On The Day: 5 Critical Moments Of US Military Aerial Response To 9/11 Attacks

In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the US Air Force sprang into action. The 9/11 attacks were the worst attacks on mainland US soil in history, resulting in the deaths of almost 3,000 civilians. Once the dust settled, the aviation industry would never be the same. Before the attacks, the world seemed to have entered a period of relative US-led hegemony, stability, and the so-called “peace dividend.” The Soviet Union had collapsed, the Cold War was over, defense budgets were being cut back, and the age of Great Power Competition with China had not yet dawned. Here are five critical moments of US aerial response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.