View source for MacDill Air Force Base Radar Site

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'''{{PAGENAME}}''' (1954-1980) - A [[Cold War]] U.S. Air Force Radar Station established in 1954. Located on [[MacDill Air Force Base]] near Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida. Initially assigned a Permanent ID of M-129 and a Sage ID of Z-129. Closed in 1980.
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== History ==
Established by 1 Aug 1954 and became the first mobile radar site to achieve operational status on 6 Dec 1954 as MacDill Air Force Base Radar Site manned by the 660th AC&W Squadron.

Initial equipment included the [[MPS-7]] mobile search radar and by 1958 it included a [[GPS-3]] search radar and a [[MPS-14]] height-finder radar. In 1959, the [[MPS-7]] and the [[GPS-3]] were replaced by a [[FPS-20|FPS-20A]] search radar and a [[FPS-6|FPS-6B]] height-finder radar.

This configuration was one height-finder short of meeting the requirements for transition to the [[SAGE System]] (a SAGE qualified long range search radar and two SAGE qualified height-finders) but a second height-finder was in the plan and the transition began in 1959.

== [[SAGE System]] Transition ==
{{SageTransition}}

== [[SAGE System]] Operation ==
[[File:Gunter Sage Direction Center DC-09.jpg|795px|thumb|center|Former Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09]]
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" align="center"
|+ MacDill SAGE Direction Centers & Sectors
|-
! Assigned
! Direction Center
! Sector
|-
| 1 Nov 1959 - 1 Apr 1966 || [[Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09]] || Montgomery Air Defense Sector
|-
| 1 Apr 1966 - 14 Nov 1969 || [[Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09]] || 32nd Air Division
|-
| 14 Nov 1969 - 19 Nov 1969 || [[Fort Lee SAGE Direction Center DC-04]] || 33rd Air Division
|-
| 19 Nov 1969 - 15 Nov 1980 || [[Fort Lee SAGE Direction Center DC-04]] || 20th Air Division
|}

The site began operation as a SAGE site in 1960 initially feeding the [[Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09]]. On 1 Mar 1961, the squadron designation was changed from the 660th AC&W Squadron to 660th Radar Squadron (SAGE) indicating the new [[SAGE System]] role.

In 1961 the search radar was upgraded to one [[FPS-7|FPS-7B]] and a [[FPS-26|FPS-26A]] height-finder was added.

In 1963 a [[FPS-90]] height-finder replaced the [[FPS-6|FPS-6B]] height-finder.

Around 1966 the MacDill radar site became a joint-use USAF/FAA site with the [[FPS-7|FPS-7B]] upgraded to the [[FPS-7|FPS-7E]] configuration. Also in 1966 the [[FPS-26]] was modified to be an [[FSS-7]] SLBM detection & warning radar, part of the 14th MWS network. 

The [[FST-2]] was probably replaced by February 1973 with a [[FYQ-47]] Common Digitizer. The initial 18-month FYQ-47/49 USAF/FAA replacement program was completed in February of 1973 and the MacDill FYQ-47 would have been in place by then.

On 1 Feb 1974, the 660th Radar Squadron (SAGE) was redesignated 660th Radar Squadron dropping the (SAGE) identifier.

== Closure ==
The MacDill radar site and the 660th Radar Squadron were deactivated on 15 Nov 1980. The [[FSS-7]] SLBM detection & warning radar (the last one in operation) remained in use for about a year, operated by Det 1, 20 MWS. The FSS-7 remained active to provide additional coverage over Cuba. 

The Joint Use USAF/FAA radar function moved to the newly completed [[Fort Lonesome FAA Radar Site]] where coverage was picked up by a newly installed FAA [[ARSR-3]] search radar and a USAF [[FPS-116]] height-finder.

The GATR site remained operational until the 1983 JSS switch-over. The GATR radios were maintained by the 1928th Communications Squadron on the base.

== Gap Fillers ==
MacDill AFS was responsible for the maintenance of two remote unattended gap-filler radar sites. {{GapFillerCommon}} The MacDill AFS gap-filler radars were located at Winter Garden FL and Inverness FL. 
{{MacDillAFSGFS}}

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== Physical Plant ==
The physical plant of the site was divided into the main site, a cantonment area, a housing area, and a radio site. The main site housed the operations buildings, the radar towers, and the backup generators. The cantonment area housed the enlisted barracks, the bachelor officer's quarters, the orderly room, the dining hall, the motor pool, and other support buildings. Apart from the main site was a small 9/27 unit housing area for married personnel. 

