The Boston Air Defense Sector (BADS) is an inactive

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 Si ...

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 ...

(ADC) organization. Its last assignment was with the ADC

26th Air Division The 26th Air Division (26th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Tactical Air Command, assigned to First Air Force, being stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactiv ...

at Hancock Field, New York.

History

BADS was established in 1956 at

Stewart Air Force Base Stewart may refer to: People *Stewart (name), Scottish surname and given name *Clan Stewart, a Scottish clan *Clan Stewart of Appin, a Scottish clan Places Canada *Stewart, British Columbia *Stewart Township, Nipissing District, Ontario (histor ...

(AFB), New York as the 4622nd Air Defense Wing pending completion of 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-02) and Combat Center (CC-04) which became operational 15 September 1958. DC-02 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computers. Early in 1957, the wing was redesignated as the Boston Air Defense Sector. The mission of the BADS was to provide

air defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...

over

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

initially in an area covering southern Maine, southern New Hampshire, southern Vermont, Massachusetts, northern Rhode Island and Connecticut and part of New York. 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 ...

(

North American 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 ...

Northrop 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 ...

Lockheed F-94 Starfire The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached o ...

Convair F-102 Delta Dagger The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair. Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpo ...

Lockheed F-104 Starfighter The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fi ...

) and operating

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, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...

s and interceptor missiles (

Boeing 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 North ...

) 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 Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...

and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft. From 1960 to 1962, BADS was also responsible for a squadron in Nova Scotia that controlled interceptors "manually" (by voice instructions rather than by

data link A data link is the means of connecting one location to another for the purpose of transmitting and receiving digital information (data communication). It can also refer to a set of electronics assemblies, consisting of a transmitter and a recei ...

). The Otis Bomarc SAMs (26th ADMS) were directed from the

Air Defense Direction Center An Air Defense Direction Center (ADDC) was a type of United States command post for assessing Cold War radar tracks, assigning height requests to available height-finder radars, and for "Weapons Direction": coordinating command guidance of aircra ...

(CC-01/DC-03) at

Hancock Air Force Base Hancock Field Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, co-located with Syracuse Hancock International Airport. It is located north-northeast of Syracuse, New York, at 6001 East Molloy Road, Mattydale, NY 13211. The installation ...

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, Yonkers, and Rochester. At the 2020 census, the city' ...

Continental Air Defense Command Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense, tasked with air defense for the Continental United States. It comprised Army, Air Force, and Navy components. It included Army P ...

, in setting up the air defence command and control system in the area, had designated the Boston Air Defense Sector as 1 of 4 sectors in the

"effective April 1, 1958" DC-03 was operational on December 1, 1958; and the division was the 1st operational in the SAGE Air Defense Network — 1 January 1959 (CC-01 was the "first SAGE regional battle post", beginning operations "in early 1959".) The Sector was moved on paper to Hancock Field, New York and was eliminated on 1 April 1966 due to a general reorganization of ADC. Most of its assigned units were reassigned to the 34th or

35th Air Division The 35th Air Division (35th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force, at Hancock Field, New York. It was inactivated on 19 November 1969. History ...

Lineage

* Designated as the 4622d Air Defense Wing, SAGE on 1 April 1956 and organized : Redesignated as Boston Air Defense Sector on 8 January 1957 : Discontinued and inactivated on 1 April 1966

Assignments

Eastern Air Defense Force The Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960. History EADF was ...

, 1 April 1956 - 18 October 1956 * 26th Air Division, 18 October 1956 - 1 October 1966

Stations

* Stewart AFB, New York, 1 April 1956 - 1 April 1966 * Hancock Field, New York, 1 April 1966 - 1 April 1966

Components

Wings

33d Fighter Wing The 33rd Fighter Wing, sometimes written 33d Fighter Wing, (33 FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida where it is a tenant un ...

(Air Defense) : Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 8 January - 18 August 1957

Groups

329th Fighter Group 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

(Air Defense) : Stewart AFB, New York, 18 October 1956 - 1 August 1959 *

4729th Air Defense Group The 4729th Air Defense Group is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Boston Air Defense Sector at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it was discontinued in 1958. The group was formed t ...

