Cape Cod Air Force Station
Encyclopedia
Cape Cod Air Force Station is a US Air Force station located in the northwest corner of the Massachusetts Military Reservation
, USA, on Flatrock Hill. It consists of one PAVE PAWS
radar station and is in continuous operation.
The facility became operational April 4, 1980 as Cape Cod Missile Early Warning Station, but was renamed Cape Cod Air Force Station on January 5, 1982.
The facility became home to the 6th Space Warning Squadron
after the closure of the North Truro Air Force Station
in North Truro, Massachusetts.
s as well as Submarine-launched ballistic missile
s. It also tracked USA-193 before it was shot down. Its secondary mission is tracking Earth-orbiting objects such as the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle, any object that deviates from its known orbit, or any new orbiting objects.
Massachusetts Military Reservation
The Massachusetts Military Reservation, is a military reservation created by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States War Department in 1935. Governor James Curley signed the state bill to allocate and purchase land for a military facility, and establishing a formal commission to...
, USA, on Flatrock Hill. It consists of one PAVE PAWS
PAVE PAWS
PAVE PAWS is a United States Air Force Space Command radar system operated by three 21st Space Wing squadrons for missile warning and space surveillance. Operational PAVE PAWS radars are located at:...
radar station and is in continuous operation.
The facility became operational April 4, 1980 as Cape Cod Missile Early Warning Station, but was renamed Cape Cod Air Force Station on January 5, 1982.
The facility became home to the 6th Space Warning Squadron
6th Space Warning Squadron
The 6th Space Warning Squadron is located at Cape Cod Air Force Station, in Sandwich, Massachusetts. It keeps watch for sea-launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles launched toward North America...
after the closure of the North Truro Air Force Station
North Truro Air Force Station
North Truro Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east of North Truro, Massachusetts....
in North Truro, Massachusetts.
Mission
Its main mission is to track Space debris and IntercontinentalIntercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
s as well as Submarine-launched ballistic missile
Submarine-launched ballistic missile
A submarine-launched ballistic missile is a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead that can be launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles each of which carries a warhead and allows a single launched missile to...
s. It also tracked USA-193 before it was shot down. Its secondary mission is tracking Earth-orbiting objects such as the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle, any object that deviates from its known orbit, or any new orbiting objects.
See also
- List of minor active Air Force Bases
- PAVE PAWS#Environmental and health concerns
External links
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/facility/cape-cod.htm
- http://www.peterson.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4702
- Photos of the station's construction