GPA-37: Difference between revisions
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'''{{PAGENAME}} Course Directing Group''' - A Weapons Directing Analog Computer system built by General Electric Corporation, Heavy Military Electronic Equipment Department at Syracuse in conjunction with Air Research and Development Command Rome Air Development Center and the Electronics Research Laboratories of Columbia University. The first GPA-37 Radar Course Directing Equipment was installed at the Verona Test Site on 13 Dec 1955. The first operational data link test flight took place on an F-86D fighter interceptor aircraft on 28 Dec 1955. | '''{{PAGENAME}} Course Directing Group''' - A Weapons Directing Analog Computer system built by General Electric Corporation, Heavy Military Electronic Equipment Department at Syracuse in conjunction with Air Research and Development Command Rome Air Development Center and the Electronics Research Laboratories of Columbia University. The first GPA-37 Radar Course Directing Equipment was installed at the Verona Test Site on 13 Dec 1955. The first operational data link test flight took place on an F-86D fighter interceptor aircraft on 28 Dec 1955. | ||
[[File:GPA-23 Console.png|thumb|left|350px|GPA-23 Course Directing Console of the GPA-37.]] | |||
GPA-37s were established at ten Air Force long-range radar sites in the late 1950s to automate the manual Ground Control Intercept (GCI) mission against Soviet Manned Bomber attacks with the U.S. Army NIKE Missile Master System. Additional systems were established at Keesler Air Force Base for maintenance training and at Tyndall Air Force Base for Weapons Controller Training. An additional sixteen sites were identified to provide a backup to SAGE direction centers. | GPA-37s were established at ten Air Force long-range radar sites in the late 1950s to automate the manual Ground Control Intercept (GCI) mission against Soviet Manned Bomber attacks with the U.S. Army NIKE Missile Master System. Additional systems were established at Keesler Air Force Base for maintenance training and at Tyndall Air Force Base for Weapons Controller Training. An additional sixteen sites were identified to provide a backup to SAGE direction centers. | ||
{{Clr}} | |||
The GPA-37 had three major component groups: | The GPA-37 had three major component groups: | ||
{| class="wikitable" width="800px" | {| class="wikitable" width="800px" | ||
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! Function | ! Function | ||
|- | |- | ||
| GPA-23 || Computing-Tracking Group || The main component of this group is the GPA-23 Weapons Control Console which allows a single controller to manage six intercepts on a single console. | | GPA-23 || Computing-Tracking Group || The main component of this group is the GPA-23 Weapons Control Console and associated equipment cabinet which allows a single controller to manage six intercepts on a single console. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| GPA-34 || Converter Group || Controls the interface between the GPA-23 and the GKA-1. | | GPA-34 || Converter Group || Controls the interface between the GPA-23 and the GKA-1. | ||
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|} | |} | ||
With all three major groups the weapons controller could direct the interceptor aircraft directly to the target with computer commands (Automatic Intercept) or voice commands (Manual Intercept). | With all three major groups, the weapons controller could direct the interceptor aircraft directly to the target with computer commands (Automatic Intercept) or voice commands (Manual Intercept). | ||
== Post SAGE Implementation == | == Post SAGE Implementation == | ||
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:"When work on a plan for emergency backup to SAGE was begun in mid-1960, NORAD asked USAF ADC to put a freeze order on the scheduled release of GPA-37's to the ground stations. This manual control equipment would be needed in the expanded Mode III operation: | :"When work on a plan for emergency backup to SAGE was begun in mid-1960, NORAD asked USAF ADC to put a freeze order on the scheduled release of GPA-37's to the ground stations. This manual control equipment would be needed in the expanded Mode III operation: | ||
:Following the November 1960 meeting of NORAD region and headquarters officers on the backup plan, NORAD trimmed its requirement to 16 stations, thus enabling GEEIA to begin removal of GPA-37's where they were not needed. At the same time, NORAD asked that GPA-37's be re-installed in two stations. Additional guidance was provided the regions in early 1961 on the retaining of plotting boards, air ground transceivers, and other manual equipment. | :Following the November 1960 meeting of NORAD region and headquarters officers on the backup plan, NORAD trimmed its requirement to 16 stations, thus enabling GEEIA to begin removal of GPA-37's where they were not needed. At the same time, NORAD asked that GPA-37's be re-installed in two stations. Additional guidance was provided the regions in early 1961 on the retaining of plotting boards, air-ground transceivers, and other manual equipment. | ||
:In May 1961, USAF ADC recommended that the GPA-37 program be reduced to GPA-23's. NORAD's initial reaction was to disagree | :In May 1961, USAF ADC recommended that the GPA-37 program be reduced to GPA-23's. NORAD's initial reaction was to disagree and to insist that the original program now incorporated in the 10 April Manual Backup Plan be adhered to. However, subsequent strong assurance by ADC that the GPA-23 proposal would afford equal operational capability at considerably less expense, changed NORAD's point of view. On 29 June, NORAD concurred in the substitution of the GPA- 23's for the GPA-37's." | ||
</small> | </small> | ||
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'''Links:''' | '''Links:''' | ||
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_AN/GPA-37_Course_Directing_Group Wikipedia - GPA-37] | * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_AN/GPA-37_Course_Directing_Group Wikipedia - GPA-37] | ||
__NOTOC__ | __NOTOC__ | ||
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{{PageFooter}} | {{PageFooter}} | ||
[[Category:Weapons Directing Sets]] | [[Category:Weapons Directing Sets]] | ||
[[Category:GPA-37]] | |||
Latest revision as of 07:40, 15 October 2020
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 GPA-37s were established at ten Air Force long-range radar sites in the late 1950s to automate the manual Ground Control Intercept (GCI) mission against Soviet Manned Bomber attacks with the U.S. Army NIKE Missile Master System. Additional systems were established at Keesler Air Force Base for maintenance training and at Tyndall Air Force Base for Weapons Controller Training. An additional sixteen sites were identified to provide a backup to SAGE direction centers.
With all three major groups, the weapons controller could direct the interceptor aircraft directly to the target with computer commands (Automatic Intercept) or voice commands (Manual Intercept). Post SAGE ImplementationThe implementation of the SAGE system brought fears that the loss of one or two Direction Centers could open up wide expanses of the country to attack and a number of Radar stations were selected to receive the GPA-37s as a backup system. From the Jan-Jun 1961 NORAD/CONAD History:
See Also: Sources:
Links:
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