McChord SAGE Combat Center CC-3

McChord SAGE Combat Center CC-3 (1958-Active) - A Cold War SAGE System Combat Center first established in 1958 on McChord AFB, Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington. Named McChord SAGE Combat Center after the location. Assigned a Sage ID of CC-3. Deactivated as a SAGE Combat Center in 1966. Re-established as McChord JSS Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC) in (1983-1986), Renamed McChord Sector Operations Control Center (1986-1997) and McChord Sector Air Operations Center (1997-Active).


McChord AFB Former SAGE Direction Center DC-12 and SAGE Combat Center CC-3 behind the F-4C Fighter Aircraft and FPS-26A Radar Antenna Static Displays.

McChord SAGE Combat Center

Established in 1958 and became operational as McChord SAGE Combat Center CC-3 in a purpose built three story reinforced concrete building next to the McChord SAGE Direction Center DC-12. The SAGE Combat Center housed the vacuum tube FSQ-8 computer that interfaced all the SAGE Direction Centers in the 25th Air Division. The SAGE Combat Center CC-3 shut down the vacuum tube FSQ-8 computer on 1 Apr 1966.

25th AD McChord SAGE Combat Center CC-3
Air Defense Sector	Direction Center	Active
Seattle ADS	McChord SAGE Direction Center DC-12	1958-1983
Portland ADS	Adair SAGE Direction Center DC-13	1958-1969
Spokane ADS	Larson SAGE Direction Center DC-15	1958-1963
Reno ADS	Stead SAGE Direction Center DC-16	1959-1966

The McChord SAGE Direction Center was one of the six Direction Centers designated as a SAGE Regional Control Center (RCC) in 1966 and it remained operational, still using the vacuum tube FSQ-7 computers, until deactivated on 24 Oct 1983.

McChord JSS ROCC

With the closure of the McChord SAGE Direction Center in 1983 the adjacent former SAGE Combat Center was fitted out as a JSS System Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC). The equipment employed was the new FYQ-93 computer system that provided 18+ configurable weapons system consoles and could accept input directly from some 20 of the JSS System radar sites and other sensor systems. This same system was also in place at the Griffiss Eastern Air Defense Sector and controlled the east coast airspace during the 911 attack.

During the life of the FYQ-93 at McChord the name of the command post changed several times and area of responsibility grew from just the northwest to the west coast and then in January 1995 to some 1.9 million square miles, about 63% of the CONUS.

25th AD McChord SAGE Combat Center CC-3
Center	Name	Active	Area
ROCC	Regional Operations Control Center	1983-1986	Northwest
SOCC	Sector Operations Control Center	1986-1997	West Coast
SAOC	Sector Air Operations Center	1997-2006	West of the Mississippi

In October 1997 the Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) completed a transition from the active duty Air Force to the Air National Guard. The Washington Air National Guard is currently guarding America’s skies.

Battle Control System - Fixed (BCS-F)

In 2006 the FYQ-93 system was replaced with a more modern system the FYQ-156 BCS-F Atmospheric Early Warning System Battle Control System - Fixed (BCS-F) that is said to be capable of handling 15,000 Tracks. This is the system currently in place at the formerMcChord SAGE Combat Center.

Current Status

Sage Combat Center blockhouse repurposed on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County, Washington.

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Location: McChord AFB, Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington.

Maps & Images

Lat: 47.12181 Long: -122.50468

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: 322'

See Also:

Sources:

Winkler, David F., Searching the Skies: the Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, USAF Hq Air Combat Command, 1997, 192 pages, Pdf.
Cornett, Lloyd H. & Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization (1946-1980), Office of History ADC, Peterson AFB, Colorado, 31 Dec 1980, 179 pages, Pdf.
Ulmann, Bernd, AN/FSQ-7:the computer that shaped the Cold War, 2014, Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, ISBN 978-3-486-72766-1, 272 pages.

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McChord SAGE Combat Center CC-3