The Detroit Air Defense Sector (DEADS) is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, 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 ...

organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command (ADC) 26th Air Division at

Custer Air Force Station Custer Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-67 DC-6, NORAD ID: Z-67, DC-6) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar and Direction Center station. It is located west-northwest of Battle Creek, Michigan. It was closed in 1969. ...

(AFS), Michigan. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.

History

DEADS was originally designated as the 4627th Air Defense Wing, but was redesignated before being organized in January 1957 at Custer AFS, Michigan. It became operational in September 1958, but did not assume control of former ADC

Central Air Defense Force The Central Air Defense Force (CADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960. History ...

units with a mission to provide air defense of lower Michigan, northeast Indiana, and most of Ohio until 1959. The organization provided command and control over several aircraft, missile and

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...

squadrons. On 1 September 1959 the new

Semi Automatic Ground Environment The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image of the airspace over a wide area. SA ...

(SAGE) Direction Center (DC-06) and Combat Center (CC-01) became operational. DC-06 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computers. The day-to-day operations of the command were to train and maintain tactical units flying jet

interceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are c ...

(

F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Sov ...

F-89 Scorpion The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an American all-weather, twin-engined interceptor aircraft built during the 1950s, the first jet-powered aircraft designed for that role from the outset to enter service. Though its straight wings limited its per ...

F-101 Voodoo The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Initially designed by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation as a long-range bomber escort (known as a ...

, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-104 Starfighter,

F-106 Delta Dart The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft of the United States Air Force from the 1960s through to the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it proved to be the last specialist interceptor ...

) and operating interceptor missiles (

CIM-10 Bomarc The Boeing CIM-10 BOMARC (Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center) (IM-99 Weapon System prior to September 1962) was a supersonic ramjet powered long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) used during the Cold War for the air defense of Nor ...

) and

squadrons in a state of readiness with training missions and series of

exercises Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic s ...

with Strategic Air Command and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft. The Sector was inactivated 1 April 1966 as part of ADC reorganization and consolidation and replaced at Custer AFS by the

34th Air Division The 34th Air Division (34th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Custer Air Force Station, Michigan. It was inactivated on 31 December 1969. History Assigned to Air De ...

. Most of its units were reassigned to 34th or the

29th Air Division The 29th Air Division (29th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, being stationed at Duluth International Airport, Minnesota. It was inactivated on 15 November 1969. History ...

Lineage

* Designated as 4627th Air Defense Wing, SAGE : Redesignated as Detroit Air Defense Sector on 8 January 1957 and organized : Discontinued and inactivated on 1 April 1966.

Assignments

30th Air Division The 30th Air Division (30th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to Tenth Air Force, being stationed at Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa. It was inactivated on ...

, 8 January 1957 * 26th Air Division, 4 September 1963 – 1 April 1966

Stations

* Custer AFS, Michigan, 8 January 1957 – 1 April 1966

Components

Wing

1st Fighter Wing The 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Fifteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, VA. where it is a tenant unit, being supported by the 633d Air Base Wing. Its 1 ...

(Air Defense) :

Selfridge AFB Selfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens. Selfridge Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the Unit ...

, Michigan, 1 April 1959 - 1 April 1966

Group

* 79th Fighter Group (Air Defense) : Youngstown Airport, Ohio, 1 April 1959 - 1 March 1960

Interceptor Squadrons

* 56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 1 April 1959 - 1 March 1960 * 87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron :

Lockbourne AFB Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...

, Ohio, 1 April 1959 - 1 April 1966 * 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana, 1 April 1959 - 1 March 1960 * 445th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, 15 July 1963 - 1 April 1966

Missile Squadron

35th Air Defense Missile Squadron Military units *35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force *35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I *35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July 1 ...

(BOMARC)Cornett & Johnson, p. 150 :

Niagara Falls Air Force Missile Site The Niagara Falls Air Force Missile Site was a Cold War USAF launch complex for Boeing CIM-10 Bomarc surface-to-air missiles. It was operated by the 35th Air Defense Missile Squadron. Equipped only IM-99Bs (46 missiles: solid-state, solid-fuel ...

, New York, 4 September 1963 - 1 April 1966

Radar Squadrons

* 661st Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 661st Radar Squadron (SAGE))Cornett & Johnson, p. 158 :

, Michigan, 1 April 1959 - 1 April 1966 * 662nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 662d Radar Squadron (SAGE)) : Oakdale Army Installation, Pennsylvania, 1 November 1959 - 15 June 1960; 4 September 1963 - 1 April 1966 * 664th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 664th Radar Squadron (SAGE)) : Bellefontaine AFS, Ohio, 1 April 1959 - 1 April 1966 * 752d Radar Squadron (SAGE)Cornett & Johnson, pp. 163-165 : Empire AFS, Michigan, 15 July 1963 - 1 April 1966 * 754th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 754th Radar Squadron (SAGE)) : Port Austin AFS, Michigan, 1 April 1959 - 1 April 1966 * 763d Radar Squadron (SAGE) :

Lockport AFS Lockport Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations, ADCOM General Surveillance Radar station in Cambria, New York. History Initially established at Fort Ni ...

, New York, 4 September 1963 - 1 April 1966 * 781st Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 781st Radar Squadron (SAGE))Cornett & Johnson, p. 168 :

Custer AFS Custer Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-67 DC-6, NORAD ID: Z-67, DC-6) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar and Direction Center station. It is located west-northwest of Battle Creek, Michigan. It was closed in 1969. ...

, Michigan, 1 April 1959 - 25 June 1965 * 783rd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 783d Radar Squadron (SAGE)) : Guthrie AFS, West Virginia, 1 July 1961 - 1 April 1966 * 784th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 784th Radar Squadron (SAGE)) : Snow Mountain AFS, Kentucky, 1 August 1961 - 25 May 1962

Weapons Systems

* F-86D, 1959-1960 * F-86L, 1959-1960 * F-89J, 1959-1960 * F-101B, 1960-1966 * F-102A, 1959-1960 * F-104A, 1959-1960 * F-106A, 1960-1966 * CIM-10 Bomarc, 1963-1966

Notes

References

* * *
Radomes.org Detroit Air Defense Sector
{{Aerospace Defense Command, state=autocollapse 1957 establishments in Michigan Air defense sectors of the United States Air Force Military units and formations established in 1957 Military units and formations in Michigan 1966 disestablishments in Michigan