| Southwest Air Defense Sector | |
|---|---|
Emblem of the Northwest Air Defense Sector |
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| Active | 1987–1994 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Air Defense |
The Southwest Air Defense Sector (SWADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, being stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was deactivated on 31 December 1994.
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The origins of the Southwest Air Defense Sector (SWADS) begin in February 1959 with the formation of its predecessor organization, the Los Angeles Air Defense Sector (LAADS) by Air Defense Command (ADC). It was established with a mission to train and maintain tactical flying units in state of readiness in order to defend the Southwestern United States, assuming control of former ADC Western Air Defense Force units. Its original region consisted of ADC atmospheric forces (fighter-interceptor and radar units) located in southern California north to Santa Barbara and the southern Central Valley. The organization provided command and control over several aircraft and RADAR squadrons. It operated a Manual Air Direction Center (MDC) at Norton AFB, California.
On 1 April 1966, LAADS was inactivated, as did the other 22 sectors in the country. Most of its assets were assumed by the 27th Air Division.
On 1 July 1987, the Los Angeles Air Defense Sector (LAADS) was reactivated being re-designated the Southwest Air Defense Sector (SWADS). It was a subordinate unit and was co-located with the 26th Air Division at March AFB, California. On 30 September 1990, the 26th Air Division was inactivated and all atmospheric defense assets of the Division were transferred to the SWADS.
SWADS was responsible for the atmospheric defense of approximately one-fourth of the Continental United States. Its eastern border was at the intersection of the 36th parallel north and 97th meridian west south to the Gulf of Mexico at the 28th parallel north. Its region extended west to include the region south of the 36th parallel north to the Pacific Ocean at the 122nd meridian west. It came under the Continental NORAD Region (CONR) Headquarters at Tyndall AFB, Florida.
It operated a Sector Operations Control Center (SOCC) at March AFB, part of the Joint Surveillance System (JSS) which had replaced SAGE in 1983. This system, using the latest advances in computerized airspace control, relied on digitized radar inputs from Air Route Surveillance Radar (ARSR) sites jointly operated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Force, and tethered aerostat radar balloons.
On 1 January 1995, the SWADS consolidated with the Northwest Air Defense Sector, headquartered at McChord AFB, Washington and the combined command was designated as the Western Air Defense Sector (WADS).
Air National Guard units aligned under 1AF (AFNORTH) formerly with an air defense mission under SWADS were:
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.