Space Warfighter Heritage-14th Air Force: From Flying Tigers to Space

Published July 22, 2025
By John Lacomia, SpOC History Office

Did you know that Fourteenth Air Force, the Numbered Air Force (NAF) of Flying Tigers fame, was realigned under Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) on July 1st, 1993?

Fourteenth Air Force was originally established in 1943 to conduct air operations in the China-Burma-India theater during World War II. The NAF was born out of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), a group of American pilots who began flying with the Republic of Chinese Air Force in 1941 to defend China from Imperial Japanese invasion. The AVG was nicknamed the “Flying Tigers” and sported the famous shark’s mouth nose art design on their P-40 fighter aircraft. The AVG’s commander, Major General Claire Chennault, became the first commander of Fourteenth Air Force, and the NAF adopted the “Flying Tigers” moniker in its official emblem. During the remainder of World War II, the NAF directed fighter and bomber operations in and around China, and supported Chinese military resupply operations by C-47 and C-46 transport aircraft flying over the Himalayan “Hump.”

Above Image: The original concept drawing of Fourteenth Air Force’s first emblem (photo courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum).

Though Fourteenth Air Force is well known for its “Flying Tigers” legacy, the NAF spent most of its post-war life supporting Air Force space operations. In 1946, Fourteenth Air Force was assigned to Air Defense Command, and later, Continental Air Defense Command. During this period, the NAF trained and equipped Air National Guard and Reserve units and participated in the mobilization of these Air Reserve Component units during the Korean War. After a brief period supporting Reserve airlift operations, Fourteenth Air Force was inactivated and later reactivated in 1966 as part of Air Defense Command, supporting North American Air Defense Command Southern Region’s air defense mission. Between 1968 and 1976, the NAF operated from Colorado Springs, Colorado as the Fourteenth Aerospace Force, where it conducted missions to detect and track satellites and missiles.

Above Image: Artist’s depiction of the AN/FPS-25 radar operated by Fourteenth Aerospace Force in support of Air Defense Command.

Between 1976 and 1993, the mission of Fourteenth Air Force shifted to Dobbins AFB, Georgia, where the command supported airlift operations under Military Airlift Command (MAC). During this period, Fourteenth Air Force units supported Operations JUST CAUSE in Panama. However, in 1993, the NAF once again returned to the space realm, when it was activated under AFSPC on July 1st, 1993.

From 1993 to 2019, Fourteenth Air Force was the Air Force’s only NAF for space. Its units conducted space launches, missile warning, space surveillance, and command and control of assigned and attached joint space forces. When the United States Space Force was established in 2019, the NAF was briefly transferred under the new service. However, it was later inactivated and reverted back to the USAF in October 2020, along with its lineage and heritage.

Above Image: The 614th Air and Space Operations Center was assigned to Fourteenth Air Force and provided command and control of the Air Force’s space operations. Once the Space Force was established, the unit was inactivated, transferred to the USSF and activated as Space Delta 5.