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The United States Air Force, often shortened to Air Force or USAF, was a branch of the United States Armed Forces.[2][3][4][5]

Background[]

Main article: Pre-Divergence military history of the United States, Post-Divergence history

The youngest branch of the military dates back to 1907 and the foundation of the Aeronautical Division of the Signal Corps. Although it had a turbulent organizational history, it became one of the most important assets of the American war machine, particularly during World War II, when military aviation was a crucial asset in defeating the Empire of Japan and the Third Reich. Officially founded in 1947,[Non-game 1] the Air Force was instrumental in pioneering manned spaceflight and the militarization of space, with the pioneering flight of Defiance 7 on May 5, 1961, when Captain Carl Bell became the first human in space. However, the claim was widely disputed by the Soviet Union and China.[6] Subsequent manned spaceflight tests perfected the technology, despite setbacks such as the loss of Clarabella 7 and Colonel Hartigan to high-altitude weather balloons (the body was never recovered, as the capsule was actually intercepted by Zetan aliens researching the human population).[7][Non-game 2]

By the end of the 1960s, the United States had achieved victory in the space race, as the Virgo II lunar lander touched down on the surface of Earth's moon on July 16, 1969.[8][9] Valiant 11 mission members Captain Richard Wade, Captain Mark Garris, and Captain Michael Hagen became the first humans to walk on the surface of another celestial body.[8][9] As time went on, the gradual exhaustion of resources became more of a pressing issue, and space exploration programs would fold. The last moon mission took place in 2052 and former spacecraft such as the Delta IX rocket were subsequently fitted with military ordnance.[10][11][12]

21st century[]

The history of the Air Force is closely intertwined with the general history of the Armed Forces. Together with the Army and the Navy, the Air Force was responsible for maintaining the nuclear arsenal of the United States through the Strategic Air Command, as well as aerial warfare in the numerous resource conflicts the United States was involved in. This included including the United States invasion of Mexico in 2052,[Non-game 3] the Sino-American War (2066–2077), and the United States annexation of Canada.

Technology[]

Personal equipment for Air Force members usually consisted of rugged, reliable equipment like the standard flight suits and combat armor. Additionally, remnants of Air Force uniforms can be seen worn over Vault 34 jumpsuits by the Boomers at Nellis Air Force Base.

Some standard fighter planes of the Air Force at the time of the Great War were the fighter jet and the Stingray Deluxe.[9] It is known that the Air Force operated nuclear-armed bomber planes,[13] but no surviving models have been found in the wasteland.

To support its operations, the Air Force operated air force bases throughout the nation. One of the most important was Adams Air Force Base, linked directly to the White House and the Capitol Building by metro. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was also a major staging area for Air Force operations, including their nuclear bombers outfitted with Mark 28 nuclear bombs,[14] and satellite surveillance, as was the case with USAF Satellite Station Olivia.[4]

The USAF was entrusted with the care and maintenance of the nation's nuclear arsenal, able to launch them at a moment's notice once DEFCON 1 was declared. Various technologies were used to streamline launches, such as the USAF One-Touch Command SysOps, allowing launches with a single command,[15] or the pilot Appalachian Automated Launch System, which experimented with automating missile construction, launch preparation, and launching.[16]

Equipment[]

Armor and uniforms[]

Aircraft[]

Spacecraft[]

Ordnance[]

Personal weapons[]

Named personnel[]

Gallery[]

Insignia[]

Aircraft[]

Historic aircraft[]

Other[]

References[]

