SAN PEDRO HILL RADAR - SAGE
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670th Radar Squadron

 

 

 

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670th Radar Squadron
1961-1974 Feb 1: 670th Radar Squadron (SAGE)
1950-1961 Apr 1:[1] 670th AC&W Squadron
 

Emblem of the 670th Radar Squadron

Active 1950 May 5-1976 April 1[1]
Country United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Type General Radar Surveillance

Emblem of the 670th Radar Squadron

 

 

The 670th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 26th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, operating San Pedro Hill Air Force Station radars while posted at Fort MacArthur, California. It was inactivated on 1 April 1976.

The unit was a General Surveillance Radar squadron providing for the air defense of the United States.

Lineage[edit]

Assignments

Stations

References[edit]

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c compiled by Johnson, Mildred W. (31 December 1980) [February 1973: Cornett, Lloyd H. Jr]. A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980. Peterson Air Force Base: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 33. Retrieved 2012-03-26. 670th Radar Sq (SAGE):…redesignated to 670th Radar Sq (SAGE) (from AC&W Sq) 1 Apr 61; moved to Ft. MacArthur AI, CA in Apr 61
  • Mueller, Robert, Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982, [1] Office of Air Force History, Washington DC (1989) ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
  • Winkler, David F. & Webster, Julie L., Searching the Skies, The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, [2] US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, Champaign, IL (1997).

 

 

 

 

 

San Pedro Hill Air Force Station by John Stanton

From FortWiki http://www.fortwiki.com/File:San_Pedro_Hill_AFS_-_05.jpg
 

San Pedro Hill Air Force Station (1961-1976) - A Cold War Air Force Radar Station first established in 1961 near San Pedro, Los Angeles County, California. Named San Pedro Hill Air Force Station after the location. Initially assigned a Permanent ID of RP-39, later a Sage ID of Z-39 and a JSS ID of J-31. Became an FAA site in 1976 with USAF Height finders manned by a USAF detachment.

 

San Pedro Hill Radar Site, FPS-26 Tower on the Left, ARSR-1E Tower on the Right, Photo by John Stanton

 

History of San Pedro Hill Air Force Station

File:San Pedro Hill AFS - 12.jpg

Photo by John Stanton

San Pedro Hill Radar Site FPS-26 Tower

 

 

File:San Pedro Hill AFS.jpg
San Pedro Hill Radar  Site 

Photo by John Stanton

Overview 2008

Established in 1960 as a joint use (FAA/USAF/Army) site and became operational in 1961 as San Pedro Hill Air Force Station manned by the 670th AC&W Squadron. Initial equipment included an FAA ARSR-1C search radar, a USAF FPS-6 height finder and a USAF FPS-26 height finder.

The 670th AC&W Squadron moved from San Clemente Island to new facilities on San Pedro Hill to begin SAGE operations. The SAGE system used the FST-2 coordinate data transmitter to digitized the radar returns and transmitted them to the SAGE direction center. Under the SAGE system interceptor aircraft were directed to their targets by the direction center computers and controllers, greatly reducing the need for local controllers and equipment at every radar station.

The FST-2 was a very large digital system using vacuum tube technology. Over 6900 vacuum tubes were used in each FST-2 requiring 21 air conditioned cabinets, 40 tons of airconditioning, 43.5 kva of prime power and usually a large new addition to the operations building. The FST-2B modification added two more cabinets but with newer solid state (transistor) technology to process coded responses from aircraft transponders. The T-2 was replaced in the 1970s by the FYQ-47/Common digitizer.

The site began operation as a SAGE site in 1961 initially feeding the Norton SAGE Direction Center DC-17. With the closure of DC-17 on 25 Jun 1966 control was transferred to Luke SAGE Direction Center DC-21 at Phoenix, Arizona.

San Pedro Hill AFS and the 670th were deactivated 1 Apr 1976 and the site was turned over to the FAA. The height finder radars were then operated by a USAF detachment headquartered at Luke AFB, AZ. Became joint use site JSS J-31. Replaced by site J-31A (Navy ARSR-4) on San Clement Island in the JSS system. Now data tied into the JSS system.

