Othello Air Force Station

Othello Air Force Station
Part of Air Defense Command (ADC)
Type	Air Force Station
Coordinates	46°43′17″N 119°10′48″W / 46.72139°N 119.18°W / 46.72139; -119.18 (Othello AFS P-40)
Built	1951
In use	1951-1975
Controlled by	United States Air Force
Garrison	637th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Othello AFS

Location of Othello AFS, Washington

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Othello Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-40, NORAD ID: Z-40) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 7.2 miles (11.6 km) south of Othello, Washington. It was closed in 1975.

History

Othello Air Force Station was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second segment of the Air Defense Command permanent radar network. Prompted by the start of the Korean War, on July 11, 1950, the Secretary of the Air Force asked the Secretary of Defense for approval to expedite construction of the permanent network. Receiving the Defense Secretary’s approval on July 21, the Air Force directed the Corps of Engineers to proceed with construction. This site took over coverage once provided by the temporary "Lashup" site L-28, Spokane, Washington, which operated between 1950-1952.

The 637th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron moved to Saddle Mountain AFS, Washington on 1 January 1951. The squadron began operating an AN/FPS-3 long-range search radar and an AN/FPS-5 height-finder radar in January 1952, assuming coverage from the temporary "lashup" sites L-29 at Larson AFB and L-30 at Richland, Washington. 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. The site was re-designated as Othello Air Force Station on 1 December 1953.

In 1956 ADC replaced the height-finder radar with an AN/FPS-6. In 1958 the 637th operated an AN/FPS-20 search radar and added an AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar. In July 1960 the joined the regional SAGE center, the squadron being re-designated as the 637th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 September. 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-40.

In 1963 the AN/FPS-20 radar was replaced by an AN/FPS-7C set featuring an ECCM capability (the AN/FPS-7C was later modified to the AN/FPS-107 version). Also in 1963 the AN/FPS-6 was retired as an AN/FPS-26A height-finder radar was being installed, completed in 1964.

In addition to the main facility, Othello operated several AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler sites:

• Wenatchee, WA (P-40B) 47°30′32″N 120°14′25″W / 47.50889°N 120.24028°W / 47.50889; -120.24028 (P-40B)
• Okanogan, WA (P-40C) 48°31′41″N 119°56′38″W / 48.52806°N 119.94389°W / 48.52806; -119.94389 (P-40C)

The 637th was inactivated and replaced by the 637th Air Defense Group (ADG) in March 1970. It was reactivated in January 1974, replacing the 637th ADG as ADC reduced itd defenses against manned aircraft. It was inactivated on March 31, 1975 due to a draw-down of ADC and budget constraints. Today, the site is abandoned and deteriorating, and has the look of a ghost town. The site and housing area are deteriorating, with tall weeds, grasses, and shrubs growing everywhere.

See also

• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations

This Air Force Station has a web site maintained by veterans at [1]

References

	United States Air Force portal
	Military of the United States portal

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

• 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 Othello AFS, WA

External links