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Empire Air Force Station

May 17, 2024

Empire Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) long range radar site located 0.7 miles (1.1 km) south-southeast of Empire, Michigan, in Empire Township. It was closed in 1978 by the Air Force, and turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Empire Air Force Station
Part of Air Defense Command (ADC)
Empire AFS
Location of Empire AFS, Michigan
Coordinates44°48′09″N 086°03′11″W / 44.80250°N 86.05306°W / 44.80250; -86.05306 (Empire AFS P-34)
TypeAir Force Station
CodeADC ID: P-34, NORAD ID: Z-34
Current JSS ID: J-58
Site information
Controlled by United States Air Force
ConditionJSS/NEADS site
Site history
Built1950
In use1950-1978
Garrison information
Garrison752d Radar Squadron
Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

Today the site is part of the Joint Surveillance System (JSS), designated by NORAD as Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) Ground Equipment Facility.

History edit

The radar site was operated by the 752d Aircraft Control and Warning (AC&W) squadron, starting in late 1950. The unit operated and maintained an AN/CPS-6B radar at this site, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. In 1958 this radar was replaced by an AN/FPS-6. A second height-finder radar arrived a year later.

During 1960 Empire AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-14 at K. I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 752d Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 July 1960. In 1963, Empire AFS was switched to the SAGE Data Center DC-06 at Custer AFS, Michigan. The radar squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile.

Also during 1960 Empire site began operating an AN/FPS-7 radar, and one of the AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars was supplanted by an AN/FPS-26A in 1963.

The Empire AFS site ID was changed to Z-34 when all SAGE radar squadron designations received the NORAD "Z" prefix on 31 July 1963.[1]

In 1964 Empire site became an ADC/FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) Joint Surveillance System (JSS) site.

In addition to the main facility, Empire operated two AN/FPS-18 gap-filler sites:

Control of two more gap-fillers was transferred to the 752d from the 781st Radar Squadron (SAGE) at Custer AFS on 27 January 1965 as the 781st was being inactivated.[2]

Of the four gap-filler radars once under the control of Empire AFS, only the Saugatuck annex still stands basically as it did while in operation. In fact, of all of the radars in the SAGE system, gap-filler or long-range, the Saugatuck annex appears to be the last site in public hands that is nearly completely intact with all of the Cold War era electronic equipment still in place in both the building and tower.

Over the years, the equipment at Empire AFS was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars. The 752d Radar Squadron (SAGE) was inactivated in April 1978, and the AN/FPS-26A height-finder was decommissioned in this time frame.

The FAA assumed control of the radar operations area except for the AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar (now modified to the AN/FPS-116 variant). The National Park Service assumed control of the rest of the property, which is now part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Circa 1980 or 1981, the AN/FPS-7 search radar was replaced by an FAA model ARSR-3 search radar. The AN/FPS-116 height-finder radar was removed c. 1988. The ARSR-3 was replaced by an ARSR-4 in the late 1990s.

Many of the veterans of this site still reside in the area and in Traverse City, Michigan, approximately 26 miles (42 km) east of Empire. The museum in Empire has a full history of the air station, including a historical marker and the original rock marker for the Dining Hall on display. Reunions are held annually for the veterans of Empire AFS.

Air Force units and assignments edit

 
Emblem of the 752d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Units edit

  • Constituted as the 752d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron on 14 November 1950
Activated on 27 November 1950
Redesignated as the 752d Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 July 1960
Redesignated as the 752d Radar Squadron on 1 February 1974
Inactivated on 1 April 1978

Assignments edit

See also edit

References edit

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ Winkler, David, et al. (1997). Searching the Skies - The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program. United States Air Force Air Combat Command. p. 93.
  2. ^ Easton, Read (1965). "Historical Record of the 781st Radar Squadron (SAGE), Custer AFS, Battle Creek, Michigan for the period ending 31 March 1965". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Microfilm Reel # K0606: 975.
  • Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980 13 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980).
  • Winkler, David F. & Webster, Julie L., Searching the Skies[dead link], The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, Champaign, IL (1997).
  • Information for Empire AFS, MI

External links edit

  • Photos of Empire AFS, MI
  • Documents relating to Empire AFS, MI
  • Recent Photos of Empire AFS
  • Map of Empire AFS
  • Empire AFB Site History 27 March 2004 at the Wayback Machine

