Great Falls Air Defense Sector Explained

Unit Name:	Great Falls Air Defense Sector
Dates:	1959–1966
Country:	United States
Branch:	United States Air Force
Role:	Air Defense
Command Structure:	Air Defense Command

The Great Falls Air Defense Sector (GFADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 29th Air Division, being stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.

History

GFADS was established in March 1959 assuming control of former ADC Central Air Defense Force units with a mission to provide air defense of central Montana. The organization provided command and control over several aircraft and radar squadrons.

On 15 February 1960 the new Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Direction Center (DC-20) became operational. DC-20 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computers. The day-to-day operations of the command was to train and maintain tactical flying units flying jet interceptor aircraft (F-94 Starfire; F-102 Delta Dagger; F-106 Delta Dart) in a state of readiness with training missions and series of exercises with SAC and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft.

The Sector was inactivated on 1 April 1966 as part of ADC reorganization and consolidation, the command being redesignated as the 28th Air Division.

Lineage

• Established as Great Falls Air Defense Sector on 1 March 1959

Inactivated on 1 April 1966; redesignated as 28th Air Division

Assignments

• 29th Air Division, 21 January 1960 – 1 April 1966

Stations

• Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 1 January 1960 – 1 April 1966

Components

Interceptor squadrons

• 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

Minot AFB, North Dakota, 25 June 1963 – 1 April 1966

• 13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

Minot AFB, North Dakota, 25 June 1963 – 1 April 1966

• 29th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

Malmstron AFB, Montana, 1953-1968

Radar squadrons

• 681st Radar Squadron

Cut Bank AFS, Montana, 1 July 1960 – 25 June 1965

• 694th Radar Squadron

Lewistown AFS, Montana, 1 July 1960 – 1 April 1966

• 706th Radar Squadron

Dickinson AFS, North Dakota, 25 June 1963 – 25 June 1965

• 716th Radar Squadron

Kalispell AFS, Montana, 1 July 1960 – 1 April 1966

• 778th Radar Squadron

Harve AFS, Montana, 1 July 1960 – 1 April 1966

• 779th Radar Squadron

Opheim AFS, Montana, 25 June 1963 – 1 April 1966

• 780th Radar Squadron

Fortuna AFS, North Dakota, 25 June 1963 – 1 April 1966

• 786th Radar Squadron

Minot AFS, North Dakota, 25 June 1963 – 1 April 1966

• 801st Radar Squadron

Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 1 July 1960 – 1 April 1966

• 902d Radar Squadron

Miles City AFS, Montana, 25 June 1963 – 1 April 1966

See also

• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
• Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons

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.
• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
• Radomes.org Great Falls Air Defense Sector