Commander, Naval Air Forces

Commander, Naval Air Forces (aka COMNAVAIRFOR, CNAF; and dual-hatted as Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific or COMNAVAIRPAC) is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for all United States Navy naval aviation units. Type Commanders are in administrative control (ADCON), and in some cases operational control (OPCON) of certain types of assets (ships, submarines, aircraft, and fleet marines) assigned to the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. AIRFOR is responsible for the material readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.

COMNAVAIRFOR is a Three Star headquarters based at NAS North Island in Coronado, California. The current commander is VADM David H. Buss. The staff is made up of approximately 515 officer, enlisted, civilian and contractor personnel.

Mission
"Man, train, equip and maintain a Naval air force that is immediately employable, forward deployed and engaged. We support the Fleet and Unified Commanders by delivering the right force with the right readiness at the right time at reduced cost......today and in the future."

Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE)
Commander, Naval Air Forces is the senior command in the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) and is responsible for all Naval Aviation programs, personnel and assets. CNAF is also a dual-hatted position that concurrently functions as Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet (COMNAVAIRPAC). CNAF is supported by Commander, Naval Air Force, Atlantic Fleet (COMNAVAIRLANT); Commander, Naval Air Force, Reserve (COMNAVAIRES); the Chief of Naval Operations (Air Warfare Requirements), also known as OPNAV N88; Commander, Naval Air Systems Command (COMNAVAIRSYSCOM); Commander, Naval Strike Air Warfare Center (NSAWC), and the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA). Within the NAE there are approximately 3800 aircraft that perform strike/fighter missions, anti-surface warfare, sub-surface warfare, electronic warfare, reconnaissance, communications relay, Search and Rescue (SAR), training and logistical support missions. These assets include 12 aircraft carriers, approximately 25 Naval Air Stations and bases, and approximately 100,000 active and reserve military personnel, Department of the Navy civilians and contractors.

History
In October 1919, Air Detachment, Pacific Fleet came into existence, making naval aviation formally part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The original organization was divided into Landplane, Shipplane and Seaplane divisions. Within a brief period, the three divisions evolved into Fighting, Spotting and Seaplane Patrol Squadrons, respectively. The purpose of air detachments was: "attack on enemy aircraft, spotting gunfire for surface craft torpedo attack by torpedo planes, demolition, toxic gas and incendiary bomb attack, smoke and gas screen laying, mine and countermining; flare dropping; scouting reconnaissance, patrol and convoy duty; photography, mapping, detection of enemy coastal defenses and mail passenger service."

In June 1922 as part of a reorganization combining the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets into the U.S. Fleet, the detachment was renamed Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet. In 1933, another reorganization established two principal commands: Commander Aircraft Battle Force and Commander Tender-based Aircraft.

Commander, Air Pacific was established during World War II as the requirements of supporting air combat units widely deployed in the Pacific Ocean area increased.

Finding much inefficiency in the various administrative commands within naval aviation, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet directed a consolidation of various administrative functions for a more efficient command structure. This new command became Air Pacific Fleet, "to function as a Type Commander for fleet aircraft, to prepare general policy and doctrine for the operation of aviation units, to recommend the types, characteristics and numbers of aircraft required, and to carry out the strategic distribution of all air units in the Pacific area."

On July 29, 1942, Admiral Ernest King approved the recommendation and thus established Commander U.S. Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet (COMNAVAIRPAC), effective September 1, 1942.

In May 1949, the headquarters was moved from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to Naval Air Station, North Island, California.

On October 2001, the Chief of Naval Operations redesignated Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet (AIRPAC's East Coast counterpart) from a three star command into a two star command and placed it under AIRPAC's command in a "Lead-Follow" arrangement. Under this arrangement COMNAVAIRPAC became TYCOM for Air, and assumed the additional title of Commander, Naval Air Forces (COMNAVAIRFOR).

