Mica Peak Air Force Station
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2012) ) |
Mica Peak Air Force Station Air Defense Command (ADC) | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 47°34′26″N 117°04′52″W / 47.57389°N 117.08111°W |
Type | Air Force Station |
Site information | |
Controlled by | United States Air Force |
Site history | |
Built | 1956 |
In use | 1956-1979 |
Garrison information | |
Garrison | 823d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron |
Mica Peak Air Force Station (ADC ID: SM-151, NORAD ID: Z-141) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located atop Mica Peak, 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east-northeast of Mica, Washington. It was closed in 1975 by the Air Force, and turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Today the site is part of the Joint Surveillance System (JSS), designated by NORAD as Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) Ground Equipment Facility J-79.
History
Mica Peak Air Force Station was initially part of Phase II of the
The station became operational on 1 July 1956 when the 823d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was assigned to the new station on 1 July 1956. The squadron started operating
During 1960 Mica Peak AFS joined the
In 1962 the search radar was upgraded and redesignated as an
In addition to the main facility, Mica Peak operated several
- Porthill, ID (SM-151C) 48°59′36″N 116°28′51″W / 48.99333°N 116.48083°W
- Moyie Springs, ID (SM-151D) 48°45′48″N 116°12′34″W / 48.76333°N 116.20944°W
- Yaak AFS, MT (SM-151E) 48°51′44″N 115°43′18″W / 48.86222°N 115.72167°W
Over the years, the equipment at the station was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars. In 1967 the search radar was upgraded to an
The FAA assumed control of the station on 1 October 1979, however the Air Force maintained the height-finder radar until 1988 when that radar was retired. Through the mid-1990s, the FAA continued to operate the AN/FPS-67B set at this site. That radar was then replaced by an
Air Force units and assignments
Units
- Constituted as the 823d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron on 30 December 1954
- Activated at Geiger Field, Washington on 8 April 1955
- Moved to Mica Peak AFS on 1 July 1956
- Redesignated as 823d Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 September 1960
- Inactivated on 1 June 1975
Assignments
- 9th Air Division, 1 July 1956
- 25th Air Division, 15 August 1958
- 4700th Air Defense Wing, 1 September 1958
- Spokane Air Defense Sector, 15 March 1960
- Seattle Air Defense Sector, 1 June 1963
- 25th Air Division, 1 April 1966 – 1 June 1975
See also
- List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980).
- Winkler, David F. & Webster, Julie L., Searching the Skies, The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, Champaign, IL (1997).
- Information for Mica Peak AFS, WA