A separate radio site housed the radio equipment for directing aircraft intercepts. {{GATRSite|AFS=MacDill}}
-->

{{Clr}}

{| width="800px"
|-
| valign="top" width="60%" |
{| class="wikitable" width="400px"
|+ MacDill AFS Major Equipment List
|-
!Search Radar
!HF Radar
!Data Systems
!Comm

|-
| valign="top" |
* [[MPS-7]]
* [[GPS-3]]
* [[FPS-20|FPS-20A]]
* [[FPS-7|FPS-7B]] 
* [[FPS-7|FPS-7E]] 
* [[FPS-14]] GF
* [[FPS-18]] GF
| valign="top" |
* [[MPS-14]]
* [[FPS-6|FPS-6B]]
* [[FPS-90]]
* [[FPS-26|FPS-26A]]
* [[FSS-7]]
| valign="top" |
* [[FST-2|FST-2/A/B]]
* [[FST-1]] GF
* [[FYQ-47]]
| valign="top" |
* [[GKA-5]]
|}
| valign="top" width="40%" |
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Unit Designations
|-
|
* 660th Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) Squadron (1954-1961)
* 660th Radar Squadron (SAGE) (1961-1974)
* 660th Radar Squadron (1974-1980)
|}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ 660th Assignments
|-
|
* 1 Jan 1951 - Assigned at Selfridge AFB, MI, assigned to 541st AC&W Gp.
* 6 Feb 1952 - Inactivated.
* 18 Jun 1955 - Reactivated and assigned to 55th AD, stationed at Dobbins AFB, GA.
* By 1 Aug 1954 - Moved to MacDill AFB, FL.
* 15 Nov 1958 - Transferred to 32nd AD.
* 1 Nov 1959 - Transferred to Montgomery ADS.  [[Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09]]
* 1 Mar 1961 - Redesignated from AC&W Sq to 660th Radar Sq (SAGE).
* 1 Apr 1966 - Reassigned 32nd AD.  [[Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09]]
* 14 Nov 1969 - Reassigned 33rd AD.  [[Fort Lee SAGE Direction Center DC-04]]
* 19 Nov 1969 - Reassigned to 20th AD.  [[Fort Lee SAGE Direction Center DC-04]]
* 1 Feb 1974 - Redesignated 660th Radar Sq.
* Nov 1979 - Reorganized into TAC (ADTAC)
* 15 Nov 1980 - Deactivated
|}

{{MacDillAFBRSCmdrs}}

== Current Status ==
The remaining structures have been repurposed.
<!--{{MacDillAFBStructures}}-->
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{|
|valign="top"|
'''Location:''' MacDill Air Force Base in Hillsborough County, Florida.

{{Mapit-US-cityscale|27.83439|-82.47184}}
* Elevation: 7'
|valign="top"|
<br>
'''GPS Locations:'''
* {{GPSLinkLong|Lat=27.83547|Lon=-82.51783}} GATR Site
* {{GPSLinkLong|Lat=27.83436|Lon=-82.47146}} Power Bldg
* {{GPSLinkLong|Lat=27.83450|Lon=-82.47217}} SAGE Operations Bldg
* {{GPSLinkLong|Lat=27.83441|Lon=-82.47274}} HQ Bldg
|}

'''See Also:'''
* [[SAGE System]]
* [[Permanent System Radar Sites]]
* [[US Radar Sets]]
* [[Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09]]
* [[Fort Lee SAGE Direction Center DC-04]]
* [[Fort Lonesome FAA Radar Site]]

'''Sources:''' 
* {{Cornett}}, page 157-158.  <!--ADC Organization-->
* {{Winkler}}, page 33, 108.  <!--Searching the skies-->
* {{GNIS2|ID=2512267}} - MacDill Air Force Base

'''Links:''' 
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacDill_Air_Force_Base Wikipedia - MacDill Air Force Base Radar Site]

{{FortID|ID=FL0868|Name={{PAGENAME}}}}

{{Visited|9 Sep 2021}}

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[[Category:USAF Radar Sites]]
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[[Category:FYQ-47]]
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