In the mid-1950s, the Air Defense Command acquired K.I. Sawyer County Airport as a host facility for a Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) blockhouse and fighter intercepter squadrons. Although air defense remained an important mission for this base throughout the remainder of the Cold War, the Strategic Air Command assumed operational command of the base in 1964 and deployed a B-52 bomber wing to this northern Michigan location. Eventually, the base also hosted strategic missiles as the B-52Hs assigned underwent modification to accept Air Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCMs).