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 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.

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 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.

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 manning the McChord facility.

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

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

See Also:
 * FYQ-93
 * FYQ-156
 * McChord SAGE Direction Center DC-12
 * Griffiss JSS ROCC
 * Permanent System Radar Sites
 * SAGE System

Sources:

Links:
 * Radomes - McChord SAGE Combat Center
 * Wikipedia - Western Air Defense Sector
 * Washington National Guard