154-155}}}}

In the 1960s, recruiting and training focused on the attractiveness and femininity of women enlistees. Outside of the medical fields, women were mostly assigned to clerical, administrative, and protocol-related jobs. Women who were previously in technical positions were retrained for the few jobs now permitted for women. Of the 61 non-combat occupational groups, only 36 were open to women by 1965.{{r|holm|pp=180-184}} Beginning in 1965, efforts to increase the number of women in the armed forces accompanied concern about the expiration of the Selective Service Act and reduction in enlistment standards to ensure sufficient troops to support the Vietnam War. Public Law 90-130, signed on 8 November 1967, removed the restrictions on female officers in the armed forces and in 1970, two women Army officers were promoted to brigadier general.{{r|holm|pp=187-203}}

During the Vietnam War, 600 women served in the country as part of the Air Force, along with 500 members of the WAC and over 6,000 medical personnel and support staff.{{r|holm|pp=205-228}} 

The end of conscription in the early 1970s was a major driver of the expansion of the roles of women in the armed forces. The number of enlisted and commissioned women in the military hit 110,000 by June 1977.{{r|holm|pp=246-250}} The [[United States Army Ordnance Corps|Army Ordnance Corps]] began accepting female missile technicians in 1974.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/women_chron/chron1970s.html |title=The Women of Redstone Arsenal |publisher=United States Army |access-date=6 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620074416/http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/women_chron/chron1970s.html |archive-date=20 June 2008}}</ref> Female crewmembers and officers were accepted into [[Field Artillery Branch (United States)|Field Artillery]] missile units.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Busse |first=Charlane |date=July 1978 |title=First women join Pershing training |journal=[[Field Artillery (magazine)|Field Artillery Journal]] |publisher=[[United States Army Field Artillery School]] |page=40 |url=http://sill-www.army.mil/famag/1978/JUL_AUG_1978/JUL_AUG_1978_PAGES_40_43.pdf |access-date=5 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518064322/http://sill-www.army.mil/FAMAG/1978/JUL_AUG_1978/JUL_AUG_1978_PAGES_40_43.pdf |archive-date=18 May 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=November 1978 |title=The Journal interviews: 1LT Elizabeth A. Tourville |journal=Field Artillery Journal |publisher=United States Army Field Artillery School |pages=40–43 |url=http://sill-www.army.mil/FAMAG/1978/JUL_AUG_1978/JUL_AUG_1978_PAGES_40_43.pdf |access-date=5 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518064322/http://sill-www.army.mil/FAMAG/1978/JUL_AUG_1978/JUL_AUG_1978_PAGES_40_43.pdf |archive-date=18 May 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> The services opened up their [[Reserve Officers' Training Corps]] (ROTC) programs to women, and in 1976, women were admitted to the service academies.{{r|holm|pp=268-270}} 

In 1974, the first six female naval aviators earned their wings as Navy pilots. The [[Combat Exclusion Policy]] that prohibited women in combat placed limitations on the pilots' advancement,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19840823&id=kdgTAAAAIBAJ&pg=6981,4703933|title=Ocala Star-Banner – Google News Archive Search|website=News.google.com|access-date=18 October 2017}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> but at least two retired as captains.<ref>{{cite magazine |editor=E. Blake Towler |date=May–June 1996 |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1997/mj97/ppp.pdf |title=PEOPLE • PLANES • PLACES |magazine=Naval Aviation News |pages=40–44 |access-date=23 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025062715/http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1997/mj97/ppp.pdf |archive-date=25 October 2012}}</ref> 

The role of women in the U.S. Armed Forces received global media attention during the 1991 [[Gulf War]], though their perception in media was skewed during this time period as little media attention was given to the situations where women faced combat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/femvetsds.html|title=American Women in Uniform, Desert Storm|website=Userpages.aug.com|access-date=17 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011214115/http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/femvetsds.html|archive-date=11 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Women in the U.S. Navy: Historic Documents — Women in U.S. Military during Desert Shield/Desert Storm |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/diversity/women-in-the-navy/during-desert-shield-desert-storm.html |access-date=2024-06-30 |website=Naval History and Heritage Command |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1991, women were permitted to fly military aircraft. Since 1994, women have been permitted to serve on U.S. combat ships.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twenty-five Years of Women Aboard Combat Vessels |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/browse-by-topic/diversity/women-in-the-navy/women-in-combat.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=Naval History and Heritage Command }}</ref> In 2010, the ban on women serving on submarines was lifted.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/29/us-navy-submarines-women|title=US Navy Lifts Ban on Women Submariners|date=29 April 2010|newspaper=The Guardian|agency=Associated Press|issn=0261-3077|access-date=23 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223141252/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/29/us-navy-submarines-women|archive-date=23 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:US Female F-16 Fighter Pilot Capt Brittany Trimble steps from her jet prior to VIGILANT ACE 18 at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea-4004018.jpg|thumb|A female U.S. Air Force fighter pilot at [[Osan Air Base]] in South Korea in 2017]]