 

 

 


San Pedro Hill AFS Major Equipment List
Search Radar HF Radar Data Systems
  • ARSR-1C
  • ARSR-1E
  • FPS-27
  • FPS-6A
  • FPS-90
  • FPS-26
  • FPS-116
  • FST-2/A/B
  • FYQ-47/Common Digitizer
Unit Designations
  • 670th Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) Sqdn (1951-1961)
  • 670th Radar Squadron (SAGE) (1961-1974)
  • 670th Radar Squadron (1974-1976)
670th Assignments
  • 1 Jan 1951 Assigned as 670th AC&W Squadron to Camp Cooke, CA
  • 1 Jan 1951 - 6 Feb 1952 Assigned to 544th AC&W Group
  • 1 Feb 1952 Moved to San Clemente Island, CA
  • 6 Feb 1952 - 1 Oct 1959 Assigned to 27th AD
  • 1 Oct 1959 - 1 Apr 1966 Assigned to Los Angeles ADS
  • Apr 1961 Moved to Fort MacArthur AI (San Pedro Hill AFS)
  • 1 Apr 1961 Redesignated 670th Radar Squadron (SAGE)
  • 1 Apr 1966 - 19 Nov 1969 Assigned to 27th AD
  • 19 Nov 1969 - 1 Apr 1976 Assigned to 26th AD
  • 1 Feb 1974 Redesignated 670th Radar Squadron
  • 1 Apr 1976 Deactivated

Current Status

See Also:

Sources:

  • Cornett, Lloyd H. & Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization (1946-1980), Office of History ADC, Peterson AFB, Colorado, 31 Dec 1980, 179 pages, page 159
  • Winkler, David F., Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program, USAF Hq Air Combat Command, 1997, 192 pages, page 103

Links:

Visited: Area 5 Oct 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

670th Radar Squadron San Pedro Hill, CA  from www.radomes.org 


Looking North


Looking East


Looking South


Looking West



Site Looking West


Site Looking South


Looking South


Ops Looking West


ARSR-1 Looking North


ARSR-1 Looking North


ARSR-1 Looking East


ARSR-1 Looking West


FPS-26


FPS-26 Looking North


FPS-26 Looking East


FPS-26 Looking West



A view of the site entrance off Crest Road on San Pedro Hill.



Source: http://boondogsworld.phanfare.com/2261723_4723951#imageID=171519201


The concrete pad for the long-gone AN/FPS-27 search radar tower can be seen.
Source: http://boondogsworld.phanfare.com/2261723_4723951#imageID=171519201


Source: http://boondogsworld.phanfare.com/2261723_4723951#imageID=171519201



source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spacemanbob/2275551422/
© Copyright - All Rights Reserved - Displayed here for historical / non-commercial purposes only.


2004 photos contributed by Tim Tyler

Photos taken from approx. 2 miles away


2004 photos from the "California Coastline" web site

 


From the "California Coastline" web site


Photos taken July 1998





AN/FPS-116 1988

 

 
 

 

 

San Pedro JSS site California.jpg

Ground Equipment Facility J-31

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about a former SAGE radar station that followed several other Los Angeles Cold War stations. For the 1950-2[1] Lashup L-43 radar station, see Fort MacArthur. For the 1952-61 RBS radar station, see Los Angeles Bomb Plot. For the 1955-74 Nike radar networks (e.g., Ft MacArthur's LA-43 RCDC), see Los Angeles Defense Area.
San Pedro Hill Air Force Station
Part of
1961-1968: Airdefensecommand-logo.jpgAir Defense Command
1968-1979: USAF - Aerospace Defense Command.pngAerospace Defense Command
San Pedro Hill, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
(highest elevation of the Palos Verdes Hills)[2]
San Pedro JSS site California.jpg
San Pedro Hill AFS in 1988.
Coordinates 33°44′46″N 118°20′10″W / 33.74611°N 118.33611°W / 33.74611; -118.33611 (San Pedro Hill AFS)[2]Coordinates: 33°44′46″N 118°20′10″W / 33.74611°N 118.33611°W / 33.74611; -118.33611 (San Pedro Hill AFS)[2]
1.2 miles (1.9 km) southeast of Rolling Hills[2]
Type USAF General Surveillance Radar Station
Code RP-39: 1950 ADC permanent network[1]
Z-39: 1963 July 31 NORAD network
J-31: 1983 Joint Surveillance System
Site information
Controlled by 1960-79: USAF 670th Radar Squadron
1979-97: Federal Aviation Administration
Condition radar site of Los Angeles ARTCC
Site history
In use 1960-1979

