9. The USAF (“Blue-Suit”) radar sites that were discontinued as Air Force long-range radar sites, then re-opened or re-used as long-range radar sites, included: Lake Charles AFS, LA; Palermo AFS, NJ; Dauphin Island AFS, AL; Malmstrom AFB, MT; Joelton AFS, TN; Ellington AFB, TX; Lackland AFB, TX. Here is a brief summary of each:

+ Lake Charles AFS, LA (TM-194) was closed in 1961, and converted to gap-filler site M-125D, then closed altogether in June 1963 or so. In 1972, the site was re-opened as a long-range radar site (Z-248) as part of the Southern Air-Defense System. Lake Charles AFS closed for good circa 1995 when the site was replaced by a new ARSR-4 JSS site nearby.

+ Palermo AFS, NJ (P-54) was closed in 1961, and converted to gap-filler site RP-63C (and remote GATR R-14). The 770th AC&W Squadron was relocated from Palermo AFS to Fort Meade, MD, which became site RP-54. In 1962, Palermo AFS was re-opened as a long-range radar site (P-54 / Z-54), with the 680th AC&W Squadron (which had formerly operated at Yaak AFS, MT, P-11). Fort Meade’s site designation then changed to Z-227. In 1970, Palermo AFS closed again, with only the GATR site being retained -- designated R-28 this time -- until 1976.

+ Dauphin Island AFS, AL (TM-196 / Z-196) was closed in September 1970. In 1972, the site was re-opened as a long-range radar site (Z-249) as part of the Southern Air-Defense System. Dauphin Island AFS closed for good 30 Sep 1980, replaced by an FAA data-tie site near Citronelle, AL.

+ Malmstrom AFB, MT, radar site (SM-147 / Z-147) was closed in Dec 1969, and the 801st Radar Squadron was deactivated. However, operation of the joint-use search radar was continued by the FAA. In June 1971, the Air Force resumed joint-use of the site (again designated as Z-147), now manned by the 24th Air Defense Squadron. The Malmstrom AFB radar site closed for good circa 1995 when the site was replaced by a new ARSR-4 JSS site known as “Bootlegger Ridge” located about 14 miles to the northeast.

+ Joelton AFS, TN (SM-145) was closed in 1963. The 799th AC&W Squadron was deactivated, and the search radar was turned over to the FAA. In the mid 1960’s, a SAGE data-tie was established briefly (for roughly two years or so); the data-tie site was designated Z-235. The data-tie was re-established later, as discussed in Note 2 (below).

+ Ellington AFB, TX, radar site (P-79 / Z-79) was closed in Dec 1969, and the 747th Radar Squadron was deactivated. Operation of the joint-use search radar was continued by the FAA. In 1972, joint-use of the site was resumed as a long-range radar site (Z-240) as part of the Southern Air-Defense System. Initially, Ellington remained a data-tie site for the JSS System; however, that data-tie was terminated when a newer JSS site, at Morales, TX, was added in the late 1990s. The data-tie was re-established later, as discussed in Note 2 (below).

+ Lackland AFB, TX, radar site (P-75 / Z-75) was closed in Dec 1969, and the 741st Radar Squadron was deactivated. Operation of the joint-use search radar was continued by the FAA. In 1972, joint-use of the site was resumed as a long-range radar site (Z-241) as part of the Southern Air-Defense System. The Air Force ceased use of the Lackland AFB radar site once again circa 1975. The data-tie was re-established later, as discussed in Note 2 (below).

Note 1: The former Ajo AFS, AZ, and San Clemente Island AFS are now back in use as ‘new’ ARSR-4 JSS sites. Also, certain FAA sites were used as data-tie / JSS sites more than once, such as Silver City, NM (Z-238 / Z-245) and Paso Robles, CA (Z-236 / Z-342); however, the question pertained only to USAF “Blue-Suit” sites.

Note 2: Update. After 9/11 2001, all operational FAA long-range radar sites in the CONUS were data-tied into the JSS radar network (as well as a few Navy sites and range-safety sites such as San Clemente Island, CA, and Vandenberg AFB, CA). This addition (in no particular order) included all other former USAF "Blue-Suit" radar sites still in use that had been turned over to the FAA, sites such as the former Hanna City AFS, IL; Kirksville AFS, MO; St. Albans AFS, VT; Bedford AFS, VA; England AFB (Alexandria), LA; San Pedro Hill AFS (Los Angeles), CA; Boron AFS, CA; Fort Lawton (Seattle), WA; Gettysburg AFS, SD; Marietta AFS (Atlanta), GA; Joelton AFS (Nashville), TN; Ellington AFB (Houston), TX; Oakdale (Pittsburgh), PA; Benton AFS, PA; Oklahoma City AFS, OK; Hutchinson AFS, KS; West Mesa AFS (Albuquerque), NM; Las Vegas AFS, NV; Fallon NAS, NV; Red Bluff AFS, CA; Mather AFB (Sacramento), CA; Omaha AFS, NE; Lackland AFB (San Antonio), TX; and Amarillo AFB, TX.