Keno Air Force Station
Encyclopedia
Keno Air Force Station (ADC ID: TM-180, NORAD ID: Z-180) is a closed United States Air Force
General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 4.6 miles (7.4 km) south-southwest of Keno, Oregon
. It was closed in 1979 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-82.
The 827th Aircraft Warning and Control Squadron was assigned to the new station on 1 February 1958 by the 28th Air Division. Logistical support and housing for personnel was provided by Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, thirteen miles to the east. The squadron initially began operations with an AN/FPS-20A search radar and a pair of AN/FPS-6A height-finder radars (one east hemisphere coverage, and one west). A Ground-Air Transmit/Receive site (GATR) was co-located on the site, with antennas favoring the south toward the air refueling tracks in California.
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 1960 Keno became a joint-use facility with the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA), performing air-traffic-control duties. In 1961 the search radar was upgraded and redesignated as an AN/FPS-67.
During 1962 Keno AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-13 at Adair AFS, Oregon. After joining, the squadron was redesignated as the 827th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 December 1962. 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. In 1963 an AN/FPS-90 replaced the east hemisphere coverage AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar, and the search radar was further upgraded to the AN/FPS-67B version. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-180.
In addition to the main facility, Keno operated several AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler sites:
Routine operations continued until 1 March 1970 when the 827th Radar Squadron was inactivated and replaced by the 827th Air Defense Group, operating the BUIC installation. 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 827th Air Defense Group inactivated on 17 January 1974 and the Radar Squadron replaced it once again until 1 October 1979 when operations reverted to an Operating Location of the 25th Air Division at McChord AFB. At the time of its BUIC III inactivation in 1976, the 827th manned the last operating BUIC III in the western United States.
In 1976 the AN/FPS-90 was removed and sent to the new Joint Surveillance System
(JSS) site at Salem (Laurel Mtn./Dallas Oregon) (J-82), where it became operational in 1980. The remaining height-finder radar, an AN/FPS-116, was retired circa 1988 and the station closed, and property transferred to the FAA.
In the early 1990s, the abandoned station buildings at the former Keno AFS were removed (including the sewage lagoon) and most of the site has been returned to its natural state. Today, only the FAA unattended search radar is functional.
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 4.6 miles (7.4 km) south-southwest of Keno, Oregon
Keno, Oregon
Keno is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States, southwest of Klamath Falls on the Klamath River near Oregon Route 66. As of 2000, the population was 1,059. Keno's elevation is 4,108 feet....
. It was closed in 1979 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 Western Air Defense Sector
Western Air Defense Sector
The Western Air Defense Sector is a United States Air Force unit and a component of the Washington Air National Guard. It is stationed at McChord Field, Washington-Overview:...
(WADS) Ground Equipment Facility J-82.
History
Keno 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 site was located east of the Cascade mountains to provide coverage of the air refueling tracks in Northern California. In 1957, 306 acres of land were acquired for DoD use at the new site.The 827th Aircraft Warning and Control Squadron was assigned to the new station on 1 February 1958 by the 28th Air Division. Logistical support and housing for personnel was provided by Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, thirteen miles to the east. The squadron initially began operations with an AN/FPS-20A search radar and a pair of AN/FPS-6A height-finder radars (one east hemisphere coverage, and one west). A Ground-Air Transmit/Receive site (GATR) was co-located on the site, with antennas favoring the south toward the air refueling tracks in California.
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 1960 Keno 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), performing air-traffic-control duties. In 1961 the search radar was upgraded and redesignated as an AN/FPS-67.
During 1962 Keno AFS 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-13 at Adair AFS, Oregon. After joining, the squadron was redesignated as the 827th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 December 1962. 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. In 1963 an AN/FPS-90 replaced the east hemisphere coverage AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar, and the search radar was further upgraded to the AN/FPS-67B version. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-180.
In addition to the main facility, Keno operated several AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler sites:
- Yreka, CA (TM-180A) 41°44′18"N 122°46′36"W
- La Pine, OR (TM-180B) 43°41′22"N 121°15′16"W
Routine operations continued until 1 March 1970 when the 827th Radar Squadron was inactivated and replaced by the 827th Air Defense Group, operating the BUIC installation. 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 827th Air Defense Group inactivated on 17 January 1974 and the Radar Squadron replaced it once again until 1 October 1979 when operations reverted to an Operating Location of the 25th Air Division at McChord AFB. At the time of its BUIC III inactivation in 1976, the 827th manned the last operating BUIC III in the western United States.
In 1976 the AN/FPS-90 was removed and sent to the new 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) site at Salem (Laurel Mtn./Dallas Oregon) (J-82), where it became operational in 1980. The remaining height-finder radar, an AN/FPS-116, was retired circa 1988 and the station closed, and property transferred to the FAA.
In the early 1990s, the abandoned station buildings at the former Keno AFS were removed (including the sewage lagoon) and most of the site has been returned to its natural state. Today, only the FAA unattended search radar is functional.
Units
- Established as the 827th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
- Activated at Kingsley Field, Oregon on 1 September 1957
- Site redesignated Keno Air Force Station Oregon on 1 February 1958
- Site redesignated back to Kingsley Field on 1 January 1959
- Redesignated 827th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 December 1962
- Inactivated on 1 March 1970
- Redesignated 827th Radar Squadron on 1 January 1974
- Activated on 17 January 1974
- Inactivated on 1 October 1979
- Established as the 827th Air Defense Group
- Activated on 1 March 1970
- Inactivated on 17 January 1974
- Disbanded on 21 September 1984
Assignments
- Squadron
- 28th Air Division, 1 September 1957
- 25th Air Division, 1 March 1959
- Portland Air Defense SectorPortland Air Defense SectorThe Portland Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division, being stationed at Adair Air Force Station, Oregon. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.- History :...
, 1 March 1960 - 26th Air Division, 1 April 1966
- 27th Air Division, 15 September 1969
- 26th Air Division, 19 November 1969
- 25th Air Division, 17 January 1974 - 1 October 1979
- Group
- 25th Air Division, 1 March 1970 - 17 January 1974