Ground Equipment Facility J-31 (San Pedro Hill Air Force Station during the Cold War) is a Joint Surveillance System radar site of the Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) and the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control radar network [1] for the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center. The facility's Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 1E with an ATCBI-6 beacon interrogator system are operated by the FAA[3] and provide sector data to North American Aerospace Defense Command. The site provided Semi-Automatic Ground Environment data to the 1959-66 Norton AFB Direction Center for the USAF Los Angeles Air Defense Sector. The site also provided Project Nike data to the 1960-74 Fort MacArthur Direction Center ~3 mi (4.8 km) away for the smaller US Army Los Angeles Defense Area[4]—as well as gap-filler[specify] radar coverage for the 1963-74 Integrated Fire Control area of Malibu Nike battery LA-78 on San Vicente Mountain.[5]

History[edit]

The "ADC/FAA joint-use facility" began operations in 1961 with an FAA ARSR-1C radar.[1] After the April 1, 1961, move of the 670th Radar Squadron (SAGE)--formerly the 670th AC&W Squadron—from San Clemente Island Air Force Station, the Los Angeles Air Defense Sector was activated June 1.[6] The squadron was assigned to the "Fort MacArthur AI"[6] (Army Installation) and operated the San Pedro Hill radars which included a General Electric AN/FPS-6B Radar and an Avco AN/FPS-26 Radar for height finding. In 1964, the station's Westinghouse AN/FPS-27 Radar was installed (removed 1969) and the AN/FPS-6B was modified to an AN/FPS-90.[citation needed] In April 1976 the squadron was redesignated Detachment 1 of Luke AFB's 26th Air Defense Squadron[6] (the AN/FPS-26A was removed in this time frame).[citation needed]

The radar station with 18 military & 5 civilians was planned for transfer after the 1978 Base Realignment and Closure Commission.[7] After the station transferred to the FAA when Aerospace Defense Command was inactivated, the Air Force continued to operate the AN/FPS-90 height-finder by then modified to an AN/FPS-116 (removed c. 1988).[8] In the late 1990s, the Air Force terminated the data-tie at San Pedro Hill and established a data-tie with the new Navy-installed ARSR-4 radar at San Clemente Island's Mount Thirst. The Raytheon ARSR-1E Radar at San Pedro Hill was in use by November 2010.[3]

External images
1970s w/ 2 radomes & empty pedestal
San Pedro AN/FPS-116
2005 FAA image w/ 2 radomes

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Winkler, David F; Webster, Julie L (June 1997). Searching the Skies: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program (Report). U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c San Pedro Hill Air Force Radar Station (Map). wikimapia. Coordinates: 33°44'46"N 118°20'10"W
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Pace, Joe (November 2010). "The President Paces Himself" (K6PV newsletter). Palos Verdes Amateur Radio Club. p. 2. Retrieved 2012-05-08. an Air Route Surveillance Radar Type 1E…by Raytheon…in continuous service by the FAA since it’s installation in 1959. [sic] I…visit[ed] with one of the FAA engineers that has taken care of its operation for more than 30 years… This is a primary radar facility for high-altitude (en-route) air traffic control, with a range of 200 miles. Coupled…is the beacon interrogator system (ATCBI-6)… The San Pedro Hill facility is one of 22 in the FAA system using ARSR-1E
  4. Jump up ^ Kenyon, Ed (March 17, 1963). "It's a Different World Inside Radar Facility" (NewspaperArchive.com image). Independent Press Telegraph. p. 15. The Army's missile master control center at Fort MacArthur uses the data for its Nike missile defense network.
  5. Jump up ^ Berhow, Mark A; Gustafson, David (2011-electronic edition) [1st published 2002]. Fort MacArthur (Report). Fort MacArthur Military Press. p. 55. Retrieved 2012-05-25. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c compiled by Johnson, Mildred W. (31 December 1980) [February 1973: Cornett, Lloyd H. Jr]. A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980. Peterson Air Force Base: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 33 ("1961…1 April - Los Angeles ADS became operational."). Retrieved 2012-03-26. 669th Radar Sq (SAGE): assigned 1 Jan 51 at Ft. MacArthur, CA,…moved to Santa Rosa Island, CA 11 Feb 52;…moved to Lompoc AFS, CA 1 Apr 64 … 670th Radar Sq (SAGE):…redesignated to 670th Radar Sq (SAGE) (from AC&W Sq) 1 Apr 61; moved to Ft. MacArthur AI, CA in Apr 61
  7. Jump up ^ "Western bases" (Google News Archive). Lodi News-Sentinel. April 27, 1978. Retrieved 2012-03-26. Mt. Laguna -- Air Force station transferred to FAA affecting 133 military and 30 civilian.
  8. Jump up ^ [specify] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

 

 

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