Lompoc Air Force Station
Encyclopedia
Santa Rosa Island Air Force Station (ADC ID: RP-15, NORAD ID: Z-15) is a closed United States Air Force
General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 5.6 miles (9 km) south-southwest of Lompoc, California
. It was closed in 1968 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 G-35. It is also partially used by Air Force Space Command
at Vandenberg AFB as a telemetry receiving station.
This new station was planned to be a Long Range Radar Site with a GATR facility. It was programmed to be a split site with the headquarters of the 669th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron and dormitories located on Oak Mountain, about 18 miles south of Vandenberg AFB. The site was activated on 23 June 1962 during the construction period, and other squadron personnel were assigned during the months prior to its formal establishment. Rain damage and other construction problems slowed construction and final acceptance of the site was made in January 1963, 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.
In the early part of 1963, Lompoc AFS was given the added responsibility of having a limited GCI capability in the DMCC room. In addition, the Operational date was moved ahead 3 months to 1 April 1963. Through great teamwork and long hours of duty by members of Western GEEIA, Western Electric, Burroughs and squadron personnel, equipment was installed, aligned and tested and this squadron proudly met its operational date of 1 April 1963.
Upon its activation, Lompoc AFS joined Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-17 at Norton AFB, California. With the move of the attending 669th AC&W Squadron from Santa Rosa AFS, the squadron was re-designated as the 669th Radar Squadron
(SAGE). Lompoc's radars provided a complete circle of coverage several hundred miles in radius. Lompoc AFS initially hosted an AN/FPS-67 search radar and an AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar.
The Ground Air Transmitting Receiving (GATR) Site (R-22) for communications was located at 34°33′07"N 120°30′08"W, approximately 1 mile South 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.
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. Lompoc AFS was re-designated as NORAD ID Z-15 on 31 July 1963.
A second AN/FPS-6 was added in 1964. The 669th was deactivated in June 1968 due to budget reductions and the draw down of the ADC aircraft radar squadrons. However, the Lompoc GATR site (R-22) has been retained, and is now site # G-35. The site also is used as a telemetry site for the Western Test Range at Vandenberg AFB.
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 5.6 miles (9 km) south-southwest of Lompoc, California
Lompoc, California
Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1888. The population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census....
. It was closed in 1968 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 G-35. It is also partially used by Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
at Vandenberg AFB as a telemetry receiving station.
History
Lompoc Air Force Station was established to replace Santa Rosa Island AFS due to the high cost of operating the offshore station. It was given the designation "RP-15" upon its activation on 1 April 1963. Actual construction of the Lompoc AFS began on 1 November 1961 with an expected completion date of 1 September 1962, and an Operational date of 1 July 1963.This new station was planned to be a Long Range Radar Site with a GATR facility. It was programmed to be a split site with the headquarters of the 669th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron and dormitories located on Oak Mountain, about 18 miles south of Vandenberg AFB. The site was activated on 23 June 1962 during the construction period, and other squadron personnel were assigned during the months prior to its formal establishment. Rain damage and other construction problems slowed construction and final acceptance of the site was made in January 1963, 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.
In the early part of 1963, Lompoc AFS was given the added responsibility of having a limited GCI capability in the DMCC room. In addition, the Operational date was moved ahead 3 months to 1 April 1963. Through great teamwork and long hours of duty by members of Western GEEIA, Western Electric, Burroughs and squadron personnel, equipment was installed, aligned and tested and this squadron proudly met its operational date of 1 April 1963.
Upon its activation, Lompoc AFS joined 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-17 at Norton AFB, California. With the move of the attending 669th AC&W Squadron from Santa Rosa AFS, the squadron was re-designated as the 669th Radar Squadron
669th Radar Squadron
The 669th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 27th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Lompoc Air Force Station, California...
(SAGE). Lompoc's radars provided a complete circle of coverage several hundred miles in radius. Lompoc AFS initially hosted an AN/FPS-67 search radar and an AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar.
The Ground Air Transmitting Receiving (GATR) Site (R-22) for communications was located at 34°33′07"N 120°30′08"W, approximately 1 mile South 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.
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. Lompoc AFS was re-designated as NORAD ID Z-15 on 31 July 1963.
A second AN/FPS-6 was added in 1964. The 669th was deactivated in June 1968 due to budget reductions and the draw down of the ADC aircraft radar squadrons. However, the Lompoc GATR site (R-22) has been retained, and is now site # G-35. The site also is used as a telemetry site for the Western Test Range at Vandenberg AFB.