Misplaced Pages

#6993

59-578: Post-war the MSQ-77 was used on US and other training ranges for Radar Bomb Scoring (RBS). The AN/MSQ-77 was also periodically used for post-Vietnam commanding of bombers during simulated ground directed bombing to maintain aircrew and radar crew GDB proficiency (RBS could be used to score the simulated GDB mission). Most AN/MSQ-77s were replaced by solid-state equipment near the end of the Cold War . Ground radar systems for automated guidance of aircraft to

118-603: A "Z servo" allowed the Air Resistance Circuits to adjust for altitude-varying air density, and the drag aerodynamics were vectorized by a servo operating potentiometers to pick-off 3 bomb-specific deceleration voltages based on each cartesian velocity voltage. The AN/MSQ-77 radar track began after the aircraft (A/C) arrived near the Initial Point (IP) on a heading toward the target. When the computer's groundspeed and elevation rate servos had stabilized to

177-491: A 1966 ambush on a survey mission. Following -77 modifications in 1968, subsequent changes included a solid-state digital printer for RBS ("Digital Data System") and implementation of a USAF suggestion for RBS to use a late-1970s programmable calculator to supersede the Bomb Trajectory Group, eliminating alignment procedures for its amplifiers. In 1989, remains of an F-4C Weapon System Officer shot down during

236-848: A November 10, 1967, AN/MSQ-77 bomb run were recovered in Southeast Asia. Developed from the AN/MSQ-77 and also used in Vietnam was the monopulse India-band Reeves AN/TSQ-96 Bomb Directing Central [4] with a solid state Univac 1219 B ballistic computer (Mark 152 fire control computer), [5] and the AN/MSQ-77/96 systems for GDB were replaced c.  1990 by the US Dynamics AN/TPQ-43 Radar Bomb Scoring Set ("Seek Score"). There were 5 MSQ-77s at Nellis Air Force Base in 1994, [6] and

295-553: A combination radar/computer/communications system ("Q" system) at operating location in Southeast Asia , a typical bombing mission (e.g., during Operation Arc Light with a "cell" of 3 Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses ) had an air command post turn over control of the mission to the radar station, and the station provided bomb run corrections and designated when to release bombs. Planning of Vietnam GDB missions included providing coordinates with 10 m (11 yd) accuracy to

354-590: A predetermined point (e.g., for bomb release using a bombsight or avionics radar) included the July 1951 AN/MPQ-14 Radar Course Directing Central. By 1954, the MARC ( Matador Airborne Radio Control) used the AN/MSQ-1A for missile guidance to the terminal dive point, and SAGE GCI provided computer-controlled guidance of aircraft to continuously computed interception points (1958 AN/FSQ-7 Bomarc missile guidance and

413-413: A small target such as by Commando Nail forward air controller , e.g., to "hit a couple bull dozers … The Fac would say [you got him pause nope he's back on the dozer, move your coordinates to the adjusted location]… It took 4 F-4 strikes to knock it out." "On 22 December 1968, RF-4Cs from the 12 and 16 TRS began flying bomb damage assessment missions to evaluate" Skyspot accuracy. Commando Club

472-483: A target for plotting its coordinates. As with " loran -controlled photography" for target geolocation, Skyspot was also used for surveying during 'recce escort' missions, e.g., for Commando Club calibration with an RF-4C reconnaissance jet taking high speed target photos during a "Run for the Roses" ("almost guaranteed to produce copious SAM firings"). Interdiction occasionally used Skyspot to walk subsequent bombs onto

531-579: A telescopic CCTV system with operator's joystick [14] to aim the antenna axis toward the A/C (e.g., bomb bay section of the fuselage). Additional AN/MSQ-77 errors were in the bomb trajectory algorithm (e.g., different simulation rates for each of 6 integrating amplifiers) and in the bomb release algorithm. Radar Bomb Scoring Radar Bomb Scoring is a combat aviation ground support operation used to evaluate Cold War aircrews' effectiveness with simulated unguided bomb drops near radar stations of

590-452: The 7th Air Force were temporarily suspended due to successful enemy defenses on November 18, the AN/MSQ-77 variant at LS-85 had effected a direct hit (zero miss distance) as well as a 5 mi (8.0 km) miss—its Commando Club CEP through November 16 for "14 runs was 867 feet". The suspension period for modifying attack tactics was used to reduce GDB errors of LS-85, since other Skyspot sites had been more accurate. AN/MSQ-77 errors included

649-640: The Battle of Route 602 . "On 21 February the [Laos] Ambassador authorized the Local Area Defense Commander (alternately the senior CIA officer or the FAC) to use the TSQ radar to direct any and all strikes within 12 kilometers of the summit" and "between the 20th and 29th, 342 sorties hit within 30 kilometers of Phou Phathi." Commando Club operations during the Battle of Route 602 were part of

SECTION 10

#1732779610007

708-700: The Matagorda Island test site also used for "Busy Skyspot" training of Vietnam crews [9] (moved to Bergstrom AFB in 1970). Deployment sites were the Vietnam War operating locations, the wartime site at the Nellis Range , and post-war CONUS RBS and overseas sites (e.g., Korea). The last AN/MSQ-77 locations (e.g., at museums after c.  2000 retirements) [10] included the Ellsworth Air Force Base Museum (near

767-551: The Norden bombsight analog computer in World War II , a nearly steady bomb run was required for the AN/MSQ-77 to provide sufficient bombing accuracy. As in the 1950s Nike missile guidance system(s) , electro-mechanical servos controlled sine/cosine resolvers in a feedback loop for computing the simulated bomb's horizontal velocity and along with the drop rate, the simulated bomb's airspeed and dive angle ("Pitch Servo"). Likewise,

826-709: The Reeves AN/MSQ-77 Bomb Directing Central with a new integrating ballistic computer using vacuum tubes to continually compute the bomb release point during the bomb run (the USMC AN/TPQ-10 directed aircraft to a predetermined release point). Planning for the USAF vacuum-tube trajectory computer/radar system began in early 1965 and in October 1965, F-100s tested the AN/MSQ-77 at Matagorda Island General Bombing and Gunnery Range on

885-537: The Texas Gulf Coast (the Matagorda training unit was later moved to Bergstrom Air Force Base ). In 1967 a helicopter-transportable variant of the AN/MSQ-77 in rigid shelters ( AN/TSQ-81 ) was developed for Commando Club bombing of northern North Vietnam targets ( Red River Delta ), and in 1969 training for an additional transportable variant with tower-mounted antenna and digital computer ( AN/TSQ-96 )

944-715: The United States Navy , the USAF Strategic Air Command , and Army Project Nike units. USAF RBS used various ground radar , computers, and other electronic equipment such as jammers to disrupt operations of the bomber's radar navigator, AAA / SAM simulators to require countermeasures from the bomber, and Radar Bomb Scoring Centrals for estimating accuracy of simulated bombings. Scores for accuracy and electronic warfare effectiveness were transmitted from radar sites such as those at Strategic Range Training Complexes (e.g., from Detachment 1 at

1003-455: The computer simulation to begin integrating a bomb trajectory from the A/C coordinates at that integration start point. Acceleration voltages from the BTG dynamic models were double-integrated by the 6 computer amplifiers which generated 3 voltages for the simulated bomb displacement (altitude, north, & east deltas) which were summed to the A/C position (simulated bomb release point, BRP). Use of

1062-655: The " La Junta Bomb Plot"). Most of the SAC sites were in the continental US with units (detachments) manned by technicians and operators of the Automatic Tracking Radar Specialist career field (AutoTrack). Radar Bomb Scoring and the Autotrack specialty were discontinued shortly after the end of the Cold War when increased munitions accuracy (e.g., GPS -guided JDAMs 1st used in 1993) reduced

1121-636: The "MSQ-77 or equivalent" was still listed in 2005 as support equipment for airdrops from Ground Radar Aerial Delivery System (GRADS) aircraft. [7] The AN/MSQ-77 antenna at the " Combat Skyspot Memorial" on Andersen Air Force Base was destroyed by a typhoon c.  2007 . [8] Archived 2015-11-07 at the Wayback Machine Initial AN/MSQ-77 sites were the production plant Reeves-Ely had built in 1958 at Roosevelt Field on East Gate Blvd in Garden City, New York ; and

1180-658: The "reverse MSQ method" began and continued through August 1973 [2] for guiding B-52s and tactical fighters and bombers ("chiefly flown by F-100's "). By March 1967, 15,000 Skyspot sorties had been flown, and raids controlled by AN/MSQ-77s included those of Operation Menu from Bien Hoa Air Base , Operation Niagara , and Operation Arc Light . Additional AN/MSQ-77 missions included those with MC-130 Commando Vault aircraft to clear landing zones and at least 1 helicopter evacuation of wounded on August 13, 1966. Additional casualties of AN/MSQ-77 personnel included 1 killed in an enemy rocket attack [3] and 6 Skyspot personnel killed in

