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Most (but not all) armed forces make considerable organizational distinction between the land-based warfare of an army, the sea-based warfare of a navy, and the air-based warfare of an air force - often splitting the three components into mostly independent forces.

The first air force in the world was the detatchment of the French army formed in 1910, which eventually became L'Armée de l'Air. (Balloonist army detatchments of previous centuries, notably the French and American ones, do not really count.) Later that same year, the army of tsarist Russia followed suit. The Royal Air Force, which came into existence in 1918 as a combination of the separate air services for the Royal Navy and the British Army, was the first to wear a bluish uniform significantly lighter in color than navy blue. Germany had been banned by the Versailles Treaty from having an air force, but the Luftwaffe was brought into existence in the 1930s. The United States Air Force came into existence as an independent service in 1947. Contrariwise, there is a movement in some countries to amalgamate their armed services into a single force. "Canadian Forces" took up the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The insignia of air forces generally employs either an eagle or a vol as its main element. Trained pilots are generally awarded a badge more usually a vol than a complete bird or other design feature.

See also: List of air forces, aerial warfare