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Crystal Springs Air Force Station | |
|---|---|
| Part ofAir Defense Command (ADC) | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Air Force Station |
| Code | ADC ID: TM-195, NORAD ID: Z-195 |
| Controlled by |  United States Air Force |
| Condition | closed |
| Location | |
  Crystal Springs AFS Location of Crystal Springs AFS, Mississippi | |
| Coordinates | 31°58′45″N090°20′40″W / 31.97917°N 90.34444°W /31.97917; -90.34444 (Crystal Springs AFS TM-195) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1958 |
| In use | 1958-1968 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 627th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron |
Crystal Springs Air Force Station is a closedUnited States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located inCrystal Springs, Mississippi. It was closed in 1968.
Crystal Springs Air Force Station came into existence as part of Phase III of theAir Defense Command Mobile Radar program. On 20 October 1953 ADC requested a third phase of twenty-five radar sites be constructed.
The627th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was assigned on 1 September 1958 and began testing theAN/FPS-27 frequency-diversified search radar. During 1959 Crystal Springs AFS joined theSemi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-09 atGunter AFB, Alabama. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the627th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 October 1959. 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.
In addition to the main facility, Crystal Springs operated anAN/FPS-14 Gap Filler site:
Two height-finder radars, typesAN/FPS-6A andAN/FPS-90, were also installed in the early 1960s. The627th Radar Squadron was inactivated on 6 September 1968 and Crystal Springs AFS was closed due to a draw-down of ADC and budget constraints. The site has been turned into a Job Corps training center by the State of Mississippi. Most of the former USAF buildings remain along with base housing. The radar tower footprints are still visible in aerial photography.
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
