Electronic Systems Division- Systems Command

The Electronic Systems Division (ESD) was established in 1961 as a key component of the United States Air Force Systems Command (AFSC). Tasked with the development, acquisition, and management of advanced electronic systems, ESD played a vital role in projects such as air defense radar networks, command and control systems, and communications technologies during the Cold War. Headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, the division oversaw numerous groundbreaking programs, including the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) and the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). In 1992, following organizational changes in the Air Force, ESD was inactivated and its functions were absorbed into the newly formed Air Force Materiel Command.