FPS-27 Long Range Search Radar Set - A Long Range frequency diversity search radar set built by Westinghouse. Designed to replace existing SAGE System radars that were more susceptible to enemy electronic countermeasures. The FPS-27 was designed to operate in the S-band at 2322 to 2670 MHz to detect enemy aircraft at a maximum range of 220 nautical miles and a maximum altitude of 150,000 feet. Thirty-one radar sites received FPS-27s, one prototype site, ten Canadian sites and twenty sites in the U.S.
The prototype site at Crystal Springs Air Force Station identified several problems that were fixed in subsequent installations. The Crystal Springs Air Force Station installation was also the only one on an open frame tower, all the others were housed in a four-story closed tower with a radome. Two additional sites had the towers built but were closed before the equipment was installed.
Installation generally took about six months followed by an eight to ten month training period with a team of Westinghouse engineers. The installed facility cost approximately 5 million dollars.
Of the ten Canadian sites, several remained operational into the 1980s and were modified with solid state components to improve reliability and lower maintenance costs.
Winkler, David F., Searching the Skies: the Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, USAF Hq Air Combat Command, 1997, 192 pages, Pdf, page 79.
MIL-HDBK-162A, 15 Dec 1965.
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Bad Links /museum/parseequip.php?html=fps-27.html&type=equip_html FPS-27 Radar Equipment]
