 | This article includes alist of references,related reading, orexternal links,but its sources remain unclear because it lacksinline citations. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(December 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Santa Rosa Island Air Force Station | |
|---|---|
| Part ofAir Defense Command (ADC) | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Air Force Station |
| Controlled by |  United States Air Force |
| Location | |
  Santa Rosa Island AFS Location of Santa Rosa Island AFS, California | |
| Coordinates | 34°00′26″N120°03′01″W / 34.00722°N 120.05028°W /34.00722; -120.05028 (Santa Rosa Island AFS P-15) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1951 |
| In use | 1951–1963 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 669th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron |
Santa Rosa Island Air Force Station (ADC ID:P-15) is a closedUnited States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 5.8 miles (9.3 km) southwest of theSanta Rosa Island dock,California. It was closed in 1963.
Santa Rosa Island AFS was one of 28 stations built as part of the second segment of theAir Defense Command permanent radar network. Prompted by the start of theKorean 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. Santa Rosa Island AFS was one of two offshore radar stations built off the Southern California coast, the other being onSan Clemente Island.
The669th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was initially assigned by the27th Air Division to Santa Rosa AFS on 11 February 1952. The squadron initially used anAN/CPS-6B radar which allowed for the shutdown of the temporary Lashup sites atCamp Cooke (L-41) andPort Hueneme (L-42), 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. Later in 1952 the squadron received twoAN/FPS-10 radars at this island location. In 1955 the Air Force added anAN/FPS-3 search radar to the facility. During the following year, anAN/GPS-3 search radar was also added. 1958 saw the addition of anAN/MPS-14 long-range height-finder radar.
In 1958, plans were made to relocate the 669th AC&W Sq from Santa Rosa Island to the mainland. Operations ceased on 31 March 1963 due to budget reductions, and the squadron moved toLompoc AFS (RP-15), where support could be provided to the site byVandenberg AFB. Today the site of the former Santa Rosa Island Air Force Station has been obliterated, the land returned to its natural state by theNational Park Service.
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
