Perrin Air Force Station (ADC ID: RP-78, NORAD ID: Z-78) is a closed

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...

General Surveillance Radar station. It is located southeast of North Texas Regional Airport,

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. It was closed in 1969.

History

Perrin Air Force Station was established in 1962 as an annex of Duncanville AFS, TX with an AN/FPS-20 search radar and an AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. At the end of 1963 the site was performing duty as a joint-use facility for the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...

and

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly inac ...

. In 1964 the 745th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron relocated to Perrin from Duncanville AFS after it was closed. Upon activation it was designated as RP-78, replacing the P-78 site at Duncanville. It was also designated as NORAD site Z-78. Also in 1964 the search radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-20A; in 1965, this radar was further upgraded to an AN/FPS-66. The 745th AC&W Squadron was inactivated on 30 September 1969 and Perrin AFS was closed due to a draw-down of ADC and budget constraints. Today the former radar site is used by small businesses in the area.

Air Force units and assignments

Units: * 745th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Assigned 1 July 1964 : Inactivated on 30 September 1969 Assignments: * Oklahoma City Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1964 * 31st Air Division, 1 April 1966 – 30 September 1969

References

* A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado * Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
Information for Perrin AFS, TX
{{Aerospace Defense Command, state=collapsed Radar stations of the United States Air Force Installations of the United States Air Force in Texas Military installations closed in 1969 Aerospace Defense Command military installations 1964 establishments in Texas 1969 disestablishments in Texas Military installations established in 1964

History

Air Force units and assignments

See also

References