Tonopah Air Force Station
 | |
|---|---|
| Part of Air Defense Command (ADC) | |
| Coordinates | 38°03′06″N 117°13′32″W / 38.05167°N 117.22556°W |
| Type | Air Force Station |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |  United States Air Force |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1956 |
| In use | 1956-1970 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 866th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron |
Tonopah Air Force Station (ADC ID: SM-164, NORAD ID: Z-164) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 1.1 miles (1.8 km) south of Tonopah, Nevada. It was closed in 1970.
History
Tonopah Air Force Station was initially part of Phase II of the Air Defense Command Mobile Radar program. The Air Force approved this expansion of the Mobile Radar program on October 23, 1952. Radars in this network were designated “SM.”
The station became operational on 1 October 1956 when the 866th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was moved to the new station by the 28th Air Division. In 1957 the 866th AC&W Squadron activated an AN/MPS-7 radar. In June 1961 the site was moved to another peak. At the new location, the 866th Radar Squadron operated a pair of AN/FPS-6 height-finder andAN/FPS-7C search radars as part of the SAGE system, the squadron being re-designated as the 866th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 July 1961
In 1963 the height-finder radars were converted to AN/FPS-90 sets, and on 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-164.
One AN/FPS-90 was retired in 1969. The Air Force deactivated the 866th Radar Squadron 30 September 1970 as a result of budget restrictions, and the general phase down of air defense radar stations. Today, the former Tonopah AFS is now a commercial transmitter site. A few old Air Force buildings are still in use for other uses.
Air Force units and assignments
Units:
Assignments:
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
- Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
- Information for Tonopah AFS, NV
