Western Air Defense Sector

The Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) is a special unit of the Washington Air National Guard based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Washington. Unlike most Air Force units, WADS is not part of the regular Air Force's chain of command. Instead, it belongs to the Washington Air National Guard, unless called to federal service by the President of the United States.

WADS is one of two main sectors that help protect the skies over the United States. It works closely with North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the Continental NORAD Region to keep watch during peaceful times, defend against possible threats, and support efforts to stop illegal activities in the air. The other sector is the Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS).

NORAD is a team made up of both the United States and Canadian forces. Its job is to give warnings about threats in the air and keep control of the airspace above North America. Besides WADS and EADS, NORAD also includes other groups like the Hawaii Region Air Operations Center, the Alaska Region Air Operations Center, and the Canada Air Defense Sector.

Overview

Battle Control System – fixed (BCS-F) display, used at the WADS Sector Operations Control Center (SOCC)

The Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) is part of the Washington Air National Guard. It has a special room called the Sector Operations Control Center (SOCC) at McChord AFB. This center uses modern technology to watch the skies and keep the airways safe. It uses radar and special airplanes to see what is happening in the sky.

The SOCC has many screens and tools that help commanders see what is happening in the sky above the United States and Canada. This helps protect the country. It can also help during natural disasters. WADS works with other air defense teams in the United States.

Mission

WADS Region shown in NORAD Region/Sector Configuration

The Western Air Defense Sector's main job is to protect America's skies. They watch the air all the time using special tools to see what is flying from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, and from the Canada–US border down to the Mexico–US border.

The sector works with important groups like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Secret Service, and U.S. Customs Service. They also team up with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and U.S. Coast Guard. When there are big problems like storms or other troubles, the Western Air Defense Sector helps by giving important information to help save people.

Assigned Units

The Western Air Defense Sector works with several Air National Guard units across different states. These units help protect the skies and support air defense missions.

The units include the California Air National Guard, Oregon Air National Guard, Arizona Air National Guard, Colorado Air National Guard, Oklahoma Air National Guard, South Dakota Air National Guard, and Texas Air National Guard. Each of these groups has specific squadrons and aircraft that play important roles in air defense.

History

1950s and 1960s

The Western Air Defense Sector began as the Seattle Air Defense Sector, created by the United States Air Force on January 8, 1958. Its job was to keep the Seattle area safe by training and preparing flying units. It took over some units in western Washington west of the Cascade Range. The sector stopped operating on April 1, 1966, and its units were moved to the 25th Air Division.

Starting July 1, 1958, it began using a special system called SAGE at McChord Air Force Base to help track aircraft. This system stopped working in 1983.

On April 1, 1966, the Seattle Air Defense Sector was inactivated, along with 22 other sectors across the country. Most of its equipment was taken over by the 25th Air Division. The SAGE Direction Center stayed in use until December 31, 1969. Today, this place is used by the Western Air Defense Sector.

From 1987

On July 1, 1987, the Seattle Air Defense Sector became the Northwest Air Defense Sector and was placed under the 25th Air Division. The 25th Air Division stopped operating on September 30, 1990, and its duties were given to the Northwest Air Defense Sector.

On January 1, 1995, the Northwest Air Defense Sector joined with the Southwest Air Defense Sector at March AFB, California, to form the Western Air Defense Sector. This new sector watches over the western United States, from Texas up the west coast to North Dakota. Its area covers about 1.9 million square miles, which is about 63% of the continental United States.

Historical map of Seattle Air Defense Sector, 1958–1966

On October 1, 1997, the Western Air Defense Sector switched from being part of the active duty Air Force to being part of the Air National Guard. Now, members of the Washington Air National Guard help protect America’s skies. The Continental NORAD Region (CONR) is responsible for both the Western and Eastern Air Defense Sectors and is based at Tyndall AFB, Florida.

By the end of 2005, the old Q-93 radar system was replaced with newer computers, marking a big change in how the United States is defended. In 2005, the Western Air Defense Sector also took over more airspace, shifting from the middle of the U.S. to east of the Mississippi River, covering about 75% of the U.S. Since 2005, there have been some updates, but only to the software, not the actual hardware.