Past Commanders
1. Vice Admiral John B. Nathman (August 2000 - August 2, 2002 ) 2. Vice Admiral Michael D. Malone (August 2, 2002 - August 17, 2004 ) 3. Vice Admiral James M. "Jim" Zortman (August 17, 2004 - June 22, 2007 ) 4. Vice Admiral Thomas J. "Tom" Kilcline Jr. (June 22, 2007 - July 1, 2010 ) 5. Vice Admiral Allen G. "Al" Myers Ⅳ (July 1, 2010 - October 4, 2012 ) 6. Vice Admiral David H. Buss (October 4, 2012 - present)

Provisional list of units (West Coast)

 * Commander, Fleet Air, Western Pacific (COMFAIRWESTPAC)
 * USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
 * USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74)
 * USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)
 * USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
 * USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
 * USS George Washington (CVN-73)
 * Carrier Air Wing Two
 * Carrier Air Wing Five
 * Carrier Air Wing Nine
 * Carrier Air Wing Eleven
 * Carrier Air Wing Fourteen
 * Carrier Air Wing Seventeen


 * Commander, Airborne Command and Control Logistics Wing (COMACCLOGWING)
 * VAW-112 Golden Hawks
 * VAW-113 Black Eagles
 * VAW-115 Liberty Bells (NAF Atsugi)
 * VAW-116 Sun Kings
 * VAW-117 Wallbangers
 * VRC-30 Providers
 * Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Pacific (COMSTRKFIGHTWINGPAC)
 * VFA-2 Bounty Hunters
 * VFA-14 Top Hatters
 * VFA-22 Fighting Redcocks
 * VFA-25 Fist of the Fleet
 * VFA-27 Royal Maces
 * VFA-41 Black Aces
 * VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes
 * VFA-97 Warhawks
 * VFA-102 Diamondbacks (NAF Atsugi, Japan)
 * VFA-113 Stingers
 * VFA-115 Eagles
 * VFA-122 Flying Eagles ([FRS])
 * VFA-125 Rough Raiders (FRS)
 * VFA-137 Kestrels
 * VFA-146 Blue Diamonds
 * VFA-147 Argonauts
 * VFA-151 Fighting Vigilantes
 * VFA-154 Black Knights
 * VFA-192 Golden Dragons
 * VFA-195 Dambusters


 * Commander, Patrol And Reconnaissance Group, Pacific
 * Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 1 (Naval Support Facility Kamiseya)
 * Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 2
 * VP-4 Skinny Dragons
 * VP-9 Golden Eagles
 * VP-47 Golden Swordsmen
 * VPU-2 Wizards
 * Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10
 * VP-1 Screaming Eagles
 * VP-40 Fighting Marlins
 * VP-46 Gray Knights
 * VQ-1 World Watchers
 * VQ-2 Rangers
 * VP-69 Fighting Totems (Naval Air Reserve)


 * Commander, Electronic Attack Wing, Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
 * VAQ-129 Vikings (FRS)
 * VAQ-130 Zappers
 * VAQ-131 Lancers
 * VAQ-132 Scorpions
 * VAQ-133 Wizards (Expeditionary)
 * VAQ-134 Garudas (Expeditionary)
 * VAQ-135 Black Ravens
 * VAQ-136 Gauntlets
 * VAQ-137 Rooks
 * VAQ-138 Yellowjackets
 * VAQ-139 Cougars
 * VAQ-140 Patriots
 * VAQ-141 Shadowhawks
 * VAQ-142 Gray Wolves (Expeditionary)
 * Commander, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light Wing, Pacific (COMHSLWINGPAC)
 * HSL-37 Easyriders
 * HSL-41 Seahawks (FRS)
 * HSL-43 Battle Cats
 * HSL-45 Wolfpack
 * HSL-47 Saberhawks
 * HSL-49 Scorpions
 * HSL-51 Warlords
 * Commander, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Wing, Pacific (COMHSWINGPAC)
 * HS-2 Golden Falcon
 * HS-4 Black Knights
 * HS-6 Indians
 * HS-10 Warhawks
 * HS-14 Chargers
 * HS Weapons Training Unit
 * Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing, Pacific (COMHELSEACOMBATWINGPAC)
 * HSC-3 Merlins
 * HSC-8 Eightballers
 * HSC-25 Island Knights
 * HSC-21 Blackjacks
 * HSC-23 Wildcards
 * Helicopter Sea Combat Weapons School Pacific (HSCWSP)
 * Commander, Strategic Communications Wing One (COMSTRATCOMWING ONE)
 * VQ-3 Ironman
 * VQ-4 Shadows
 * VQ-7 [NTSU]