May 17, 2024
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This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this message Empire Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force Aerospace Defense Command ADC long range radar site located 0 7 miles 1 1 km south southeast of Empire Michigan in Empire Township It was closed in 1978 by the Air Force and turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration FAA Empire Air Force StationPart of Air Defense Command ADC Empire AFSLocation of Empire AFS MichiganCoordinates44 48 09 N 086 03 11 W 44 80250 N 86 05306 W 44 80250 86 05306 Empire AFS P 34 TypeAir Force StationCodeADC ID P 34 NORAD ID Z 34Current JSS ID J 58Site informationControlled by United States Air ForceConditionJSS NEADS siteSite historyBuilt1950In use1950 1978Garrison informationGarrison752d Radar Squadron Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates Today the site is part of the Joint Surveillance System JSS designated by NORAD as Northeast Air Defense Sector NEADS Ground Equipment Facility Contents 1 History 2 Air Force units and assignments 2 1 Units 2 2 Assignments 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe radar site was operated by the 752d Aircraft Control and Warning AC amp W squadron starting in late 1950 The unit operated and maintained an AN CPS 6B radar at this site and initially the station functioned as a Ground Control Intercept GCI and warning station As a GCI station the squadron s role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit s radar scopes In 1958 this radar was replaced by an AN FPS 6 A second height finder radar arrived a year later During 1960 Empire AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment SAGE system initially feeding data to DC 14 at K I Sawyer AFB Michigan After joining the squadron was re designated as the 752d Radar Squadron SAGE on 15 July 1960 In 1963 Empire AFS was switched to the SAGE Data Center DC 06 at Custer AFS Michigan The radar squadron provided information 24 7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile Also during 1960 Empire site began operating an AN FPS 7 radar and one of the AN FPS 6 height finder radars was supplanted by an AN FPS 26A in 1963 The Empire AFS site ID was changed to Z 34 when all SAGE radar squadron designations received the NORAD Z prefix on 31 July 1963 1 In 1964 Empire site became an ADC FAA Federal Aviation Administration Joint Surveillance System JSS site In addition to the main facility Empire operated two AN FPS 18 gap filler sites Petoskey MI P 34A Z 34A 45 19 37 N 084 53 03 W 45 32694 N 84 88417 W 45 32694 84 88417 P 34A Alpena MI P 34E Z 34E 45 04 16 N 083 34 03 W 45 07111 N 83 56750 W 45 07111 83 56750 P 34E Control of two more gap fillers was transferred to the 752d from the 781st Radar Squadron SAGE at Custer AFS on 27 January 1965 as the 781st was being inactivated 2 Saugatuck MI P 67C Z 67C Z 34G 42 39 41 N 086 12 33 W 42 66139 N 86 20917 W 42 66139 86 20917 P 67C Z 34G Shelby MI P 67D Z 67D Z 34H 43 36 00 N 086 20 25 W 43 60000 N 86 34028 W 43 60000 86 34028 P 67D Z 34B Of the four gap filler radars once under the control of Empire AFS only the Saugatuck annex still stands basically as it did while in operation In fact of all of the radars in the SAGE system gap filler or long range the Saugatuck annex appears to be the last site in public hands that is nearly completely intact with all of the Cold War era electronic equipment still in place in both the building and tower Over the years the equipment at Empire AFS was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars The 752d Radar Squadron SAGE was inactivated in April 1978 and the AN FPS 26A height finder was decommissioned in this time frame The FAA assumed control of the radar operations area except for the AN FPS 6 height finder radar now modified to the AN FPS 116 variant The National Park Service assumed control of the rest of the property which is now part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Circa 1980 or 1981 the AN FPS 7 search radar was replaced by an FAA model ARSR 3 search radar The AN FPS 116 height finder radar was removed c 1988 The ARSR 3 was replaced by an ARSR 4 in the late 1990s Many of the veterans of this site still reside in the area and in Traverse City Michigan approximately 26 miles 42 km east of Empire The museum in Empire has a full history of the air station including a historical marker and the original rock marker for the Dining Hall on display Reunions are held annually for the veterans of Empire AFS Air Force units and assignments edit nbsp Emblem of the 752d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron Units edit Constituted as the 752d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron on 14 November 1950 Activated on 27 November 1950 Redesignated as the 752d Radar Squadron SAGE on 15 July 1960 Redesignated as the 752d Radar Squadron on 1 February 1974 Inactivated on 1 April 1978 Assignments edit 541st Aircraft Control and Warning Group 27 November 1950 30th Air Division 6 February 1952 4708th Defense Wing 16 February 1953 4706th Air Defense Wing 1 March 1956 37th Air Division 8 July 1956 30th Air Division 1 April 1959 Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector 1 April 1960 Detroit Air Defense Sector 15 July 1963 34th Air Division 1 April 1966 29th Air Division 14 November 1966 23d Air Division 19 November 1969 1 April 1978See also editList of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadronsReferences edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Winkler David et al 1997 Searching the Skies The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program United States Air Force Air Combat Command p 93 Easton Read 1965 Historical Record of the 781st Radar Squadron SAGE Custer AFS Battle Creek Michigan for the period ending 31 March 1965 Air Force Historical Research Agency Microfilm Reel K0606 975 Cornett Lloyd H and Johnson Mildred W A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 1980 Archived 13 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine Office of History Aerospace Defense Center Peterson AFB CO 1980 Winkler David F amp Webster Julie L Searching the Skies dead link The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories Champaign IL 1997 Information for Empire AFS MIExternal links editPhotos of Empire AFS MI Documents relating to Empire AFS MI Recent Photos of Empire AFS Map of Empire AFS Empire AFB Site History Archived 27 March 2004 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Empire Air Force Station amp oldid 1212505452, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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