Military

Los Angeles AFB, California

Los Angeles Air Force Base is located within El Segundo city limits, the base is divided into two areas; Area A where most major units are located, and Area B which houses the 61 Air Base Group, the clinic, BX, and the commissary.

Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) traces its origins to the Western Development Division created in July 1954. The organization's original mission was to develop ICBMs and the results are a proud legacy with the early Atlas, Thor, and Titan of the 50s, through the Minuteman of the 60s, to the Peacekeeper of the 80s. SMC has been the center of military satellite development since 1956. The Center has contributed to maintaining peace through programs such as early warning systems, meteorological, navigation and communications satellites to serve combat forces.

Space and Missile Systems Center, part of Air Force Materiel Command, is responsible for research, development, acquisition, on-orbit testing and sustainment of military space and missile systems. In addition to managing Air Force space and missile programs, SMC participates in space programs conducted by other U.S. military services, government agencies and North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. SMC responds to user needs by developing and acquiring space systems. After launch and check-out, SMC turns these systems over to the appropriate operating command. SMC also serves as the integrating center for the Strategic Defense Initiative within AFMC. It monitors progress in more than 70 Space Defense Initiative efforts throughout AFMC. SMC itself has direct management responsibility for more than half of these efforts.