Air Force Technical Applications Center

Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC)
Air Force Technical Applications Center Shield
Active	July 25, 1947 - Present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Headquarters
Role	Surveillance
Part of	Twenty-Fifth Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.
Motto(s)	In God we trust. All others we monitor.
Commanders
Current commander	Col. Steven Gorski

The Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC), based at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. is an Air Force surveillance organization assigned to the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency. Its mission is to monitor nuclear treaties of all applicable signatory countries. This is accomplished via seismic, hydroacoustic and satellite detection systems.

AFTAC's mission is the detection of nuclear detonations (NUDETs) anywhere in the world: below ground, in water, surface blasts, free-air and in space. The global network of monitoring is referred to as the United States Atomic Energy Detection System (USAEDS). The purpose of maintaining the vast network is to ensure that countries who are signatories on various nuclear treaties comply with the intent of the nuclear treaties.

Upon detection of any disturbance in USAEDS, the applicable AFTAC laboratories analyze the event for identification. Should the event detected be nuclear in nature the event is referred to national command authorities.

On Sept. 17, 1947, Army Chief of Staff General Dwight D. Eisenhower directed the Army Air Forces to coordinate detection of nuclear detonations anywhere in the world. The following day, the United States Air Force was separated into a distinct service; the atomic detection mission was incorporated into the new entity.

Activated April 1, 1948, as a field extension of the Air Force chief of staff, the 51st Air Force Base Unit was tasked to experiment on various platforms for the detection of nuclear weapons. An infrastructure for detection was constructed quickly, amidst fears of the Russia's nuclear ambitions.

On Aug. 28, 1948, the 51st Air Force Base Unit was redesignated the 1009th Special Weapons Squadron. The 1009th was assigned to Headquarters Command, U.S. Air Force, Aug. 1, 1949. One month later, an air sampler aboard an AFOAT-1 B-29 flying between Alaska and Japan detected debris from the first Russian nuclear test.