On 3 December 2015, U.S. defense secretary Ashton Carter announced that all military combat positions would become available to women.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/12/03/carter-telling-military-open-all-combat-jobs-women.html|title = Carter Telling Military to Open all Combat Jobs to Women|access-date = 5 December 2015|website = Military.com|agency = Associated Press|last = Baldor|first = Lolita|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151205183958/http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/12/03/carter-telling-military-open-all-combat-jobs-women.html|archive-date = 5 December 2015|url-status = live}}</ref> This gave women access to the roughly 10% of military jobs which were previously closed to them.<ref>{{cite news|date=3 December 2015|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/12/03/pentagon-chief-to-announce-how-womens-roles-in-the-military-will-expand/|access-date=8 December 2015|title=In historic decision, Pentagon chief opens all jobs in combat units to women|last=Lamothe|first=Dan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208030421/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/12/03/pentagon-chief-to-announce-how-womens-roles-in-the-military-will-expand/|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web|url = http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/pentagon/2015/12/03/carter-telling-military-open-all-combat-jobs-women/76720656/|work = Military Times|date = 3 December 2015|access-date = 8 December 2015|title = All combat jobs open to women in the military|last = Tilghman|first = Andrew|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151207022554/http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/pentagon/2015/12/03/carter-telling-military-open-all-combat-jobs-women/76720656/|archive-date = 7 December 2015|url-status = live}}</ref> The various military services were given until January 2016 to provide plans on how they would enforce the policy change.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url = http://www.blackenterprise.com/career/breaking-barriers-military-opens-combat-jobs-women/|work = Black Enterprise|date = 7 December 2015|access-date = 8 December 2015|title = Breaking Barriers: U.S. Military Opens up Combat Jobs to Women|last = Connley|first = Courtney|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208193418/http://www.blackenterprise.com/career/breaking-barriers-military-opens-combat-jobs-women/|archive-date = 8 December 2015|url-status = live}}</ref> Many women believed this would allow them to improve their positions in the military, since most high-ranking officers start in combat positions.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} 

[[Conscription in the United States|Draft]] registration for females was recommended by the [[National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service]] and has been proposed, but never implemented.<ref>{{cite magazine|url = https://time.com/4137854/military-women-draft/|magazine = TIME|date = 7 December 2015|title = Now Women Should Register For The Draft|access-date = 17 October 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171103082024/http://time.com/4137854/military-women-draft/|archive-date = 3 November 2017|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-24 |title=Women should be eligible for the draft, commission recommends |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/24/women-draft-eligibility-146254 |access-date=2024-06-30 |website=Politico}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hasbrouck |first=Edward |title=What's happening with women and draft registration ("Selective Service")? |url=https://hasbrouck.org/draft/women/happening.html |access-date=2024-06-30}}</ref>

No woman has ever become a [[United States Navy SEALs|Navy SEAL]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Tritten|first=Travis J.|date=10 August 2017|title=Candidate to be first female Navy SEAL officer quits after a week|url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/candidate-to-be-first-female-navy-seal-officer-quits-after-a-week-report/article/2631205|magazine=[[The Washington Examiner]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Watson|first=Julie|title=Navy: Only woman in SEAL training pipeline drops out|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-navy-seal-training-woman-quits-20170811-story.html|access-date=23 October 2020|website=chicagotribune.com|date=11 August 2017 }}</ref> However, in July 2021, the first woman graduated from the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) training program to become a Special Warfare Combatant craft Crewman (SWCC). The SWCC directly supports the SEALs and other special forces units, and are experts in covert insertion and extraction special operation tactics.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ives|first=Mike|date=16 July 2021|title=First Woman Completes Training for Elite U.S. Navy Program |work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/16/us/navy-woman-warfare-program.html|access-date=24 January 2022|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Naval Special Warfare Welcomes CQT Class 115; First Woman Operator|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/400990/naval-special-warfare-welcomes-cqt-class-115-first-woman-operator|access-date=24 January 2022|website=DVIDS }}</ref>

