Texarkana Air Force Station

Texarkana Air Force Station (ADC ID: M-91, NORAD ID: Z-91) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east-northeast of Texarkana, Arkansas. It was closed in 1968.

History

Texarkana Air Force Station was part of the planned deployment by Air Defense Command of forty-four Mobile radar Texarkana across the United States to support the permanent Radar network established during the Cold War for air defense of the United States. In addition, it provided radar coverage for the Strategic Air Command base at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. This deployment had been projected to be operational by mid-1952. Funding, constant site changes, construction, and equipment delivery delayed deployment.

On 1 July 1955 the 703d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began operations at Texarkana, 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.

By 1958 the 703rd was using AN/FPS-20 and AN/MPS-14 sets. In 1960 this site was also performing air traffic control duties for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). By 1966, the search radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-91A set. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-91

The Air Force deactivated the 703rd on 8 September 1968 with the closure of Texarkana Air Force Station due to the perceived remote threat of an aircraft attack. Today it is used as part of Texarkana Regional Airport. Most USAF buildings are still intact.

Air Force units and assignments

Units:

• 703d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Assigned on 1 July 1955

Squadron was activated at 33d AD Oklahoma City AFS, OK (P-86), 1 December 1953 (not manned or equipped)

Discontinued on 8 September 1968

Assignments:

• 33d Air Division, 1 July 1955
• 4752d Air Defense Wing, 1 September 1961
• Oklahoma City Air Defense Sector, 25 June 1963
• 31st Air Division, 1 April 1966-8 September 1968

See also

• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations

References

• 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.
• Texarkana AFS, AR