Information for Selfridge AFB, MI

Latitude: 42-37-40.5 N, Longitude: 082-49-45.1 W

Call Sign(s): Sylvia

Perm ID	Sage ID	Unit	Location	Early Equip.	Final Equip.	Oper. Date	Inact. Date	Notes
P-20	Z-20	661	Selfridge AFB, MI	CPS-5; CPS-6(2); FPS-20; FPS-35; FPS-6, -6A (Air Force); [FP	FPS-35; FPS-26A	1952	July 1974	USAF site shared with Army for Nike Missile air-defense system (D-15DC). Base is now an Air National Guard Base.
CG25 / P-20E	Z-20E		Sparta, ON, CN					* Not listed in the early USAF ADC inventory, but shown on 1961 and 1962 ADC maps. Was constructed, but never became operational. The radar tower was sold to Workum Construction in Porcupine, ON, in 1964.
P-20A	Z-20A		Burnside, MI	FPS-14		Jun-57	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. The radar building was torn down sometime between 2010 and 2013.
P-20B	Z-20B		Emery, MI	FPS-18		Feb-59	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Both the building and the radar tower (with radome) are still extant. The radar sail is still inside the dome.
P-20C	Z-20C		Marblehead, OH	FPS-18A		Nov-60	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Building is still extant.
P-20C			Flat Rock, MI **	(FPS-18 planned)				Gap-Filler Annex. ** Planned but not built.
P-20D			Vienna, ON, CN **					** In early ADC plans, but never was built. Site designation is uncertain; earlier ADC plans also called for a P-20D gap-filler site to be at Clyde, Ohio, with an AN/FPS-18 radar being planned.
P-20F	Z-20F		London, ON, CN					Planned Gap-Filler Annex. Not built. Replaced by Sparta, ON (P-20E) which was constructed (but was never operational).
P-67A / P-20G	Z-67A / Z-20G		Midland, MI	FPS-14		Nov-57	Dec-67	Gap-Filler Annex. Building is still extant.

Perm ID

Sage ID

JSS ID

Unit

Location

Early
Equip.

Final
Equip.

Oper.
Date

Inact.
Date

Notes

P-20

Z-20

661

Selfridge AFB, MI

CPS-5; CPS-6(2); FPS-20; FPS-35; FPS-6, -6A (Air Force); [FP

FPS-35; FPS-26A

1952

July 1974

USAF site shared with Army for Nike Missile air-defense system (D-15DC). Base is now an Air National Guard Base.

CG25 / P-20E

Z-20E

Sparta, ON, CN

* Not listed in the early USAF ADC inventory, but shown on 1961 and 1962 ADC maps. Was constructed, but never became operational. The radar tower was sold to Workum Construction in Porcupine, ON, in 1964.

P-20A

Z-20A

Burnside, MI

FPS-14

Jun-57

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. The radar building was torn down sometime between 2010 and 2013.

P-20B

Z-20B

Emery, MI

FPS-18

Feb-59

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Both the building and the radar tower (with radome) are still extant. The radar sail is still inside the dome.

P-20C

Z-20C

Marblehead, OH

FPS-18A

Nov-60

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Building is still extant.

P-20C

Flat Rock, MI **

(FPS-18 planned)

Gap-Filler Annex. ** Planned but not built.

P-20D

Vienna, ON, CN **

** In early ADC plans, but never was built. Site designation is uncertain; earlier ADC plans also called for a P-20D gap-filler site to be at Clyde, Ohio, with an AN/FPS-18 radar being planned.

P-20F

Z-20F

London, ON, CN

Planned Gap-Filler Annex. Not built. Replaced by Sparta, ON (P-20E) which was constructed (but was never operational).

P-67A / P-20G

Z-67A / Z-20G

Midland, MI

FPS-14

Nov-57

Dec-67

Gap-Filler Annex. Building is still extant.

History of Selfridge AFB, MI

Manned by the 661st AC&W Squadron, this Lashup site used an AN/CPS-5 radar. During a 1949 exercise this site performed well, tracking aircraft at ranges up to 210 miles. Selfridge AFB became part of the permanent network in 1952. The site used a pair of AN/CPS-6 sets. An AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar arrived in 1957. Selfridge joined the SAGE system in 1959. By 1960 the AN/CPS-6 radar had been retired, and was replaced by AN/FPS-20 search and AN/FPS-6 and -6A height-finder radars. In 1961 the site received an AN/FPS-35 radar; however, problems prevented the radar from becoming operational in 1961. It became operational the following year. Meanwhile an AN/FPS-26A replaced the AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar circa 1963. The Selfridge long-range radar site was shared with the Army as a Nike missile command-and-control center; the Army also operated a pair of AN/FPS-6A height-finder radars alongside their Missile Master blockhouse. The 661st Radar Squadron (SAGE) was deactivated in July 1974 when the Army deactivated their Nike missile defense system around Detroit.

References: "Searching the Skies"; misc. ADCOM documents; eyewitness accounts.

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