Despite concerns of a gender gap, all personnel both men and women, at the same rank and time of service, are compensated the same across all branches.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://militarybenefits.info/2017-military-pay-charts/|title=2018 Pay Chart|date=1 January 2018|access-date=25 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426075650/https://militarybenefits.info/2017-military-pay-charts/|archive-date=26 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On 1 June 2022, ADM [[Linda L. Fagan]] assumed command of the [[United States Coast Guard|U.S. Coast Guard]], becoming not only the first woman to serve as [[Commandant of the Coast Guard|Commandant]] of the Coast Guard, but also the first woman in American history to serve as a service chief in the U.S. Military.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sonmez |first=Felicia |date=1 June 2022 |title=Adm. Linda Fagan becomes first woman to lead U.S. Coast Guard |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/01/adm-linda-fagan-becomes-first-woman-lead-us-coast-guard/ |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref>

A study conducted by the [[RAND Corporation]] suggests that women who make the military their careers experience improved rates of promotion.<ref>{{Cite report |date=2012 |last1=Asch|first1=Beth J.|last2=Miller|first2=Trey|last3=Malchiodi|first3=Alessandro |title=Significant Gender- and Race/Ethnicity-Based Differences Exist in Rates of Promotion and Retention Among Officers |url=https://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1159.html|access-date=1 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420224144/https://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1159.html |archive-date=20 April 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

As per the DoD's report on [[sexual assault]] within the U.S. Army for fiscal year 2019, 7,825 cases had been reported. This represented a 3% increase relative to the 2018 report.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/04/30/sexual-assault-reports-harassment-complaints-rise-us-military.html|title=Sexual Assault Reports, Harassment Complaints Rise in US Military|access-date=30 April 2020|website=Military.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2172056/defense-officials-tout-progress-in-fight-against-sexual-assault/|title= Defense Officials Tout Progress in Fight Against Sexual Assault|access-date=30 April 2020|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref>

As of 2022, there are 228,966 women in the military, representing 17.5% of the total active duty force. Since 2021, the percentage of women on active duty service has increased slightly, by 0.3%. Since 2005, the population of active duty women has increased by 2.9%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-06 |title=Defense Department Report Shows Decline in Armed Forces Population While Percentage of Military Women Rises Slightly |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3580676/defense-department-report-shows-decline-in-armed-forces-population-while-percen/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227193643/https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3580676/defense-department-report-shows-decline-in-armed-forces-population-while-percen/ |archive-date=2024-02-27 |access-date=2024-06-30 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022 |title=2022 Demographics Profile of the Military Community |url=https://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2022-demographics-report.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211025058/https://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2022-demographics-report.pdf |archive-date=2023-12-11 |access-date=2024-06-30 |website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref>

==Order of precedence==
[[File:Chief of the General Staff of Israel Defense Forces, AFFHW, June 21, 2021 (51261475692).jpg|thumb|The Joint Armed Forces Color Guard at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]]]
[[File:220530-D-XI929-1036 (52109853997).jpg|thumb|Soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, guardians, and coast guardsmen from their services ceremonial units stand in formation at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]]]

Under Department of Defense regulation, the various components of the U.S. Armed Forces have a set order of precedence that is based on founding dates.<ref>{{USC|10|118}}<!-- 10 U.S. Code § 118 appears to currently be 'Materiel readiness metrics and objectives for major weapon systems', which does not appear relevant. --> (prior section 133b renumbered in 1986); [http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/websites/dodandmilitaryejournals/www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html2/d10058x.htm DoD Directive 1005.8 dated 31 October 77] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203031801/http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/websites/dodandmilitaryejournals/www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html2/d10058x.htm |date=3 February 2016 }} and [http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/R600_25.pdf AR 600-25] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106070936/http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/R600_25.pdf |date=6 January 2012 }}</ref> This order is used for the display of service flags as well as the placement of soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, guardians, and coast guardsmen in formations and parades.{{cn |date=October 2024}}

