air staff

The air staff is the military science equivalent of an army's general staff, specifically serving an air force. It comprises officers who assist the air force commander by developing and communicating policies and orders, and overseeing their implementation.1

The air staff is typically organized by function, with sections dedicated to areas such as administration, intelligence, operations, and logistics. This structure allows for specialized support within the air force command. The concept of a general staff, which the air staff mirrors, originated in the Prussian army in the early 19th century and was later adopted by other European countries and eventually by the U.S. and British armies. The United States Air Force, established as an independent branch in 1947, has its own Air Staff that supports the Secretary of the Air Force and the chief of staff.12