Gibbsboro Air Force Station
Encyclopedia
Gibbsboro Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force
General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 1.1 miles (1.8 km) south-southeast of Gibbsboro, New Jersey
. It was closed in 1994 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 Eastern Air Defense Sector
(EADS) Ground Equipment Facility.
, New Jersey, configured with an AN/FPS-14 radar. It was the first Gap Filler site in the nation. In 1960, the United States Army
established Army Air-Defense Command Post (AADCP) PH-64DC for Nike missile command-and-control functions. The site was an AN/FSG-l Missile-Master Radar Direction Center.
In a fund-saving consolidation, the Air Force moved the 772d Radar Squadron (SAGE) from Claysburg Air Force Station
, Pennsylvania, to this Army long-range radar site, and deactivated the P-9A gap-filler radar. The Army site was transferred to the Air Force, and re designated as Gibbsboro Air Force Station. The site was re-designated as RP-53 and began Air Force long-range radar operations on 1 May 1961 with AN/FPS-66 and AN/FPS-6 radars. The center initially fed data to the SAGE (DC-01) center at McGuire AFB. 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-63. In addition, an AN/FPS-27 radar was installed in 1963, and the AN/FPS-66 was retired in 1964. In 1963 the site also used AN/FPS-6A and AN/FPS-26A height-finder radars. The site became an ADC/FAA joint-use facility around 1966.
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 772nd Radar Squadron continued operating the AN/FPS-27 and AN/FPS-26A radars until 1983. The squadron was deactivated in 1984. However, an AN/FPS-117
became operational in 1986 under contractor support. This radar served as a prototype for units installed in Alaska. After shutdown in 1992, this radar was moved to Murphy Dome, Alaska.
Radar coverage for the Philadelphia area was assumed by the FAA’s site at Trevose, PA. Then, a portion of the Gibbsboro site was transferred to the FAA in 1995 for installation of an ARSR-4 set, and the Trevose site was shut down. Today what was Gibsboro AFS has largely been obliterated. The FAA Joint Surveillance System
(JSS) radar radome and a few old Air Force buildings is about all that remains. Among those buildings, the old Gap Filler support building from 1957 still stands.
Assignments:
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 1.1 miles (1.8 km) south-southeast of Gibbsboro, New Jersey
Gibbsboro, New Jersey
Gibbsboro is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 2,274.Gibbsboro was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1924, from portions of Voorhees Township, based on the results of a...
. It was closed in 1994 by the Air Force, and turned over to 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).
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.
History
What would eventually become Gibbsboro AFS was established in March 1957 as an unmanned "Gap Filler" site, designated P-9A for Highlands Air Force StationHighlands Air Force Station
Highlands Air Force Station was a Navesink Highlands military installation in Middletown Township near the borough of Highlands, New Jersey. The station provided ground-controlled interception radar coverage as part of the Lashup Radar Network and the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment network, as...
, New Jersey, configured with an AN/FPS-14 radar. It was the first Gap Filler site in the nation. In 1960, the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
established Army Air-Defense Command Post (AADCP) PH-64DC for Nike missile command-and-control functions. The site was an AN/FSG-l Missile-Master Radar Direction Center.
In a fund-saving consolidation, the Air Force moved the 772d Radar Squadron (SAGE) from Claysburg Air Force Station
Claysburg Air Force Station
Claysburg Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west of Claysburg, Pennsylvania. It was closed in 1961 due to budget constraints...
, Pennsylvania, to this Army long-range radar site, and deactivated the P-9A gap-filler radar. The Army site was transferred to the Air Force, and re designated as Gibbsboro Air Force Station. The site was re-designated as RP-53 and began Air Force long-range radar operations on 1 May 1961 with AN/FPS-66 and AN/FPS-6 radars. The center initially fed data to the SAGE (DC-01) center at McGuire AFB. 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-63. In addition, an AN/FPS-27 radar was installed in 1963, and the AN/FPS-66 was retired in 1964. In 1963 the site also used AN/FPS-6A and AN/FPS-26A height-finder radars. The site became an ADC/FAA joint-use facility around 1966.
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 772nd Radar Squadron continued operating the AN/FPS-27 and AN/FPS-26A radars until 1983. The squadron was deactivated in 1984. However, an AN/FPS-117
AN/FPS-117
The AN/FPS-117 is a phased array, 3-dimensional air search radar. It is produced by the Lockheed Martin corporation from the United States.The system is a low power, long range , L-band pencil beam, solid-state transmitter and beacon interrogator search radar...
became operational in 1986 under contractor support. This radar served as a prototype for units installed in Alaska. After shutdown in 1992, this radar was moved to Murphy Dome, Alaska.
Radar coverage for the Philadelphia area was assumed by the FAA’s site at Trevose, PA. Then, a portion of the Gibbsboro site was transferred to the FAA in 1995 for installation of an ARSR-4 set, and the Trevose site was shut down. Today what was Gibsboro AFS has largely been obliterated. The FAA 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) radar radome and a few old Air Force buildings is about all that remains. Among those buildings, the old Gap Filler support building from 1957 still stands.
Air Force units and assignments
Units:- 772d Radar Squadron (SAGE), reassigned from Claysburg Air Force StationClaysburg Air Force StationClaysburg Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west of Claysburg, Pennsylvania. It was closed in 1961 due to budget constraints...
, PA, 1 May 1961
- Redesignated: 772d Radar Squadron, 1 February 1974
- Inactivated: 30 September 1994
Assignments:
- New York Air Defense Sector, 1 May 1961
- 21st Air Division, 1 April 1966
- 35th Air Division, 1 December 1967
- 21st Air Division, 19 November 1969
- 21st ADCOM Region, 8 December 1978
- Re-designated: 21st NORAD Region, 1 October 1979
- Eastern Air Defense SectorEastern Air Defense SectorThe 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:...
, 1 June 1992-30 September 1994
- Eastern Air Defense Sector
See also
- List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
- List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadrons
- Philadelphia Defense Area, PA-NJ (Nike missile)
External links
- http://www.gibbsboro.com/afbase.html
- http://www.radomes.org/museum/showsite.php?site=Gibbsboro,+NJ
- A photo of the site