Selfridge AFB radar station
Encyclopedia
The Selfridge AFB radar station began operations in 1949 with a Bendix AN/CPS-5 Radar
test that tracked aircraft at 210 mi (338 km). A height finder
MIT AN/CPS-4 Radar
was added by March 9, 1950;http://www.nicap.org/selfridge.htm and the station was site L-17 of the Lashup Radar Network
and site LP-17 of the subsequent network during construction of the Air Defense Command
permanent network. The 661st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was activated at Selfridge in 1951, and with a pair of General Electric AN/CPS-6 Radar
s the station became site LP-20 of the permanent ADC network in 1952. In 1957 the station added a height finder
General Electric AN/FPS-6 Radar
, and the station became part of the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
radar network in 1959, supplying radar tracks to SAGE data center DC-06 at Custer Air Force Station
, Michigan, for directing interceptor aircraft
and CIM-10 Bomarc air defense missiles (e.g., at Kincheloe AFB, Michigan).
By 1960, the AN/CPS-6 radar had been replaced by a Bendix AN/FPS-20 Radar
for general surveillance, and the site had an additional General Electric AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar
. A Sperry AN/FPS-35 radar installed at the station's tower in 1961 became operational in 1962, and the AN/FPS-6A height-finder was replaced with an Avco AN/FPS-26A Radar
. On 31 July 1963, Selfridge AFB was redesignated as NORAD site Z-20.
The 661st squadron also operated Gap Filler sites with Bendix AN/FPS-18 Radar
s before deactivating on July 1, 1974. The radar station was shared with the United States Army
for Nike missile
command-and-control. The former radar station is the location of a United States Marine Corps Reserve
unit and the Selfridge Military Air Museum & Air Park.
Missile Master Army Installation:In 1960, Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) D-15DC was constructed for coordinating Nike surface-to-air missile
launches from numerous Michigan batteries from Algonac
/Marine City
(D-17) south to Carleton
(D-57) & Newport (D-58). The AADCP closed when the Army deactivated the remaining D-06, D-58, & D-87 batteries in April 1974 at Utica
, Newport, and Commerce/Union Lake
.
The Missile Master bunker was subsequently used as a "RAPCON center" manned by the 2031st Air Force Communications Service (AFCS) Squadron.http://books.google.com/books?id=pM2sRXPgGhsC&pg=PA98 Documents regarding the bunker (demolished 2005) have been entered in the Historic American Engineering Record.
Bendix AN/FPS-3 Radar
The AN/FPS-3 Radar was a Long Range Search Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command.The AN/FPS-3 was an early Cold War radar which was a modified version of the World War II AN/CPS-5 long-range search radar. Bell Telephone Laboratories and General Electric developed the...
test that tracked aircraft at 210 mi (338 km). A height finder
Height finder
A height finder is a ground based aircraft altitude measuring device.Early height finder implementations were optical devices and later migrated to radar devices. Devices combining both optics and radar were deployed by the U.S...
MIT AN/CPS-4 Radar
MIT AN/CPS-4 Radar
The AN/CPS-4 Radar was a Medium-Height Finding Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command.Developed by MIT's Radiation Laboratory, this height-finding radar was nicknamed "Beaver Tail." The radar was designed to be used in conjunction with the SCR-270 and SCR-271 search sets. The...
was added by March 9, 1950;http://www.nicap.org/selfridge.htm and the station was site L-17 of the Lashup Radar Network
Lashup Radar Network
The Lashup Radar Network was a temporary post-war United States system for air defense surveillance that initially used World War II equipment. Improved search radars included the Western Electric AN/TPS-1B Radar, which was first used for Lashup in 1948 The Lashup Radar Network was a temporary...
and site LP-17 of the subsequent network during construction of the Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
permanent network. The 661st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was activated at Selfridge in 1951, and with a pair of General Electric AN/CPS-6 Radar
General Electric AN/CPS-6 Radar
The AN/CPS-6 was a medium-range search/hight finder Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command.The AN/CPS-6 was developed during the later stages of World War II by the Radiation Laboratory at MIT. The first units were produced in mid-1945.General Electric developed and produced...
s the station became site LP-20 of the permanent ADC network in 1952. In 1957 the station added a height finder
Height finder
A height finder is a ground based aircraft altitude measuring device.Early height finder implementations were optical devices and later migrated to radar devices. Devices combining both optics and radar were deployed by the U.S...