  1. Adams Air Force Base
  2. 2.0 2.1 Alien captive recorded log 8
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Inventory transfer order
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 USAF Satellite Station Olivia terminals; Guard terminal, Check-in Log
  5. Fort Atlas terminal entries; Scribe Valdez's terminal, Progress Report
  6. Fallout 3 message box transcriptions; Captain Carl Bell, skeleton: "This is the actual skeleton of Captain Carl Bell who died on May 5, 1961 after his Space Capsule crash landed. Captain Bell is credited as being the first human in space on board the Space Capsule Defiance 7, but this has been constantly refuted by both the Soviet Union and China. Defiance 7's flight lasted for a total of 12 minutes and 7 seconds as it achieved one full revolution around the Earth. Donated by Edwina Bell."
  7. Alien captive recorded log 8
  8. 8.0 8.1 Fallout 3 message box transcriptions; Virgo II Lunar Lander: "On July 16, 1969, the Virgo II Lunar Lander "Valiant 11" became the very first manned space vehicle to touch down on the moon. The Valiant 11's crew consisted of Captain Richard Wade, Captain Mark Garris and Captain Michael Hagen of the USSA. We salute these brave and noble men who took the very first steps on a planetary body other than our own."
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Museum of Freedom mural's Sea of Tranquility
  10. Museum of Technology terminal entries; Delta IX Rocket, Delta IX Rocket Information
  11. The Courier: "REPCONN's history."
    Tour guide: "REPCONN's illustrious history began way back in 2054, shortly after the famous Delta XI rocket was completed and launched. REPCONN's initial focus was on the development of fuel to be used in orbital propulsion in response to the energy crisis of 2052. Sad times, indeed. The company really took off when RobCo purchased REPCONN in late 2076 to develop unmanned rockets to explore the solar system."
    (Tour guide's dialogue)
  12. Fallout 3 message box transcriptions; Valiant 12 flag: "This unusual flag was recovered from the surface of the moon by the very last manned flight to its surface in 2052. The flag is from the old "Valiant 12" Virgo III Lunar Lander that touched down November 14, 1969. It's remarkable condition can be attributed due to its construction; the flag is actually made of special materials to withstand the harsh environment of space."
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 The Sole Survivor: "What's Prime armed with?"
    Proctor Ingram: "Prime has two weapon systems: his eye laser and his nuke pack. The eye laser can target a hostile from hundreds of yards out and take it down with pinpoint accuracy. His nukes are modified Mark 28 Nuclear Bombs. They used to drop the things from bombers during the war. Just one of the nukes is equivalent to about three or four Fat Man shells. Basically, whatever it hits isn't getting up again. His eye laser is almost ready to go, but without nukes to load into his pack, he's fighting at less than half his capability."
    (Proctor Ingram's dialogue)
  14. 14.0 14.1 Sole Survivor: "I wish I could."
    Ingram: "Prime's bomb pack is fitted for Mark 28 Nuclear Bombs. The same type of bombs that were dropped from aircraft during the Great War. The Commonwealth was a major staging area for the military's air force, so we assumed we wouldn't have trouble finding them. But since we arrived, our scouting teams haven't located a single bomb."
    (Proctor Ingram's dialogue)
  15. Fort Constantine terminal entries, Launch control terminal
  16. Fujiniya Intelligence Base terminal entries; security terminal, 0.0.2.8
  17. The skeletons of deceased personnel at USAF Satellite Station Olivia all wear army fatigues.
  18. 18.0 18.1 Skeleton of a fighter jet pilot next to R91 assault rifle and combat armor helmet.
  19. Vault 76 terminal entries; Personnel terminal, UNSAVED WORK
  20. ATLAS research log 104
  21. Boomer flightsuit
  22. Fighter jet from Fallout 3, B-29 from Fallout: New Vegas, and PT-00D biplane from Fallout 76

Non-game

  1. United States Air Force on Wikipedia
  2. Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.66: "Colonel Hartigan (deceased)
    Hartigan was returning from a low-orbit mission in his capsule Clarabella 7, but he never made it back to its ocean splashdown rendezvous point. The mystery was soon covered up by the U.S. government and the United States Space Administration, who claimed the craft crash-landed after becoming entangled in high-altitude weather balloons. Hartigan himself soon made first contact with the Aliens and attempted to calmly explain his mission. His screams can still be heard echoing through a Recorded Log on the ship. He was placed in cryogenic stasis pod, but complications and pod malfunctions, plus the stress he endured during his Alien encounters, caused the colonel to expire. His Spacesuit is still useful, however."
    (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
  3. Fallout Bible 0; Timeline repair: Second strike
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