Patrick Air Force Base Radar Site
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Patrick Air Force Base Radar Site (1961-1996) - A Cold War U.S. Air Force Radar Station established in 1961. Located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, Brevard County, Florida. Initially assigned a Sage ID of Z-211 and later a JSS ID of J-05. Closed in 1996. HistoryIt seems clear that there was an Air Force SAGE System radar site at Patrick Air Force Base as early as 1957-1958. This SAGE site was was not a part of overall SAGE System but was connected directly to the IBM/SAGE System test bed FSQ-7 computer in the IBM Military Products Division Plant at Kingston, New York. According to the IBM test documentation the site contained a FPS-20 Search Radar, a FST-2 Coordinate Data Transmitter and a FPS-6 height finder radar. The FST-2 at Patrick was connected to the IBM FSQ-7 computer at Kingston over 1,500 miles of leased telephone lines. This elaborate test environment was established to test the integration of the BOMARC Missile System into the SAGE System. Since the BOMARC was nuclear capable, evidence was required that the system worked as designed. At least two successful test were conducted with BOMARC missiles launched from Cape Canaveral under SAGE control against target drones in 1958. The BOMARC missiles were under SAGE Control from target acquisition by the FPS-20 and FST-2 to interception controlled by the FSQ-7 controllers. The first successful BOMARC IM-99A intercept under SAGE control took place on 7 Aug 1958 and on 15 Aug 1958 a SAGE directed missile scored a direct hit on a QB-17 drone. See the IBM diagram below for the configuration. With proof of concept established, the BOMARC/SAGE integration program was moved from Cape Canaveral/Patrick AFB to Sata Rosa Island/Tyndall AFB for further development and testing. Testing was then done over the Gulf of Mexico. Tests at Cape Canaveral and Patrick AFB continued through June 1960. In 1961 the Patrick AFB radar site is identified as operational as a joint use FAA/ADC site manned by Detachment 1 of the 679th AC&W Squadron at Jacksonville NAS Radar Site. The 645th Radar Squadron (SAGE) was activated at the Patrick Air Force Base Radar Site on 28 Jun 1962 assuming operations and maintenance responsibilities from Det 1, 679th. Initial equipment included the FPS-20 upgraded to a FPS-66 search radar and a second FPS-6 height finder radar. One of the two FPS-6 height finders was removed, and the remaining FPS-6 was modified to become an FPS-116 about 1977.
SAGE System Operation
The site began operation as a normal SAGE site in 1961 initially feeding the Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09. In 1962 the 645th Radar Squadron (SAGE) was reactivated at the radar site. With the closure of Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09 in the fall of 1969 control shifted to the Fort Lee SAGE Direction Center DC-04. On 1 Feb 1974 the squadron was redesignated the 645th Radar Squadron. On 1 Apr 1976 the squadron was deactivated and replaced by detachment OLA-A of the 20th Air Defense Squadron. The USAF radar was removed about 1988 but the FAA continued to operate the FPS-66 until 1995 ClosurePatrick Air Force Base Radar Site was closed circa 1998.
Current Status
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