Hanscom Air Force Base A Small Base With a Big Shadow Hanscom Air Force Base, located in Lexington, Concord, Bedford and Lincoln, is an unusual Air Force Base in that it has no aircraft - but it does have an important mission and a substantial economic impact on Massachusetts and the North Suburban Region.  Hanscom is headquarters for the Air Force's Electronic Systems Center, a dynamic organization with the vital mission of providing the latest in command and control and information systems for the Air Force, the Department of Defense and our allies. These systems gather and analyze information on potentially hostile forces, enabling commanders to make quick decisions and rapidly pass them on to their forces. They help to direct the muscle of America's air-power arsenal to the right target at the right time.  ESC doesn't design or manufacture equipment; civilian contractors do that. In its systems acquisition mission, ESC serves as the manager. It determines the operational user's needs, defines systems to best meet those needs, asks for proposals from industry, selects contractors and monitors their progress. Teams of professionals specializing in engineering science, business management, acquisition and computers supervise the design, development, testing, production and deployment of command and control systems.