General Electric AN/FPS-6 Radar
General Electric AN/FPS-6 Radar
The AN/FPS-6 Radar was a Long-Range Height Finder Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command. The AN/FPS-6 radar was introduced into service in the late 1950s and served as the principal height-finder radar for the United States for several decades thereafter. Built by General...
, and the station became part of the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
radar network in 1959, supplying radar tracks to SAGE data center DC-06 at Custer Air Force Station
Custer Air Force Station
Custer Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west-northwest of Battle Creek, Michigan. It was closed in 1965.-History:...
, Michigan, for directing interceptor aircraft
Interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
and CIM-10 Bomarc air defense missiles (e.g., at Kincheloe AFB, Michigan).
By 1960, the AN/CPS-6 radar had been replaced by a Bendix AN/FPS-20 Radar
Bendix AN/FPS-20 Radar
The AN/FPS-20 Radar was a General Surveillance Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command.Production of the AN/FPS-20 Surveillance Radar began in 1956. This dual-modulator, fixed station, general surveillance system, developed by RADC became the main surveillance radar for the...
for general surveillance, and the site had an additional General Electric AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar
General Electric AN/FPS-6 Radar
The AN/FPS-6 Radar was a Long-Range Height Finder Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command. The AN/FPS-6 radar was introduced into service in the late 1950s and served as the principal height-finder radar for the United States for several decades thereafter. Built by General...
. A Sperry AN/FPS-35 radar installed at the station's tower in 1961 became operational in 1962, and the AN/FPS-6A height-finder was replaced with an Avco AN/FPS-26A Radar
Avco AN/FPS-26 Radar
The AN/FPS-26 Radar was a height finder radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command. It was an early application of a concept called "Frequency Diversity", which took advantage of a tunable output power device to allow the radar operator to easily and quickly change the frequency...
. On 31 July 1963, Selfridge AFB was redesignated as NORAD site Z-20.
The 661st squadron also operated Gap Filler sites with Bendix AN/FPS-18 Radar
Bendix AN/FPS-18 Radar
The AN/FPS-18 was a medium-range search Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command.This medium-range search radar was designed and built by Bendix as a SAGE system gap-filler radar to provide low-altitude coverage...
s before deactivating on July 1, 1974. The radar station was shared with the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
for Nike missile
Project Nike
Project Nike was a U.S. Army project, proposed in May 1945 by Bell Laboratories, to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. The project delivered the United States' first operational anti-aircraft missile system, the Nike Ajax, in 1953...
command-and-control. The former radar station is the location of a United States Marine Corps Reserve
United States Marine Corps Reserve
The Marine Forces Reserve is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command in the U.S...
unit and the Selfridge Military Air Museum & Air Park.
Missile Master Army Installation:In 1960, Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) D-15DC was constructed for coordinating Nike surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
launches from numerous Michigan batteries from Algonac
Algonac, Michigan
Algonac is a city in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,613 at the 2000 census.Algonac is located at the southern end of the St. Clair River, just before it splits into a large delta region known as the St. Clair Flats. The St. Clair River drains Lake Huron into...
/Marine City
Marine City, Michigan
Marine City is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the west bank of the St. Clair River, it is one of the cities in the River District north of Detroit and south of Lake Huron. The population was 4,652 at the 2000 census...
(D-17) south to Carleton
Carleton, Michigan
Carleton is a village in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,562 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Ash Township and is served by Airport Community Schools.-History:...
(D-57) & Newport (D-58). The AADCP closed when the Army deactivated the remaining D-06, D-58, & D-87 batteries in April 1974 at Utica
Utica, Michigan
Utica is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,577 at the 2000 census. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 4,924.- History :...
, Newport, and Commerce/Union Lake
Union Lake, Michigan
Union Lake is an unincorporated community in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located at the junction of four townships at :* Southwest corner of Waterford* Southeast corner of White Lake* Northeast corner of Commerce...
.
The Missile Master bunker was subsequently used as a "RAPCON center" manned by the 2031st Air Force Communications Service (AFCS) Squadron.http://books.google.com/books?id=pM2sRXPgGhsC&pg=PA98 Documents regarding the bunker (demolished 2005) have been entered in the Historic American Engineering Record.