Silver Creek Communications Annex

Silver Creek Communications Annex
General information
Status Destroyed
Type Mast radiator insulated against ground
Location Silver Creek, Nebraska, USA
Coordinates
Destroyed 1995
Height 373.7 m (1,226.05 ft)
Design and construction
Main contractor US Air Force

Silver Creek Communications Annex was a 373.7 metres ( 1226 ft ) tall guyed mast used by the USAF Survivable Low Frequency Communications System Site, which was built near Silver Creek, Nebraska at . Detachment 1, 33d Communications Squadron, 1st Aerospace Communications Group (later 55th Communications Group) out of Offutt AFB, ran the site until its deactivation.

Contents

Mission

The mission of Detachment 1, 33d Communications Squadron (Silver Creek Communications Annex) was to provide the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commander-in-Chief of Strategic Air Command (CINCSAC), SAC Headquarters, the Airborne Command Post (ABNCP), and the SAC Force with a Survivable Low Frequency Communications System for passing record communications between the above agencies. Hawes provides SAC Emergency War Order communications before, during and after a nuclear attack, acts as the alternate ground station for the SAC ABNCP, and relays secure record communications from and into the Automatic Digital Network (AUTODIN).[1]

History

The SAC SLFCS site at Silver Creek was built as a project assigned to the 32d Communications Squadron. The site was accepted by Headquarters USAF on 29 July 1968, and was activated for continuous operations on 19 August 1968. on 5 September 1968, operational testing began at Silver Creek. [2]

Facility

Silver Creek's radio tower was a mast radiator insulated against ground, which provided VLF communication to ground and mobile nuclear missile facilities during the Cold War. It transmitted at a maximum power of 110 kW. The facility was partially built into the ground and was designed to withstand a moderate nuclear blast from a distance of 10 miles. The facility was self-sustaining and employed a sophisticated ventilation system as well as backup diesel generators.[3]

See also

Photo gallery

References

  1. ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: "Histories of Subordinate Units Reporting Directly to the Strategic Communications Division, 1 January - 31 December 1982, Vol 2 of 41
  2. ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: "History of the 3902d Air Base Wing", July - September 1968
  3. ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: "History of the 3902d Air Base Wing", October - December 1969