The Air Force is the air military branch of Denmark’s defense and is subordinate to Mutual Defence command, which in turn is subordinate to the Ministry of Defence. The Danish parlement decided on 27 May 1950, by law no. 242, that Denmark should have an independent Air Force. The Air Force originated as a merger of the Army Air Forces and the Navy Air Force on 1 October 1950 with General Christian Førslev as a military commander. The Air Force, internationally abbreviated RDAF (Royal Danish Air Force), consists of the Flying Command (formerly “Flyvestaben”), Operational Wings, various schools and other support functions such as Air Control Wing & Operations Support Wing.