Air Force Technical Applications Center The Air Force Technical Applications Center ( AFTAC ) , based at Patrick Air Force Base , Fla . is an Air Force surveillance organization assigned to the Air Force Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency . Its mission is to monitor nuclear treaties of all applicable signatory countries . This is accomplished via seismic , hydroacoustic and satellite detection systems . Mission . AFTAC ' s mission is the detection of nuclear detonations ( NUDETs ) anywhere in the world : below ground , in water , surface blasts , free - air and in space . The global network of monitoring is referred to as the United States Atomic Energy Detection System ( USAEDS ) . The purpose of maintaining the vast network is to ensure that countries who are signatories on various nuclear treaties comply with the intent of the nuclear treaties . Upon detection of any disturbance in USAEDS , the applicable AFTAC laboratories analyze the event for identification . Should the event detected be nuclear in nature the event is referred to national command authorities . History . On Sept . 17 , 1947 , Army Chief of Staff General Dwight D . Eisenhower directed the Army Air Corps to coordinate detection of nuclear detonations anywhere in the world . The following day , the United States Air Force was separated into a distinct service ; the atomic detection mission was incorporated into the new entity . Activated April 1 , 1948 , as a field extension of the Air Force chief of staff , the 51st Air Force Base Unit was tasked to experiment on various platforms for the detection of nuclear weapons . An infrastructure for detection was constructed quickly , amidst fears of the Russia ' s nuclear ambitions . On Aug . 28 , 1948 , the 51st Air Force Base Unit was redesignated the 1009th Special Weapons Squadron . The 1009th was assigned to Headquarters Command , U . S . Air Force , Aug . 1 , 1949 . One month later , an air sampler aboard an AFOAT - 1 B - 29 flying between Alaska and Japan detected debris from the first Russian nuclear test . By the end of June 1971 , 13 detection techniques were being actively pursued by USAEDS : Seismic ( B ) , Debris Collection ( C ) , Whole Air Sampling ( D ) , Geophysical Diagnostics ( F ) , Magnetic ( H ) , Acoustic ( I ) , Debris Analysis ( L ) , Hydroacoustic ( 0 ) , Electromagnetic Pulse ( Q ) , Vela Satellite system ( T ) , Very Low Frequency Phase ( U ) , High Frequency Radio ( W ) , and Atmospheric Fluorescence ( 2 ) . AFTAC was activated in 1973 , assuming control of the USAEDS mission . Notable detections . China . On Oct . 16 , 1964 , AFTAC detected a Chinese atmospheric test . Sinking of Soviet Submarine K - 129 . On March 11 , 1968 , the acoustic signatures of two extended destructive events were detected and recorded by four AFTAC hydroacoustic stations in the Pacific : Midway Island ; Kaneohe , Oahu ; Wake Island ; and Eniwetok ; and by the AFTAC tap on a US Navy SOSUS array terminating at Adak , Alaska . These signals were analyzed using time - difference of arrival times at each station and were determined to originate within 2 nms of 40 - 06N / 179 - 57E and originating within a few seconds of 111200Z March 1968 . This detection and localization provided the first specific data on the wreck of the Soviet Golf - II class SSB " K - 129 " which became the target of the CIA ' s Project " AZORIAN " salvage operation conducted in the summer of 1974 . India . India ' s first nuclear test was detected May 18 , 1974 , by AFTAC . Vela Incident . On Sept . 22 , 1979 , one of the Vela satellites detected a double flash of light , consistent with a nuclear explosion , centered over the Prince Edwards islands . There is still a great deal of contention about whether the detection was nuclear in origin . Pakistan . AFTAC detected Pakistan ' s first of five nuclear tests May 28 , 1998 , with another nuclear test May 30 , 1998 . This was several days after several Indian tests . North Korea . AFTAC confirmed North Korea ' s 2006 nuclear test .