1239-757: The 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron performing AN/TSQ-81 operations as Lockheed civilians (volunteers discharged from the USAF for cover). Due to limited reliability of the AN/TSQ-81 radios, an intermediary aircraft ( EC-121 or "usually a C-135 …decoy ship") provided a " radio relay [and] surveillance/control channel" (callsign: WAGER) between the radar and the bomber. The LS-85 radar with callsign "Wager Control" at 396.2 MHz and day/night shift crews of 5 men each became operational on November 1, 1967; and trial missions by Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs were led by Col. John C. Giraudo ( 355th Fighter Wing commander). F-105 Commando Club missions included

SECTION 20

#1732779610007

1298-452: The 263rd AAFBU (RBS) had been renamed the 3903rd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron ( SAC ), and early RBS detachments were designated by letters, e.g., Detachment D at Fort George Wright WA in 1950. Three detachments of the 3903rd RBS deployed for ground directed bombing in Korea at "Tactical Air Direction Posts" ( colloq. TADPOLE sites). (10 August 1954, the 3933rd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron

1357-594: The 3908th Strategic Standardization Group to form the 1st Combat Evaluation Group at Barksdale AFB . Manual RBS "bomb scoring projector" computation of "the bomb problem" with scale, protractor, E6B computer, and bombing tables" was replaced with computerized bomb trajectory integration by the 1965 Reeves AN/MSQ-77 Bomb Directing Central developed for Vietnam War Combat Skyspot bombing. The Bayshore Bomb Plot in Michigan (formerly located in Ironwood, Michigan)

1416-419: The A/C cartesian velocity from the differentiating amplifiers, an operator placed the central into "computer track" to provide rate-aided tracking signals to the radar. With the computer track and the central having target position, A/C heading, & bomb type information; and with the Bomb Trajectory Group's servos tracking the bomb-in-aircraft course and pitch, the operator then activated the BTG integrators for

1475-426: The AN/MSQ-77 began the bomb release sequence just prior, which accounted for the delay in generating the radio command, in transmitting the command, and in the A/C effecting the mechanical release. The delay time was based on calibration testing of the AN/MSQ-77 with A/C bomb release circuitry (e.g., mean bomb release time for salvo drops from B-52s). Although the 1967 Commando Club missions against North Vietnam by

1534-471: The AN/MSQ-77 was the control equipment for aircraft guidance (ballistic computer, guidance/release circuitry, and UHF command equipment). The central also had an added beacon tracking capability used when the aircraft had a receiver/transmitter (e.g., Motorola SST-181 X Band Beacon Transponder ) [13] to increase the range, so the radar site could be located farther from the hostile region of bombing targets. Beacon track upgrades included radar circuitry to switch

1593-490: The Antelope Butte, Belle Fourche, Conner, & Horman RBS sites) and: In addition to the communication and maintenance van, other AN/MSQ-77 trailers were the 33 ft (10 m) radar van with roof-mounted Cassegrain antenna , "control and plotting van, two diesel generator vans, [and] an administrative and supply van" which were emplaced as a military installation at the surveyed site. The primary modification for

1652-587: The Antenna Group (azimuth/elevation resolvers) and from the Track Range Computer. Additional A/C Coordinates amplifiers computed the velocity components (not plotted) which along with the track position components were provided as initial bomb conditions to the ballistic computer (Bomb Trajectory Group). The Bomb Trajectory Group (BTG) was the AN/MSQ-77's analog ballistic computer using 3-dimensional double-integration to continually predict

1711-876: The B-52D sorties flown" from July -December 1966, in January 1967, and in March 1967. Similar to the lead bomber for 3-ship B-52 missions, a North American F-100 Super Sabres could use Skyspot to act as a pathfinder for Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs . On July 3, 1966, "24-hour all-weather bombing [was] authorized against targets in Laos [using] MSQ-77 ground director bombing system (SKY SPOT)" and on July 5, " Quick Run " began with Skyspot airstrikes where " MACV could request priority targeting resulting in B-52D missions diverted from their primary targets prior to take off or after takeoff". In addition to Arc Light B-52 airstrikes, Skyspot

