U.s air Force Aerospace Defense Command patch

U.s air Force Aerospace Defense Command patch 

History

• It began as Air Defense Command in March 1946, one of the US Air Force's first major commands.

• From 1951 it was headquartered at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, working closely with NORAD.

• It was renamed Aerospace Defense Command on 15 January 1968 to reflect its growing space role.

• It was wound down from 1979, with interceptors going to Tactical Air Command and missile warning and space tracking going to Strategic Air Command. It was inactivated in 1980.

What it did

Its job was defending North America against Soviet bomber attack, and later warning of missile attack and tracking objects in orbit. It ran fighter-interceptor squadrons flying aircraft like the F-101B Voodoo, F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart. It also ran a chain of radar stations, including links to the DEW Line and the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System. At its 1950s peak it was one of the largest commands in the Air Force.

The emblem

The eagle with a lightning bolt stands for rapid interception. The globe with orbit trails stands for the aerospace and satellite-tracking side of the mission.