<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001245307-04-000007
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040126
<FILING-DATE>20040129
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WIRELESS FACILITIES INC
<CIK>0001069258
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7380
<IRS-NUMBER>133818604
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4810 EASTGATE MALL
<STREET2>.
<CITY>SAN DIEGO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92121
<PHONE>8582282494
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4810 EASTGATE MALL
<STREET2>.
<CITY>SAN DIEGO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92121
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>TAYEBI MASOOD
<CIK>0001106956
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-27231
<FILM-NUMBER>04551296
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>9805 SCRANTON ROAD
<CITY>SAN DIEGO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92121
<PHONE>8588242020
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>9805 SCRANTON ROAD
<CITY>SAN DIEGO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92121
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001069258</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WIRELESS FACILITIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>wfii</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001106956</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TAYEBI MASOOD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4810 EASTGATE MALL</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN DIEGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92121</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Forward Contract (right/obligation to sell)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-26</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2004-01-26</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>375000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.74</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6679537</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">1. On January 26th 2004, the Masood Tayebi Trust entered into a binding term sheet for a prepaid variable share forward contract with an unaffiliated third party. The contract dated January 26th, 2004 related to the disposition by the Masood Tayebi Trust of 375,000 shares of Common Stock. Specifically, the contract obligates the Trust to deliver to the buyer on January 26th, 2007 a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the exchange rate of $16.7364 times 375,000 shares. Pursuant to the contract, the Masood Tayebi Trust received $6,276,150.00, representing the purchase price of the Contract shares before expenses and fees.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Form 4 submitted upon participation in a variable prepaid forward contract. Contract obligates Masood Tayebi to deliver 375,000 shares on January 26,2007. The Masood Tayebi Trust received $6,276,150.00 for this transaction</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Masood Tayebi</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
