SAGE: a data-processing system for air defense

  • Authors:

  • R. R. Everett;C. A. Zraket;H. D. Benington

  • Affiliations:

  • Lincoln Lab., M.I.T., Lexington, Mass.;Lincoln Lab., M.I.T., Lexington, Mass.;System Development Corp., Santa Monica, Calif. and Lincoln Lab., M.I.T., Lexington, Mass.

  • Venue:
  • IRE-ACM-AIEE '57 (Eastern) Papers and discussions presented at the December 9-13, 1957, eastern joint computer conference: Computers with deadlines to meet
  • Year:
  • 1957

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Abstract

During the past decade, the continental United States has faced the continually increasing threat of enemy air attack. High-speed, high-altitude intercontinental bombers can deliver thermonuclear weapons to any part of our country. Even though ICBM capabilities are rapidly approaching operational status, it is firmly expected that the manned bomber threat will continue and grow well into the 1960 time period. Until very recently, we have relied on an air-defense processing system whose traffic-handling techniques were almost identical with those used during World War II. Fortunately, there has been substantial improvement in our inventory of automated air-defense components. These include: improved radar systems, automatic fire-control devices, automatic communication links for ground-to-ground or ground-to-air communication, navigational systems, and both missiles and manned aircraft whose performance equals the threat of the newest manned bombers. But, successful air defense requires both good components and intelligent utilization of these components. A longrange supersonic interceptor is of little value unless enemy targets can be detected and tracked at long ranges. More important, intelligent commitment of many such interceptors requires up-to-date knowledge of the complete enemy threat and of the success of weapons already committed.