Ninth Air Force (2009–2020)

This article is about the former active numbered air force from 2009 to 2020. For the current and historical World War II to 2009 Ninth Air Force, see Ninth Air Force.

The Ninth Air Force (9 AF) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It was headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, from activation on 5 August 2009 until it was replaced by Fifteenth Air Force on 20 August 2020. The prior and current Ninth Air Force is known as United States Air Forces Central (USAFCENT). On 20 August 2020, USAFCENT was again designated Ninth Air Force in addition to United States Air Forces Central.^[2]

Ninth Air Force
Shield of the Ninth Air Force
Active	5 August 2009 – 20 August 2020 (11 years)
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Numbered Air Force
Role	Provide combat-ready air forces to Air Combat Command[1]
Part of	Air Combat Command
Headquarters	Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, U.S.
Commanders
Last commander	Maj Gen Chad Franks[2]

Until August 2009, the Ninth Air Force shared its commander with USAFCENT.^[3] In a complicated transfer of lineage, the Second World War-and-after heritage of the Ninth Air Force was bestowed solely on United States Air Forces Central, and a totally new Ninth Air Force, was activated on the U.S. East Coast, where it is responsible for a variety of Air Combat Command units.^[1]

All Ninth Air Force units, as well as units of Twelfth Air Force, were consolidated into Fifteenth Air Force on 20 August 2020 and Ninth Air Force was inactivated.^[2]

Lineage

• Established as Ninth Air Force on 4 August 2009

Activated on 5 August 2009^[4]

Inactivated on 20 August 2020^[2]

Disbanded on 5 October 2020^[5]

Assignments

• Air Combat Command, 5 August 2009 – 20 August 2020^[4][2]

Major components

The command was responsible for operational readiness for eight active duty wings and two direct reporting units. These eight wings were:

• 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia^[4]
• 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina^[4]
• 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina^[4]
• 23rd Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia^[4]
• 93rd Air-Ground Operations Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia^[6]
• 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida^[7]
• 461st Air Control Wing, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia^[4]
• 495th Fighter Group, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina^[8]
• 633rd Air Base Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia^[9]

Assigned non-flying direct reporting units included:

• 800th RED HORSE Group, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 1 June 2020 – 20 August 2020^[5]
• 819th RED HORSE Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana^{[citation needed]}
• 823rd RED HORSE Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida^{[citation needed]}

The Ninth Air Force was also responsible for overseeing the operational readiness of 30 designated units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.^{[citation needed]}

List of commanders

Commander, Ninth Air Force

No.	Commander		Term
	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Term length
1		Major General William L. Holland	5 August 2009	17 August 2010[4]	1 year, 12 days
2		Major General Stephen L. Hoog	17 August 2010	17 October 2011[4]	1 year, 61 days
3		Major General Lawrence L. Wells	17 October 2011	31 May 2013	1 year, 226 days
4		Major General Jake Polumbo	31 May 2013	31 July 2015	2 years, 61 days
5		Major General Mark D. Kelly	31 July 2015	17 May 2016	291 days
6		Major General Scott J. Zobrist	17 May 2016	13 June 2019	3 years, 27 days
7		Major General Chad P. Franks	13 June 2019	20 August 2020	1 year, 68 days