<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001114923-05-000011
<TYPE>5
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041231
<FILING-DATE>20050412
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050412
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HOGLUND WILLIAM A
<CIK>0001114923
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>5
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-27231
<FILM-NUMBER>05745876
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>4258288000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2300 CARILLON POINT
<CITY>KIRKLAND
<STATE>WA
<ZIP>98033
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>1</form4TransactionsReported>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001114923</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOGLUND WILLIAM A</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>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Director Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.86</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>L</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-02-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-01-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>155000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The stock option was granted to the reporting person under the issuers 1999 Equity Incentive Plan.  The stock option vests as to 1/48th of the total grant amount per month beginning the month following the grant, until fully exercisable on January 1, 2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>William A. Hoglund, by Matthew G. Colvin, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
