ANG fighters, tasked with defending our borders and airspace, are at the forefront of American security in its strictest definition.
The fighter aircraft of the Air National Guard (ANG) serve what, in fundamental terms, may be the military’s most important role: maintaining America’s territorial integrity. Serving a dual purpose, to both their state governors and the federal government, ANG fighters occupy a unique space in the national security scheme, the closest thing to a community war-fighting asset. Indeed, ANG fighters, tasked with defending our borders and airspace, are at the forefront of American security in its strictest definition.
Defending the Homefront
For decades, the US military has taken an expeditionary posture, committing immense resources toward foreign conflict and nation-building. Under such circumstances, it can be easy to lose sight of the core strategic interests that all nations share: regime preservation, enhancing economic opportunity, and maintaining territorial integrity. For most of the militaries on Earth, their sole purpose is to maintain their nation’s territorial integrity, to defend the borders and the regime. Only a fraction of the world’s militaries has the might to project power beyond their borders, the United States being the most extreme example. Yes, although US warfighting capabilities have been calibrated toward expeditionary missions, there remains a domestic component that is dedicated primarily to the upholding of US territorial integrity: the Air National Guard.
While the fighter aircraft is often considered an offensive weapon (and certainly can be configured for offense), the fighter’s core mission is about controlling the skies—vital for maintaining territorial integrity of the homeland. Territorial integrity begins with the guarantee that hostile aircraft cannot violate US airspace.
ANG fighters execute the Aerospace Control Alert mission, a 24/7 posture that demands air crews to stand ready and launch at a moment’s notice. The task is simple: ANG pilots scramble to intercept unidentified aircraft, wayward civilian aircraft, or shadow foreign bombers (mostly Russian) probing the limits of American air defense identification zones. The ANG’s immediate responsiveness deters adversaries while reassuring the public—and demonstrating that US sovereignty is not an abstract construct but a border with tangible defensive measures.
ANG fighters also contribute to deterrence. Accordingly, ANG McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons are often used to conduct visible patrols, escort high-value assets, or deploy forward alongside allies—all of which serve to hammer a consistent point: American air power is vigilant and present. The impact of the point, in theory, is to dissuade opportunistic actors from testing US air defense systems.
The ANG mission is not simply about reaction, however; ANG units train to achieve air superiority, which allows friendly forces to operate without prohibitive interference from the enemy. And ANG units are not confined to domestic activities. Each unit can be federalized and deployed forward, where the territorial integrity mission is modified, expanded beyond US borders to provide collective defense under NATO or coalition obligations.
The ANG missions are also adaptive, with units contributing to homeland defense exercises with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, integrating with space and cyber domains, and preparing for threats that range from drones to hypersonic systems. Yet, despite the adaptability, the ANG core principle remains the same: ensuring that hostile forces cannot penetrate US skies without challenge.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: DVIDS.
