Dauphin Island Air Force Station
Encyclopedia
Dauphin Island Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force
General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 1.9 miles (3.1 km) east of Dauphin Island, Alabama
. It was closed in 1980.
Beginning in September 1982, the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) acquired part of the facility. Today the site is part of the Joint Surveillance System
(JSS), designated by NORAD as Eastern Air Defense Sector
(EADS) Ground Equipment Facility J-12 with an ARSR-2 radar.
The 693d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was assigned to the station on 1 September 1958. The site had an AN/FPS-20 search radar and two AN/FPS-6A height-finder radars, and initially the station functioned as an aircraft control and warning station.
The Ground Air Transmitting Receiving (GATR) Site for communications was located at 30°14′47"N 088°04′56"W, approximately 0.4 mile southeast from the main site. Normally the GATR site was connected by a pair of buried telephone cables, with a backup connection of dual telephone cables overhead. The Coordinate Data Transmitting Set (CDTS) (AN/FST-2) at the main site converted each radar return into a digital word which was transmitted by the GATR via microwave to the Control center.
Dauphin Island AFS began operating an AN/FPS-7 radar in 1960, and joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-09 at Gunter AFB, Alabama. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 693d Radar Squadron
(SAGE) on 1 March 1961. 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. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-196.
In 1961 Dauphin Island AFS became a joint-use facility with the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA). However, it was removed from joint-use status in 1962 and then put back in joint-use status in 1963. A second radar squadron, the 635th Radar Squadron
, arrived from Fort Lawton
, Washington on 1 January 1963. This unit operated an AN/FPS-93 and an AN/FPS-6 radar. In 1965, the site was again removed from joint-use status.
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. The Air Force deactivated the 693d on 30 September 1970. In 1972, Dauphin Island became part of the Southern Air Defense Systems (SADS). It was given a new NORAD designation, Z-249. The 635th was deactivated on July 1, 1974.
The radar site became Operating Location G, 630th Radar Squadron
, which inactivated on 31 December 1977. It then became Operating Location E, 678th Air Defense Group
. The site closed for good on 30 September 1980.
Today the station is the Dauphin Island Sea Lab
, Alabama's primary marine education and research center. Part of the station also is used by the United States Coast Guard
as a recreational facility. Most of the USAF buildings have found new uses, and several radar towers have been re-purposed.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 1.9 miles (3.1 km) east of Dauphin Island, Alabama
Dauphin Island, Alabama
Dauphin Island is a town in Mobile County, Alabama , on a barrier island also named Dauphin Island , at the Gulf of Mexico. The population was 1,371 at the 2000 census. The town is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area...
. It was closed in 1980.
Beginning in September 1982, the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA) acquired part of the facility. Today the site is part of the Joint Surveillance System
Joint Surveillance System
The Joint Surveillance System is a joint United States Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration system for the atmospheric air defense of North America...
(JSS), designated by NORAD as Eastern Air Defense Sector
Eastern Air Defense Sector
The Eastern Air Defense Sector is a United States Air Force unit and a component of the New York Air National Guard. It is stationed at the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York.-Overview:...
(EADS) Ground Equipment Facility J-12 with an ARSR-2 radar.
History
Dauphin Island Air Force Station came into existence as part of Phase III of the Air Defense Command Mobile Radar program. On October 20, 1953 ADC requested a third phase of twenty-five radar sites be constructed.The 693d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was assigned to the station on 1 September 1958. The site had an AN/FPS-20 search radar and two AN/FPS-6A height-finder radars, and initially the station functioned as an aircraft control and warning station.
The Ground Air Transmitting Receiving (GATR) Site for communications was located at 30°14′47"N 088°04′56"W, approximately 0.4 mile southeast from the main site. Normally the GATR site was connected by a pair of buried telephone cables, with a backup connection of dual telephone cables overhead. The Coordinate Data Transmitting Set (CDTS) (AN/FST-2) at the main site converted each radar return into a digital word which was transmitted by the GATR via microwave to the Control center.
Dauphin Island AFS began operating an AN/FPS-7 radar in 1960, and joined 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...
(SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-09 at Gunter AFB, Alabama. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 693d Radar Squadron
693d Radar Squadron
The 693d Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Dauphin Island Air Force Station, Alabama...
(SAGE) on 1 March 1961. 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. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-196.
In 1961 Dauphin Island AFS became a joint-use facility with the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA). However, it was removed from joint-use status in 1962 and then put back in joint-use status in 1963. A second radar squadron, the 635th Radar Squadron
635th Radar Squadron
The 635th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Dauphin Island Air Force Station, Alabama. It was inactivated on 1 July 1974...
, arrived from Fort Lawton
Fort Lawton
Fort Lawton is a United States Army fort located in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The fort was included in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list.-History:...
, Washington on 1 January 1963. This unit operated an AN/FPS-93 and an AN/FPS-6 radar. In 1965, the site was again removed from joint-use status.
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. The Air Force deactivated the 693d on 30 September 1970. In 1972, Dauphin Island became part of the Southern Air Defense Systems (SADS). It was given a new NORAD designation, Z-249. The 635th was deactivated on July 1, 1974.
The radar site became Operating Location G, 630th Radar Squadron
630th Radar Squadron
The 630th Radar Squadron is a previous designation of a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Air Combat Command, and was last stationed at Howard AFB, Panama...
, which inactivated on 31 December 1977. It then became Operating Location E, 678th Air Defense Group
678th Air Defense Group
The 678th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 20th Air Division, being stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 Mar 1983.-History:...
. The site closed for good on 30 September 1980.
Today the station is the Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
The Dauphin Island Sea Lab is Alabama's primary marine education and research center. DISL is the home site of the Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium and was founded by an act of the Alabama State Legislature in 1971. It also has a public aquarium specializing in estuarine organisms, the...
, Alabama's primary marine education and research center. Part of the station also is used by the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
as a recreational facility. Most of the USAF buildings have found new uses, and several radar towers have been re-purposed.