# Cadets, [[United States Military Academy|U.S. Military Academy]]
# Midshipmen, [[United States Naval Academy|U.S. Naval Academy]]
# Cadets, [[United States Air Force Academy|U.S. Air Force Academy]]
# Cadets, [[United States Coast Guard Academy|U.S. Coast Guard Academy]]
# Midshipmen, [[United States Merchant Marine Academy|U.S. Merchant Marine Academy]]
# United States Army
# United States Marine Corps
# United States Navy
# United States Air Force
# United States Space Force
# United States Coast Guard
# Army National Guard
# United States Army Reserve
# United States Marine Corps Reserve
# United States Navy Reserve
# Air National Guard
# United States Air Force Reserve
# United States Coast Guard Reserve
# Other training and auxiliary organizations of the Army, Marine Corps, [[United States Merchant Marine|Merchant Marine]], [[Civil Air Patrol]], and [[United States Coast Guard Auxiliary|Coast Guard Auxiliary]], as in the preceding order.

While the original founding date of a U.S. Navy was earlier than that of the Marine Corps,<ref name="precedence">Naval History & Heritage Command. [http://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/origins-of-the-navy/precedence-of-the-navy-and-marines.html "the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310041150/http://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/origins-of-the-navy/precedence-of-the-navy-and-marines.html |date=10 March 2016 }}, U.S. Department of the Navy. 11 February 2016.<!-- The date in the footer of the archived copy is 19 August 2015. --></ref> the Marine Corps takes precedence due to previous inconsistencies in the Navy's birth date. The Marine Corps has recognized its observed birth date on a more consistent basis. The [[Second Continental Congress]] is considered to have established the Navy on 13 October 1775 by authorizing the purchase of ships, but the [[United States Navy Regulations#History|"Rules for the Regulation of the Navy of the United Colonies"]] were not established until 27 November 1775,<ref>{{cite web|title=Rules for the Regulation of the Navy of the United Colonies of North-America |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/organization-and-administration/regulations-and-policy/navy-regulations-1775.html|website=Naval Historical Center|publisher=Department of the Navy|access-date=11 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123152420/http://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/organization-and-administration/regulations-and-policy/navy-regulations-1775.html|archive-date=23 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and the Navy also lost funding and was temporarily discontinued in 1785.<ref name="preced2024">{{cite web |title=Precedence of Forces in Parades |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/customs-and-traditions0/precedence-forces-parades-redirect.html |date=10 June 2024}}<!-- Note that this 2024 web page is different and has a different title from the article with the same link dated in 2015/2016 --></ref> The Marine Corps was established by an act of the Second Continental Congress on 10 November 1775. The Navy did not officially recognize 13 October 1775 as its birth date until 1972, when then–[[Chief of Naval Operations|chief of naval operations]] Admiral [[Elmo Zumwalt]] authorized it to be observed as such.<ref name="precedence"/>

The Coast Guard is normally situated after the Space Force, but if it is moved to the Department of the Navy, then its place in the order of precedence would change to being situated after the Navy and before the Air Force.<ref name="precedence"/>{{failed verification |date=October 2024 |reason=There is no mention of the Space Force in the archived web page that is dated 19 August 2015 in its footer. And in fact that was before the Space Force existed, so it obviously cannot have been the source of this information. The updated web page content with the same link that is dated 10 June 2024 in its footer also does not mention the Space Force.}}

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=27em}}
* [[American Forces Network]]
* [[Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces]]
* [[Full-spectrum dominance]]
* [[List of American military installations]]
* [[List of notable deployments of U.S. military forces overseas]] since 1798
* [[List of military equipment of the United States]] 
* [[List of active United States military aircraft]]
* [[List of currently active United States military land vehicles]]
* [[List of currently active United States military watercraft]]
* [[Military expression]]
* [[Provisional Army of the United States]]
* [[Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance]]
* [[Sexual orientation and gender identity in the United States military]]
* [[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)]]
* [[State defense force]]
* [[Uniform Code of Military Justice]]
* [[United States military casualties of war]]
* [[United States military veteran suicide]]
* [[Women in the United States Army]]
* [[Women in the United States Marine Corps]]
* [[Women in the United States Navy]]
* [[Women in the United States Air Force]]
* [[Women in the United States Space Force]]
* [[Women in the United States Coast Guard]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==Citations==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
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