What was the Strategic Air Command (SAC)?

Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command (MAJCOM) responsible for Cold War command and control of two of the three components of the U.S. military's strategic nuclear strike forces, the so-called "Nuclear Triad," with SAC having control of land-based strategic bomber aircraft and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

SAC primarily consisted of the Second Air Force (2AF), Eighth Air Force (8AF) and the Fifteenth Air Force (15AF), while SAC headquarters (HQ SAC) included Directorates for Operations & Plans, Intelligence, Command & Control, Maintenance, Training, Communications, and Personnel. At a lower echelon, headquarters divisions included Aircraft Engineering, Missile Concept, and Strategic Communications.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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43 Comments

Rick Childress

My second assignment was at SAC HQ on Uncle Sam's flying nuclear circus as my brother used to say

james parrillo

Carl Cripe, Thank you.

seamus512

Loring AFB ME 1973-1975 B-52G Griffiss AFB NY 1978-1980 B-52G Pease AFB NH 1981-1987 FB-111A Carswell AFB TX 1988-1993 B-52H All SAC

seamus512

Marian Spitzig, The Navy had the third prong with nuclear tipped submarine launch missles.

Marian Spitzig

But it wasn’t a two prong nuclear response, but a 3 prong, according to Wikipedia

Mark Ann Dubaz

My first assignment in the Air Force was at a SAC base.

vasily tchaikovsky

good guess,and common sense

Candy Jo Scarborough

Lived near a Sac base

filmnut

My Father was a founding member of SAC. He was a "flight engineer" on the B-29, B-36 and Navigator\ camera operator on the B-47. The crews he flew with were recon. wings. One Sunday morning we drove up to Beale AFB . Mom and I stayed in the O Club while Dad got a peek of the SR-71. The mascot of Recon Wings is the Raven. Thanks

anthonygriffin

This operation sounds a bit obsolete in today's "Armed Forces." Actually, the "United States Submarine Fleet" has become a big part of nuclear weapon operations. The "Trident Class Submarines" carrying "Ballistic Missiles" are in charge of that operation from sea.

Carl Cripe

I was a crew chief on the B-47E. Nuclear Alert in Spain 2 90 day tours TDY.

smreinsch

I am a Air Force Brat - in SAC.

Jack Dodge

Good question. Substandard explanation. Tell us what replaced the "Strategic Air Command"? Office of Homeland Security>??

Melissa Powell

My ex was an AF fighter pilot. He sat alert in the US and Germany. He would have been sent on a mission that would not allow him to return while stationed in Germany. SAC would have responded, first out of the box would have been fights especially with an invasion anywhere in Europe and for sure in the US