United States Air Force

"Above All"

- United States Air Force motto

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare, space warfare, and cyberwarfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947. It is the most recent branch of the U.S. military to be formed. In its 2010 Posture Statement, the USAF articulates its core functions as Nuclear Deterrence Operations, Special Operations, Air Superiority, Global Integrated ISR, Space Superiority, Command and Control, Cyberspace Superiority, Personnel Recovery, Global Precision Attack, Building Partnerships, Rapid Global Mobility and Agile Combat Support.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The US Air Force, specifically an AC-130 from Air Force Special Operations Command, make an appearance in the missions Hunted and Death From Above. The AC-130 provides cover for the escaping SAS team shot down in Russia. While its appearance in Hunted is brief, the player takes control of the TV Operator in Death From Above. Also, in the cutscene for Ultimatum, the player's team inserts via parachute from a C-130.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
The Air Force makes several appearances throughout the campaign, though the player does not actually control any Air Force personnel. Its first appearance is in the two opening missions. A C-130 and a few MH-53 Pave Lows can be seen idling on the airfield in S.S.D.D.. In Team Player, the Army Rangers call in an airstrike on a large building, with the order carried out by an F-15 loaded with JDAMs.

In the mission Exodus, hundreds of Black Hawks and Pave Lows can be seen in the sky. While it's highly likely that not all of the helicopters belong Air Force, as the Navy and Army operate similar aircraft, it is safe to assume that some of them belong to the Air Force. Also, an AC-130 is shot down in the mission, with the player moving through the crashsite.

In The Only Easy Day...Was Yesterday and The Gulag, F-15's make an appearance to carry out SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense) missions in support of Task Force 141. The F-15's destroy SAM sites guarding the Gulag.

In the mission Whiskey Hotel, Washington D.C. is assumed lost to the invading Russian forces. This enables the Hammerdown Protocal, where the USAF will carpet bomb the city unless the Army Rangers can take it back. In a harrowing moment, the player just barely makes it to the top of the White House and pops a flare, signaling the Air Force to abort their mission.

Though not explicably stated, it can be assumed some Air Force personnel are members of Shadow Company. The unit operates MH-53's, which is an Air Force aircraft. However, it should be noted that the pilots for these helicopters could be from the Navy or Marine Corps as both branches operate similar aircraft. Shadow Company also operates a UAV drone which may or may not be an MQ-9 Predator. If true, it would be flown by an Air Force pilot, as only the USAF operates Predators.