Air Force officials have designated U.S. Air Forces Central Command as the new dedicated, forward-based Air Force component supporting the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Air Force officials temporarily redesignated 9th Air Force/U.S. Air Forces Central as AFCENT and activated a new 9th Air Force to enhance continuity and focus on priority missions in the CENTCOM AOR.
"We want to download some of the (stateside) responsibilities so our three-star (commander) ... can focus on the fight in Afghanistan and Iraq," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff during testimony to the House Armed Services Committee May 19.
The temporary placement of the three-star AFCENT commander and a small staff of no more than 50 personnel in a forward location allows the commander to focus exclusively on the planning and execution of air, cyber and space operations in the CENTCOM AOR.
"The operations tempo is as high as it's ever been and as our commitments accelerate in Afghanistan, we need 100 percent focus," General Schwartz said. "This was in keeping with the best military judgment of Air Force leaders as well as coordinated with and favored by [CENTCOM commander] Army Gen. (David) Petraeus."
The new 9th Air Force, commanded by a two-star general, will retain oversight of six stateside wings and one direct reporting unit. It will remain at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., as a numbered air force subordinate to Air Combat Command.
The details of AFCENT's configuration, including the exact composition of the command element, the nature of the overseas assignments for AFCENT personnel and the proposal's projected cost, are being assessed.
When contingency operations subside, the Air Force will reset to the peacetime configuration of 9th Air Force/AFCENT at Shaw AFB.
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