<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001245307-04-000055
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040601
<FILING-DATE>20040604
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WIRELESS FACILITIES INC
<CIK>0001069258
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4899
<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>04850829
</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>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-06-01</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>Executive Chairman</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Call Option (Obligation to Sell)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-06-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>342344</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-06-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-06-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>342344</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Put Option (Right to Sell)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-06-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>342344</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-06-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-06-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>342344</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The terms of the Forward Agreement provide that on June 1, 2007 ( the Reporting Person will deliver to the counterparty to the Forward Agreement a number of shares of common stock :</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">(a)  if the price per share of common stock, determined in accordance with the terms of Forward Agreement, for the Maturity Date is equal to or less than the Floor Price, the Reporting Person will deliver 342,344 shares;(b)  if the Final Price is greater than the Floor Price but less than $16.2245, the Reporting Person will deliver a number of shares equal to Floor Price x 342,344;if the Final Price is equal to or greater than the Cap Price, the Reporting Person will deliver a number of shares equal to the product of (i) 342,344 x (ii) the sum of Floor Price + (Final Price-Cap Price). In consideration of the Forward Agreement, the Reporting Person received $3,002,677.89 before expenses and fees.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The transactions reported on this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on August 20, 2003. On June 1, 2004, the Masood Tayebi Trust entered into a Variable Prepaid Forward Agreement relating to the forward sale of 342,344 shares of common  stock.  Pursuant to the Forward Agreement the counterparty to the Forward Agreement sold a total of 342,344 shares of common stock into the public market  at a weighted-average per share price equal to $10.8163.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Masood Tayebi</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-06-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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