United States Air Forces Africa United States Air Forces Africa is the air component of USAFRICOM , U . S . Air Forces Africa ( USAFAF ) . Headquartered at Ramstein Air Base , Germany USAFAF conducts sustained security engagement and operations to promote air safety , security , and development in Africa . USAFAF and the United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE - AFAF ) directs air operations in a theater spanning three continents , covering more than 19 million square miles , containing 105 independent states , and possessing more than a quarter of the world ' s population and more than a quarter of the world ' s Gross Domestic Product . Overview . U . S . Air Forces Africa , located at Ramstein Air Base , Germany , is combined with U . S . Air Forces in Europe and is the air component for the Department of Defense unified command - U . S . Africa Command located at Stuttgart , Germany . During the Cold War , USAFE - AFAF was a fight - in - place fighter force postured for a large - scale conflict . Since the fall of the Berlin Wall , it has transitioned to an Air Expeditionary Force with a mobile and deployable mix of people and resources that can simultaneously operate in multiple locations . Its role in Europe and Africa has expanded from warfighting to include humanitarian and peacekeeping operations , as well as other non - traditional contingencies throughout its area of responsibility . AFAFRICA ' s includes at least two air expeditionary groups . The 449th Air Expeditionary Group , Camp Lemonnier , Djibouti provides combat search and rescue for the Combined Joint Task Force , Horn of Africa . It consists of HC - 130Ps from the 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron , and pararescuemen from the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron . The 404th Air Expeditionary Group is co - located with AFAFRICA at Ramstein . During contingency operations , the group forward - deploys to facilitate air and support operations for varied missions on the continent , ranging from humanitarian airlift to presidential support . The 404 AEG deployed to Rwanda in January 2009 to provide airlift for peacekeeping equipment in support of the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur . In July 2009 , the 404 AEG deployed to Ghana to provide aerial port and aircraft maintenance teams , along with forward communications , early warning and air domain safety and security elements for U . S . President Barack Obama ' s visit . 17th Air Force was inactivated in April 2012 as part of an Air Force cost savings effort . United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE ) assumed the former staff functions of 17th Air Force , while the 3rd Air Force and the 603rd Air and Space Operations Center ( 603 AOC ) assumed responsibility for USAFRICOM air operations , with the 603 AOC absorbing the former 617th Air Operations Center . With 17th Air Force ' s inactivation , Third Air Force became USAFE ' s component numbered air force for U . S . European Command and U . S . Africa Command . Based at Ramstein Air Base , Germany , 3d Air Force directs all USAFE forces engaged in contingency and wartime operations in the EUCOM and AFRICOM areas of responsibility . Along with its headquarters operations directorate , the command includes 10 wings , two groups , and the 603rd Air and Space Operations Center .