Marietta Air Force Station
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Marietta Air Force Station (1956-1968) - A Cold War U.S. Air Force Radar Station. Located near Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia. Initially assigned a Permanent ID of M-111 and later, a Sage ID of Z-111. The Air Force Station closed in 1968 but the FAA Radar Site continues to operate as Marietta FAA Radar Site (ATL). Also known as Atlanta FAA Radar Site (ATL).
HistoryEstablished in 1956 and became operational in 1956 as Marietta Air Force Station manned by the 908th Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) Squadron. Two sites were established, the original site was a manual site and the initial equipment included the MPS-11 search radar and MPS-8 height-finder radars. In 1959, Marietta AFS began to perform air traffic control duties. In 1961 the site moved to a nearby location in preparation for SAGE System operation. Initial equipment at the new site included a pair of FPS-6 height-finder radars and an FAA ARSR-1A search radar. This configuration (a SAGE-qualified long-range search radar and two SAGE-qualified height-finders) met the requirements for transition to SAGE System operation. SAGE System TransitionThe transition of the manual GCI system to the automated SAGE system began with the installation of the FST-2 coordinate data transmitter and search radar upgrades. The FST-2 equipment digitized the radar returns and transmitted the digital returns to the SAGE direction center. Under the SAGE System, interceptor aircraft were directed to their targets by the direction center computers and controllers, greatly reducing the need for local controllers and equipment at every radar station. The FST-2 was a very large digital system using vacuum tube technology. Over 6900 vacuum tubes were used in each FST-2 requiring 21 air-conditioned cabinets, 40 tons of air conditioning, 43.5 kva of prime power, and usually a large new addition to the operations building. The FST-2B modification added two more cabinets but with newer solid-state (transistor) technology to process coded responses from aircraft transponders. SAGE System Operation
The new site began operation as a SAGE site in 1962 initially feeding the Gunter SAGE Direction Center DC-09. On 1 Apr 1962, the squadron designation was changed from the 908th AC&W Squadron to the 908th Radar Squadron (SAGE) indicating the new SAGE System role. The FAA ARSR-1A search radar was upgraded to an ARSR-1E configuration in 1964. ClosureMarietta AFS and the 908th Radar Squadron were deactivated on 8 Sep 1968. Marietta FAA Radar SiteThe FAA continued to operate the ARSR-1E search radar on a smaller site after the Air Force Station closed. The Marietta FAA Radar Site is designated as FAA location ATL. Also known as Atlanta FAA Radar Site. A FYQ-47 Common Digitizer was probably placed in service by February 1973 when the USAF/FAA FST-2 to FYQ-47 replacement program was completed. By 1990 the site was equipped with a Common Digitizer CD-2A. The Marietta CD-2A was scheduled to receive an upgrade kit to implement three-level weather data processing in October 1992. CARSR RadarThe nationwide replacement program converting FAA legacy radar systems to the CARSR radar configuration was completed by 17 Aug 2015 and Marietta FAA Radar Site was a part of that program. Legacy FAA radars underwent a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) that replaced key components in the vintage ARSR-1, ARSR-2, FPS-20, FPS-66 and FPS-67 radars. The CARSR program replaced legacy klystron radar transmitters with a solid-state transmitter as well as renovating the radar receiver and signal processor. The CARSR modification also included common digitizer functionality making a separate common digitizer unnecessary. The Marietta FAA Radar Site is now operating with the CARSR radar. The search radar was listed as having been upgraded to the CARSR radar configuration as of 17 Aug 2015 and operation continues to date. The radar site data is now available to the USAF/NORAD Battle Control System-Fixed (BCS-F) operations centers (EADS & WADS) as well as the FAA Atlanta ARTCC (ZTL) and adjacent ARTCCs. Other federal agencies have access to the data under the Homeland Security umbrella. Gap FillersMarietta AFS was responsible for the maintenance of three remote unattended gap-filler radar sites. The unattended gap filler sites were placed in locations where the main search radar lacked coverage. These sites were equipped with short range FPS-14 or FPS-18 search radars and FST-1 Coordinate Data transmitters that sent digitized radar target data to a SAGE direction center and to the main radar site. Both the radar set and the FST-1 were dual channel to increase site up time. Maintenance teams were dispatched for regularly scheduled maintenance or when fault indicators on the FSW-1 remote monitoring equipment suggested the site had problems. The FSW-1 also allowed remote operation of specific functions such as channel changes for the radar and for the FST-1, it also allowed remote operation of the diesel generators at the gap filler site. The Marietta AFS gap-filler radars were located at Barnesville GA, Elberton GA, and Melvin Hill, NC. Three other sites were planned but were either not built or never went operational.
Current StatusActive FAA Radar Site equipped with a CARSR long-range radar and an ATCBI-6 beacon system. Responsible to the Atlanta ARTCC.
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Visited: 31 Jan 2018
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