Aerospace Defense Command was a major
command of the
United States Air Forces, responsible for continental air defence. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor,
Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly inactivated in 1950, reactivated in 1951, and then redesignated
Aerospace rather than
Air in 1968. Its mission was to provide air defense of the
Continental United States (CONUS). It directly controlled all active measures, and was tasked to coordinate all passive means of air defense.