Government Pilot Careers
Mission
Role:
Air Force pilots carry out a wide range of missions depending on the airframe they operate. These missions include air-to-air combat, close air support, reconnaissance, transport, refueling, and search and rescue. This role entails not only superb airmanship, but also excellent decision-making and leadership skills.
Primary Mission Sets:
Air Superiority
The United States Air Force ensures control of the skies through air superiority fighters like the F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning II. These fifth-generation aircraft are equipped with cutting-edge stealth, sensors, and weaponry to outmaneuver and outfight any adversary. Air superiority enables all other branches to operate freely without fear of enemy air interference.
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)
ISR is a foundational pillar of modern warfare, which provides commanders with real-time imagery, signals, and electronic intelligence. These directly enable decision-making on the battlefield by identifying enemy positions and tracking movements, often before a shot is ever fired.
Global Mobility
The Air Force's ability to move troops and equipment at scale allows America to respond to crises worldwide, from combat deployments to humanitarian aid missions, with speed and precision. Another key feature of mobility is aerial refueling, which allows fighter jets and bombers to extend their missions.