For the Air Defense Command station in Iceland, see Rockville Air Station (Iceland)

Rockville Air Station (Iceland)

Rockville Air Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west-northwest of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland...

Rockville Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-53, NORAD ID: Z-63) is a closed United States Air Force

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 1.7 miles (2.7 km) west-northwest of Rockville, Indiana

Rockville, Indiana

Rockville is a town in Adams Township, Parke County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,607 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Parke County. It is known as "The Covered Bridge Capital of the World".-Geography:...

. It was closed in 1966.

History

Rockville Air Force Station was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second segment of the Air Defense Command permanent radar network. Prompted by the start of the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

, on July 11, 1950, the Secretary of the Air Force asked the Secretary of Defense for approval to expedite construction of the permanent network. Receiving the Defense Secretary’s approval on July 21, the Air Force directed the Corps of Engineers to proceed with construction.

Opened in 1951, the 782d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was activated on 16 April. It began operating a pair of AN/FPS-10 radars at Rockville in May 1952, 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 mid / late 1950's, an AN/CPS-6B search radar was in use, according to one veteran.

During 1959 Rockville 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-07 at Truax Field, Wisconsin. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 782d Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 November 1959. 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. By 1960 the original radars had been phased out and replaced by two AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars and an AN/FPS-7B search radar. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-53.

In addition to the main facility, Rockville operated an AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler site:

• Neoga, IL (P-53A) 39°20′15"N 088°23′48"W

Rockville AFS was deactivated on 2 June 1966 due to budget reductions. It was sold to the state of Indiana and is now the Rockville Correctional Facility. Many former Air Force buildings are still in use.

Air Force units and assignments

Units:

• 782d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Activated on 16 April 1951

Re-designated 782d Radar Squadron (SAGE), 1 November 1959

Discontinued on 25 June 1966

Assignments:

• 541st Aircraft Control and Warning Group
  541st Aircraft Control and Warning Group
  The 541st Aircraft Control and Warning Group is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 30th Air Division, stationed at Selfridge Air Force Base,Michigan...
  
  , 16 April 1951
• 30th Air Division, 6 February 1952
• 4706th Air Defense Wing
  4706th Air Defense Wing
  The 4706th Air Defense Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, being stationed at Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan...
  
  , 16 February 1953
• 58th Air Division
  58th Air Division
  The 58th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, based at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. It was inactivated on 1 February 1959.- B-29 development :...
  
  , 1 March 1956
• 37th Air Division, 1 September 1958
• 30th Air Division, 1 April 1959
• Chicago Air Defense Sector
  Chicago Air Defense Sector
  The Chicago Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 30th Air Division, being stationed at Truax Field, Wisconsin...
  
  , 1 June 1959
• 20th Air Division, 1 April-25 June 1966