Ajo Air Force Station
Encyclopedia
Ajo Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force
General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 6.4 miles (10.3 km) northwest of Ajo, Arizona
. It was closed in 1969 by the Air Force, and the radar site 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-29A.
Ajo was one of the most expensive ADC radar stations to be constructed, with costs mounting to approximately $7.4 million for 100 structures located within housing, cantonment, operations, ground-air transmitter-receiver (GATR) areas. This site became active in January 1958 with the 612th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron being assigned to the new station by the 34th Air Division. Initially, 612th AC&W Squadron operated AN/FPS-20A and AN/FPS-6 radars, 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.
The Ground Air Transmitting Receiving (GATR) Site for communications was located at 32°26′31"N 112°56′56"W, approximately 0.8 miles north-northwest 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.
During 1961 Ajo AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-21 at Luke AFB, Arizona. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 612th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 October 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-181.
By 1963 an AN/FPS-7C had assumed search duties, and height-finder radar chores were being performed by AN/FPS-6A and AN/FPS-26 radars. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-181.
In addition to the main facility, Ajo operated an AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler site:
The 612th Radar Squadron was inactivated on December 31, 1969. Housing units were moved to Gila Bend, and the remaining buildings were abandoned.
After the site's deactivation, the buildings and other structures of the former Ajo AFS sat abandoned and deteriorated for decades. Today, all buildings and structures of the original Air Force Station, except for the AN/FPS-26 height-finder radar tower, are now gone. The National Park Service
demolished the station site in 1994 and restored it to its natural state. Even the concrete pads for the buildings have been removed.
A minimal Air Force and FAA presence was kept to operate some instrumentation and radio-signal relay equipment. The radar site has since re-opened as a Joint Surveillance System
(JSS) FAA facility (J-29A) replacing the JSS site at Humboldt Mountain (Phoenix), AZ. It operates an ARSR-4 radar and a communications site for the Barry M. Goldwater USAF Range (formerly known as Luke-Williams Range). The former Air Force radar site also hosts an Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) antenna on top of old AN/FPS-26 radar tower.
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 6.4 miles (10.3 km) northwest of Ajo, Arizona
Ajo, Arizona
Ajo is a census-designated place in Pima County, Arizona, United States. The population was 3,705 at the 2000 census. Ajo is located on State Route 85 just from the Mexican border. It is the closest community to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument....
. It was closed in 1969 by the Air Force, and the radar site 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-29A.
History
Ajo 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.Ajo was one of the most expensive ADC radar stations to be constructed, with costs mounting to approximately $7.4 million for 100 structures located within housing, cantonment, operations, ground-air transmitter-receiver (GATR) areas. This site became active in January 1958 with the 612th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron being assigned to the new station by the 34th Air Division. Initially, 612th AC&W Squadron operated AN/FPS-20A and AN/FPS-6 radars, 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.
The Ground Air Transmitting Receiving (GATR) Site for communications was located at 32°26′31"N 112°56′56"W, approximately 0.8 miles north-northwest 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.
During 1961 Ajo 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-21 at Luke AFB, Arizona. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 612th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 October 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-181.
By 1963 an AN/FPS-7C had assumed search duties, and height-finder radar chores were being performed by AN/FPS-6A and AN/FPS-26 radars. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-181.
In addition to the main facility, Ajo operated an AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler site:
- Covered Wells, AZ (TM-181B): 32°10′53"N 112°20′05"W
The 612th Radar Squadron was inactivated on December 31, 1969. Housing units were moved to Gila Bend, and the remaining buildings were abandoned.
After the site's deactivation, the buildings and other structures of the former Ajo AFS sat abandoned and deteriorated for decades. Today, all buildings and structures of the original Air Force Station, except for the AN/FPS-26 height-finder radar tower, are now gone. The National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
demolished the station site in 1994 and restored it to its natural state. Even the concrete pads for the buildings have been removed.
A minimal Air Force and FAA presence was kept to operate some instrumentation and radio-signal relay equipment. The radar site has since re-opened as a 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) FAA facility (J-29A) replacing the JSS site at Humboldt Mountain (Phoenix), AZ. It operates an ARSR-4 radar and a communications site for the Barry M. Goldwater USAF Range (formerly known as Luke-Williams Range). The former Air Force radar site also hosts an Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) antenna on top of old AN/FPS-26 radar tower.
Air Force units and assignments
Units:- 612th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Assigned on 1 January 1958
-
- Activated by 34th AD, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico on 8 March 1957
- Redesignated 612th Radar Squadron (SAGE), 15 October 1961
- Inactivated on 31 December 1969
Assignments:
- 34th Air Division, 1 January 1958
- Los Angeles Air Defense Sector, 1 January 1960
- Phoenix Air Defense SectorPhoenix Air Defense SectorThe Phoenix Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 28th Air Division, being stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona...
, May 1961 - 27th Air Division, 1 April 1966-31 December 1969