Active 1986-Present Type Space Warning Part of USAF Squadron Branch United States Air Force | Country United States Role Missile Warning Headquarters North Dakota | |
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Garrison/HQ Cavalier AFS, North Dakota Motto INSTANT TO WATCHFUL INSTANT Decoration Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | ||
The United States Air Force's 10th Space Warning Squadron (10 SWS), is a missile warning unit located at Cavalier AFS, North Dakota.
Contents
Mission
10 SWS provides tactical warning and attack assessment of sea-launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles launched against the continental United States and southern Canada. Additionally, 10 SWS provides surveillance, tracking and space object identification for the USAF Space Surveillance Network (SSN).
History
The unit was originally the acquisition radar portion of the United States' only operational anti-ballistic missile system, known as SAFEGUARD. Due to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (SALT II), components of the SAFEGUARD complex, with the exception of the PARCS radar at Cavalier Air Force Station, were deactivated in February 1976. The forerunner of the present day 10th SWS began passing tactical warning and attack assessment data to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colo., in January 1977. In December 1979 the unit was transferred from Aerospace Defense Command to Strategic Air Command. The unit, as it exists today, joined Air Force Space Command in 1983 as Detachment 5, 1st Space Wing. On 10 July 1986, the unit was redesignated as the 10th Missile Warning Squadron, and was activated on 1 August 1986. It was renamed the 10th Space Warning Squadron on May 15, 1992, when the 1st Space Wing and 3d Space Support Wing were inactivated and the 21st Space Wing was activated.