Baker Air Force Station

Baker Air Force Station
Part of Air Defense Command (ADC)
Baker AFS Location of Baker AFS, Oregon
Coordinates
Type	Air Force Station
Code	ADC ID: SM-149, NORAD ID: Z-149
Site information
Controlled by	United States Air Force
Site history
Built	1959
In use	1959-1968
Garrison information
Garrison	821st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Emblem of the 821st Radar Squadron

Baker Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 13.4 miles (21.6 km) south of Baker City, Oregon. It was closed in 1968.

Baker Air Force Station was initially part of Phase II of the Air Defense Command Mobile Radar program. The Air Force approved this expansion of the Mobile Radar program on October 23, 1952. Radars in this network were designated “SM.”

History

The Station became operational on 1 July 1959 when the 821st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was moved to Baker AFS. The squadron began operating an AN/FPS-35 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. Baker AFS had the only AN/FPS-35 enclosed by a radome, constructed in 1963.

During 1960 Baker AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-16 at Stead AFB, Nevada After joining, the squadron was redesignated as the 821st Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 October 1960. The radar squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-149.

In 1964 an AN/FPS-6A height-finder was added. In 1966 the AN/FPS-6 was retired. Operations ceased on 18 June 1968 as a result of budget restrictions, and the general phase down of air defense radar stations. After its closure, the containment area became the "New Tribes Mission Training Center". In 2008 the site was offered for sale with an asking price of $750,000.00 To date there has not been much interest due to the asbestos siding on the wood frame constructed buildings. Most of the site remains, the housing area being used for single family homes.

The Radar site has been demolished. The AN/FPS-35 dome was moved and is now used as a high-school gymnasium in Payette, ID.

Air Force units and assignments

Units

• Constituted as the 821st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Activated at Geiger Field, Washington on 1 September 1957

Assigned to Baker AFS on 1 July 1959

Redesignated 821st Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 October 1960

Discontinued smf inactivated on 18 June 1968

Assignments

• 4700th Air Defense Wing, 1 July 1959
• 25th Air Division, 15 May 1960
• San Francisco Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1960
• Reno Air Defense Sector, 15 September 1960
• 26th Air Division, 25 June 1966 - 18 June 1968

See also

• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980).
• Winkler, David F. & Webster, Julie L., Searching the Skies, The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, Champaign, IL (1997).
• Information for Baker AFS, OR