Type Air Force Station Year built 1964 | In use 1964-1969 | |
 | ||
Controlled by United States Air Force Garrison 745th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron | ||
Perrin Air Force Station (ADC ID: RP-78, NORAD ID: Z-78) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 1.3 miles (2.1 km) southeast of North Texas Regional Airport, Texas. It was closed in 1969.
Contents
History
Perrin Air Force Station was established in 1962 as an annex of Duncanville AFS, TX with an AN/FPS-20 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. At the end of 1963 the site was performing duty as a joint-use facility for the Federal Aviation Administration and Air Defense Command.
In 1964 the 745th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron relocated to Perrin from Duncanville AFS after it was closed. Upon activation it was designated as RP-78, replacing the P-78 site at Duncanville. It was also designated as NORAD site Z-78. Also in 1964 the search radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-20A; in 1965, this radar was further upgraded to an AN/FPS-66.
The 745th AC&W Squadron was inactivated on 30 September 1969 and Perrin AFS was closed due to a draw-down of ADC and budget constraints. Today the former radar site is used by small businesses in the area.
Air Force units and assignments
Units:
Assignments: