7th Space Warning Squadron The 7th Space Warning Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, California, guards the Continental United States, Alaska, and Canada against intercontinental ballistic missiles by detecting both sea-based launches, in-flight missiles and providing mid-course interceptor guidance to eliminate threats. Additionally, the 7th SWS radar tracks and surveils objects in low-earth orbit. The unit is a geographically separated unit of Space Delta 4, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado. Mission Provide timely and accurate indications and warning, and battlespace awareness to mission partners to defend North America against strategic attack and enable space superiority for America and its allies. Vision Prepare and execute continuous space warfighting capabilities for the defense of the nation and its allies. Equipment and facilities The 7th SWS operates and maintains a $780 million, 10-acre Upgraded Early Warning Radar providing intelligence driven, time critical Integrated Missile Warning, Missile Defense and Space Domain Awareness to Commander, U.S. Space Command in support of National Leadership, situation monitoring and decision making. The 7th SWS phased array radar at Beale AFB is capable of detecting, characterizing and disseminating missile threat information in seconds and is part of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System, providing additional guidance and confirmation of kill for interceptors to destroy enemy missiles. Additionally, the radar is used to detect and track objects in Low Earth Orbit with special emphasis on monitoring and detecting adversary satellite maneuvers and foreign asset custody operations. 7th SWS contractors remotely operate the Long-Range Discrimination Radar located at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska. The LRDR is undergoing testing and is planned to be fully operational in 2023. LRDR is a long-range, midcourse tracking radar designed to provide continuous coverage and improved discrimination capabilities to defend the U.S. homeland. The radar is intended to support the layered U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense system to defend against threats emanating from the Pacific and will provide more deployment flexibility for the Sea-Based X-band radar. The 7th SWS is comprised of military, Royal Canadian Air Force, government civilians and contractors who operate and support its 10-acre radar site. The 7th SWS facility has undergone major upgrades over the past few years including a $1.7 million roof overhaul, siding and gantry removal project, $1 million bathroom modernization, and new landscaping. The radar located at Beale AFB uses nearly 3,600 small active antenna elements coordinated by two computers. One computer is online at all times, while the second automatically takes control if the first fails. The computers control the distribution of energy to the antennas to form precise patterns, allowing the radar to detect objects moving at a very high speed. The radar can change its point of focus in milliseconds, while conventional radars may take up to a minute to mechanically swing from one area to another. The main building is shaped like a pyramid with a triangular base 105 feet on each side. The two radiating faces are tilted back 20 degrees. The radar beams reach outward in excess of 5,000 kilometers and provide 240-degrees of coverage. History The Air Force finished construction of the PAVE Phased Array Warning System radar site at Beale in October 1979. It attained initial operational capability in August 1980. The unit was originally part of Aerospace Defense Command's 26th Aerospace Division. In December 1979, it became part of Strategic Air Command. In May 1983, the unit transferred to Air Force Space Command, eventually becoming the 7th Missile Warning Squadron. When the Air Force reorganized in 1992, the 21st Space Wing was activated at Peterson AFB, Colorado. The 7th MWS moved to the 21st SW and was given the current designation as the 7th SWS. In 2007, 7th SWS completed a system upgrade and took on the Missile Defense mission. The radar became known as an Upgraded Early Warning Radar. 7th SWS was transferred to United States Space Command in August 2019. On Dec. 20, 2019, United States Space Force was officially established, and 7th SWS became a part of the newest branch of the United States Department of Defense. On July 24, 2020, the 7th SWS was transferred to Space Delta 4, Buckley AFB. (Current as of April 2024)