San Francisco Air Defense Sector
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Air Defense Sector (SFADS) is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with the 28th Air Division, being stationed at Beale Air Force Base
, California
.
units in California west of the Sierra Nevada; north of Santa Barbara
and south of Eureka
. The organization provided command and control over several aircraft and radar
squadrons.
On 1 December 1960 the new Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) Direction Center (DC-18) became operational. 39°06′35"N 121°23′49"W DC-18 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computer
s. The day-to-day operations of the command was to train and maintain tactical flying units flying jet interceptor aircraft (F-94 Starfire
; F-102 Delta Dagger
; F-106 Delta Dart
) in a state of readiness with training missions and series of exercises with SAC and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft.
The Sector was inactivated on 1 August 1963 as part of an ADC consolidation and reorganization; and its units were assigned to 28th Air Division at Hamilton AFB.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
organization. Its last assignment was with the 28th Air Division, being stationed at Beale Air Force Base
Beale Air Force Base
Beale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. Originally known as Camp Beale....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
History
SFADS was established in February 1959 assuming control of former ADC Western Air Defense ForceWestern Air Defense Force
The Western Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.- History :...
units in California west of the Sierra Nevada; north of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
and south of Eureka
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
. The organization provided command and control over several aircraft and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
squadrons.
On 1 December 1960 the new Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) Direction Center (DC-18) became operational. 39°06′35"N 121°23′49"W DC-18 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computer
AN/FSQ-7
The AN/FSQ-7 was a computer model developed and built in the 1950s by IBM in partnership with the US Air Force. Fifty-two were built and used for command and control functions for the Semi Automatic Ground Environment air-defense system...
s. The day-to-day operations of the command was to train and maintain tactical flying units flying jet interceptor aircraft (F-94 Starfire
F-94 Starfire
The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was the United States Air Force's first operational jet-powered all-weather interceptor aircraft. It was a development by Lockheed of the twin-seat T-33 Shooting Star trainer aircraft.-Design and development:...
; F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
; F-106 Delta Dart
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
) in a state of readiness with training missions and series of exercises with SAC and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft.
The Sector was inactivated on 1 August 1963 as part of an ADC consolidation and reorganization; and its units were assigned to 28th Air Division at Hamilton AFB.
Lineage
- Established as San Francisco Air Defense Sector on 15 February 1959
- Inactivated on 1 August 1963
Wings
- 78th Fighter Wing (Air Defense)
- Hamilton AFB, California, 1 July 1960-1 August 1963
Interceptor squadrons
- 82d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
- Travis AFB, California, 1 July 1960-1 August 1963
- 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron456th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command San Francisco Air Defense Sector stationed at Oxnard AFB, California. It was inactivated on July 18, 1968.-History:...
- 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
- Castle AFB, California, 1 July 1960-1 August 1963
Radar squadrons
- 634th Radar Squadron634th Radar SquadronThe 634th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Lake Charles Air Force Station, Louisiana...
- Burns AFS, Oregon, 1 July 1960-1 September 1960
- 658th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
- Winnemucca AFS, Nevada, 1 July 1960-1 September 1961
- 666th Radar Squadron
- Mill Valley AFS, California, 1 July 1960-1 August 1963
- 668th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron668th Aircraft Control and Warning SquadronThe 668th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the San Francisco Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Mather Air Force Base, California...
- 668th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
- Mather AFB, California, 1 July 1960-1 September 1961
- 682d Radar Squadron
- Almaden AFS, California, 1 July 1960-1 August 1963
- 774th Radar Squadron
- Madera AFS, California, 1 July 1960-1 August 1963
- 776th Radar Squadron776th Radar SquadronThe 776th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Electronic Systems Division, Air Force Materiel Command, stationed at Moscow Air Force Station, Maine. It was inactivated on 1 October 1997....
- 776th Radar Squadron
- Point Arena AFS, California, 1 July 1960-1 August 1963
- 821st Radar Squadron
- Baker AFS, Oregon, 1 July-15 September 1960
- 858th Radar Squadron858th Radar SquadronThe 858th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 26th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Fallon Air Force Station , Nevada...
- 858th Radar Squadron
- Fallon AFS, Nevada, 1 July-15 September 1960
- 866th Radar Squadron
- Tonopah AFS, Nevada, 1 July-15 September 1960
See also
- List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
- Aerospace Defense Command Fighter SquadronsAerospace Defense Command Fighter SquadronsThe second iteration of Aerospace Defense Command was established on 21 March 1946 as a component of the United States Army Air Forces, with the mission of planning for and executing the air defense of the United States...