Cornett & Johnson, p. 89 : Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 1 July 1957 - 30 April 1958 * 4735th Air Defense Group : Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 18 August 1957 - 1 September 1959

Interceptor squadrons

* 49th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronCornett & Johnson, pp. 116-19 : Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts, 1 August 1958 - 1 July 1959; 4 September 1963-1 April 1966 * 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 1 August 1959 - 1 April 1966 *

76th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 76th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is assigned to the 476th Fighter Group and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The squadron is equipped with the Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II attack fig ...

: Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 1 February 1961 - 1 July 1963 * 324th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 8 October 1956 - 8 July 1957 * 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 18 October 1956 - 8 July 1957, 25 June 1958-8 July 1960 * 465th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Laurence B. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts, 1 July 1959 - 15 March 1960

Missile squadron

26th Air Defense Missile Squadron 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...

(BOMARC) : Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 1 March 1959 - 1 April 1966

Radar squadrons

644th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 644th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Richmond Air Force Station, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 April 1978. The unit was a G ...

Cornett & Johnson, pp. 155-57 : Rye Air Force Station (AFS), New Hampshire, 18 October 1956 - 30 October 1957 * 648th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 648th Radar Squadron (SAGE)) :

Benton AFS Ground Equipment Facility QRC ( FUDS C03PA046300: "Benton Air Force Communications Annex") is an FAA radar station that was part of a Cold War SAGE radar station (Benton Air Force Station, call sign: Oppose) for aircraft control and warning ...

, Pennsylvania, 18 October 1956 - 15 August 1958; 4 September 1963 - 1 April 1966 * 654th Radar Squadron (SAGE) :

Brunswick AFS Brunswick Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east-southeast of Brunswick, Maine. It was closed in 1965. Brunswick AFS was one of the first of twenty-four stations of the 1 ...

, Maine, 1 August 1962 - 25 June 1965 * 655th Radar Squadron (SAGE) : Watertown AFS, New York, 4 September 1963 - 1 April 1966 * 656th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 656th Radar Squadron (SAGE)) : Saratoga Springs AFS, New York, 18 October 1956 - 1 April 1966 *

672d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 672d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Boston Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Barrington Air Force Station, Nova Scotia. It was inactivated on ...

: Barrington AS, Nova Scotia, 1 July 1960 - 1 June 1962 * 762nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later

762d Radar Squadron 76 or Seventy-Six may refer to: Common uses * 76 (number) * One of the years 76 BC, AD 76, 1776, 1876, 1976, 2076 Places * Seventy Six, Kentucky * Seventy-Six, Missouri * Seventy-Six Township, Iowa (disambiguation), several places Arts, enter ...

(SAGE))Cornett & Johnson, p. 165-66 :

North Truro AFS North Truro Air Force Station (AFS) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east of North Truro, Massachusetts. Most of the site was inactivated by 1994 and turned over to the National Park Servic ...

, Massachusetts, 18 October 1956 - 1 April 1966 * 764th Radar Squadron (SAGE) : Saint Albans AFS, Vermont, 1 August 1962 - 1 April 1966 * 820th Radar Squadron (SAGE) (later 820th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron) :

Fort Heath Fort Heath was a US seacoast military installation for defense of the Boston and Winthrop Harbors with an early 20th-century Coast Artillery fort, a 1930s USCG radio station, prewar naval research facilities, World War II batteries, and a ...

, Massachusetts, 18 October 1959 - 1 December 1962 * 911th Radar Squadron (SAGE)Cornett & Johnson, p. 173 : Lyndonville AFS, Vermont, 1 August 1962 - 1 August 1963

Weapons Systems

* F-86D, 1957-1957 * F-86L, 1957-1960 * F-89H, 1957-1960 * F-89J, 1957-1961 * F-94C, 1957-1959 * F-101B, 1959-1966 * F-102A, 1961-1963 * F-104A, 1958-1960 * IM-99 (later CIM-10), 1959-1966

References

Notes

Bibliography

*
Radomes.org Boston Air Defense Sector
* Further Reading * * *

External links

Radomes.org Photos of Boston Air Defense Sector SAGE facilities
{{Aerospace Defense Command, state=autocollapse 1956 establishments in New York (state) 1966 disestablishments in New York (state) Aerospace Defense Command units

Air Defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...

Military units and formations established in 1956 Military units and formations in New York (state)