- 27 March 1946
- The United States Army Air Force activates the Air Defense Command at Mitchel Field (later, Mitchel Air Force Base), New York
- 1 December 1948
- The United States Air Force establishes the Continental Air Command (ConAC) under both the Air Defense Command and Tactical Air Command
- 27 June 1950
- United States air defense systems begins 24-hour operations two days after the start of the Korean War
- 1 July 1950
- Air Defense Command deactivated because the Continental Air Command gradually assumed full charge of United States air defense
- 1 January 1951
- Air Defense Command re-established, again at Mitchel Field
- 8 January 1951
- Air Defense Command headquarters moves from Mitchel Field to Ent Air Force Base, Colorado
- 14 July 1952
- Air Defense Command begins 24-hour Ground Observer Corps operations
- 1 October 1953
- The 4701st Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron, the first AEW&C system, was activated at McClellan AFB, California.
- 1 September 1954
- The Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) is established at Ent Air Force Base as a joint-service force, taking control of Air Force Air Defense Command forces, Army Anti-Aircraft Command forces, and Naval air defense forces (NAVFORCONAD)
- 15 April 1957
- Air Defense Command assigned operational control of the DEW Line and all atmospheric defense units of the inactivated Northeast Air Command.
- 12 September 1957
- The North American Air Defense Command is established at Ent Air Force Base as an international organization, taking operational control of Canadian Air Defense Command air defense units and United States Continental Air Defense Command air defense units
- 1 December 1958
- SAGE Combat Center No 1 at Hancock Field, New York (26th Air Division) became operational
- 1 January 1959
- The first BOMARC squadron, the 46th Air Defense Missile Squadron was activated at McGuire AFB, New Jersey.
- 31 July 1959
- The Ground Observer Corps, active since July 1952, is abolished because of improvements in radar technology
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- 1 October 1960
- BMEWS Site I, at Thule AB, Greenland, reached initial operational capability; the first Ballistic Missile Early Warning System
- 1 February 1961
- The 1st Aerospace Surveillance and Control Squadron established at Ent AFB, Colorado by Air Defense Command to operate the SPADATS Center. This marks the beginning of Air Defense Command's aerospace defense operations.
- 1 July 1962
- Control of Air Forces Iceland transferred from Military Air Transport Service to Air Defense Command.
- 3 September 1965
- Space Defense Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado activated
- 15 January 1968
- Air Defense Command is redesignated as Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM)
- 31 October 1972
- Final BOMARC unit inactivated at Langley AFB, Virginia; BOMARC interceptor activity ended.
- 1 July 1973
- Continental Air Defense Command and Aerospace Defense Command headquarters begins consolidation and streamlining
- 4 February 1974
- The Department of Defense announces plans for cutbacks in air defense forces showing increasing emphasis on ballistic missile attack warning and decreasing emphasis on bomber defense
- 30 June 1974
- Continental Air Defense Command dis-established
- 1 July 1975
- Aerospace Defense Command designated a "Specified Command" taking over Continental Air Defense Command roles and responsibilities
- 1 October 1975
- Alaskan ADCOM Region established, Aerospace Defense Command assumes control of missile warning and space surveillance forces of Alaskan Air Command
- 1 October 1979
- Transfer of ADCOM atmospheric defense resources (interceptors and warning radars) to Tactical Air Command (TAC); Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC) established as a Numbered Air Force equivalent under Tactical Air Command
- 31 March 1980
- Aerospace Defense Command inactivated at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
- 1 October 1985
- ADTAC redesignated 1st Air Force, with US-Only ADCOM responsibilities under CONAD (COMTAC).
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