| Baudette Air Force Station | |
|---|---|
| Part of Air Defense Command (ADC) | |
| Type | Air Force Station |
| Location code | ADC ID: SM-132, NORAD ID: Z-132 |
| Built | 1958 |
| In use | 1958-1979 |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
| Garrison | 692d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron |
Baudette Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 3.1 miles (5.0 km) south-southwest of Baudette, Minnesota. It was closed in 1979.
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Baudette Air Force Station was initially part of Phase II of the Air Defense Command Mobile Radar program. The Air Force approved this expansion of the Mobile Radar program on October 23, 1952. Radars in this network were designated “SM.”
The station became operational on 1 October 1958 when the 692d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began operating an AN/FPS-3 and a pair of AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars, 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.
During 1959 Baudette AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-10 at Duluth IAP, Minnesota. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 692d Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 December 1959. The radar squadron provided information around the clock to the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile.
In 1962 Baudette received an AN/FPS-24 search radar, and during 1963 an AN/FPS-26A height-finder radar was installed, replacing one AN/FPS-6, and the other AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-90. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-132.
In addition to the main facility, Baudette operated the following AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites:
Over the years, the equipment at the station was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars. The AN/FPS-90 height-finder radar was retired in late 1971. The 692d Radar Squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1979 as part of the phase-down of Aerospace Defense Command.
Today, the former Baudette Air Force Station is a cold-weather automobile test facility for Acura. Many USAF buildings remain and in use and the station is well maintained, along with the large AN/FPS-24 search radar tower.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.