Omaha Air Force Station: Difference between revisions
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* [[Permanent System Radar Sites]] | * [[Permanent System Radar Sites]] | ||
* [[US Radar Sets]] | * [[US Radar Sets]] | ||
* [[Category:Offutt NIKE Sites|Offutt NIKE Sites]] | * [[:Category:Offutt NIKE Sites|Offutt NIKE Sites]] | ||
* [[Category:NIKE Sites|Nike Sites]] | * [[:Category:NIKE Sites|Nike Sites]] | ||
* [[Richards-Gebaur SAGE Direction Center DC-08]] | * [[Richards-Gebaur SAGE Direction Center DC-08]] | ||
* [[Sioux City SAGE Direction Center DC-22]] | * [[Sioux City SAGE Direction Center DC-22]] | ||
Revision as of 14:53, 14 November 2017
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Omaha Air Force Station (1951-1968) - A Cold War U.S. Air Force Radar Station established during the Korean War. Located near Omaha in Douglas County, Nebraska. Initially assigned a Permanent ID of P-71 and a Sage ID of Z-71. Closed in 1968. HistoryEstablished on 1 May 1951 and became operational in April 1952 as Omaha Air Force Station manned by the 789th Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) Squadron. Initial equipment included the FPS-3 search radar and a CPS-4 height-finder radar. The CPS-4 height-finder radar was replaced with a FPS-6 and the FPS-3 was replaced with a FPS-20.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
In late 1959 Omaha AFS was also performing air traffic control duties. The site began operation as a SAGE site in 1961 initially feeding the Sioux City SAGE Direction Center DC-22. On 1 Jan 1962 the squadron designation was changed from the 789th AC&W Squadron to 789th Radar Squadron (SAGE) indicating the new SAGE System role. On 31 Jul 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-71. A second height-finder radar, a FPS-6A was installed in 1962. The FPS-20A radar was upgraded to become a FPS-66 in 1964 and again in 1967 to a FPS-66A configuration. ClosureOmaha AFS and the 789th were deactivated on 8 Sep 1968. Omaha NIKE Army Air-Defense Command Post (AADCP)An Army Air-Defense Command Post (AADCP) was established at Omaha AFS in 1959 for Nike missile command-and-control functions as part of the defense of nearby Offutt AFB. The site was equipped with the GSG-5 BIRDIE solid-state computer system. The colocated command post allowed U.S. Army integration into the SAGE System and sharing of Radar video . Omaha FAA Radar SiteThe FAA assumed operational responsibility for the FPS-66A search radar prior to the deactivation of Omaha AFS. On deactivation the FAA retained control of a small area surrounding the FPS-66A search tower and that area continues to house a FAA Search Radar now updated to a CARSR configuration. With the deactivation of the FST-2 the FAA reportedly replaced it with a FYQ-47 and Later a CD-2 Common Digitizer. Gap FillersOmaha AFS was responsible for the maintenance of one remote unattended gap filler radar site. 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 Omaha AFS gap filler radar was located at Dallas Center, IA. Three other gap filler sites were planned but not built.
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