1770-646: The Cold War included those near Spokane, Washington , and at the Pachino Radar Bomb Scoring Range near Naples, Italy. After the 10th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron 's RBS Express train had been used in 1961 near the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant , SAC's Hawthorne Bomb Plot in nearby Babbitt also scored bomb runs of US Navy aircraft (e.g., out of Naval Air Station Fallon ). On 1 August 1961, SAC's 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group at Carswell AFB merged with

1829-482: The GDB site would begin a radar track (Bomb Directing Centrals would calculate a computer track and solve the " bomb problem " for the aircraft position.) For B-52 missions the site personnel verbally transmitted guidance commands to the aircraft crew by radio (lead aircraft for multi-ship formations) to adjust the flight path toward an eventual release point for the actual bomb(s). Site personnel verbally directed release of

Reeves AN/MSQ-77 Bomb Directing Central - Misplaced Pages Continue

1888-707: The Kim Lo Army Barracks northwest of Hanoi on February 7, 1968, a Route Pack V target on February 11, and the "Phuc Yen (JCS 6) airfield" & "the Ban Nakay truck park in Northern Laos" on February 19. Arc Light B-52s and other aircraft also flew missions of Commando Club, which were 20% (less than 1 per day) of all bombing missions on North Vietnam targets during November 1 – March 10. Commando Club airstrikes against Laos targets included operations to interdict enemy advances on LS-85 such as

1947-665: The Lynchburg, Virginia, detachment, which was a mobile unit that had temporary radar stations at " Blackstone , Staunton and Farmville before [being] shut ... down". c.  1960 , Det 3 at Heston Aerodrome , England, moved to the Fairey Aviation Plant at Langley . By 1960, USAF RBS equipment had been incorporated in US Army Course Directing Centrals for Project Nike (i.e., receivers for telecommunicated tones to indicate

2006-519: The November 15, 1967, 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron bombing of Yên Bái Air Base in Route Package 5 ("no BDA possible") and the defeated November 18 raid of 16 F-105s of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing —preceded by 4 F-105 Wild Weasels —on Phúc Yên Air Base (JCS Target 6). The latter mission's loss of 2 Wild Weasels to MiGs and then some of the bombers to SAM sites that tracked

2065-513: The USAF jamming resulted in temporary suspension of Commando Club until electronic countermeasures were improved. Through November 16, LS-85 had effected a direct hit (zero miss distance) as well as a 5 mi (8.0 km) miss: the Commando Club CEP for "14 runs was 867 feet" while other Skyspot sites for 1967 missions averaged 300–350 ft (91–107 m) error at ranges ≤100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi). LS-85 accuracy

2124-676: The aircraft's bomb release on the Nike radar plotting boards). Nike RBS of SAC/ADCOM bombers used USAF personnel on temporary duty to calculate the simulated bomb run score from the track by a Nike missile crew/radar (e.g., at the Chicago-Gary Defense Area ). In 1961, Nike units "scored 1,890 practice bomb runs" and in 1962 the NIKE site at Maitland/Lake Park in Milwaukee was RBSing. Four Navy Radar Bomb Scoring Unit s during

2183-460: The approximately 400 Commando Club missions out of the "1,472 BARREL ROLL Strike missions " flown "around" LS-85 from November 1 – March 10. Despite the bombing campaign, the enemy reached LS-85 and it was captured during the Battle of Lima Site 85 on March 10/11, 1968. The AN/TSQ-96 at Ubon RTAFB directed the "last Arc Light strike of the Indochinese conflicts…on August 15, 1973", and

2242-400: The bomb impact point from an aircraft track during a bomb run. The Cartesian aircraft data were propagated by the BTG mathematical modeling which included aerodynamics for different bombs, Earth "curvature and Coriolis corrections", and vacuum tube integrating amplifiers. The integration was based on the varying aircraft position and velocity prior to the bomb release, so as with the use of

2301-565: The continually-changing current A/C position as the simulated BRP ensured a more accurate Earth Curvature Correction (ECC) was generated for the simulated bomb's horizontal range from the radar. When the simulated bomb's altitude (simulated BRP altitude - integrated altitude delta + altitude ECC) equalled the target height, the integration automatically stopped, and the integrated displacements were held as constant altitude, north, and east delta voltages. Subsequent summing of more current simulated bomb release points (A/C bomb run positions after

2360-499: The heterodyne receiver to demodulate the transponder frequency, compensation for the transponder delay, and modification of the central's plotting board circuitry to allow display for increased ranges. The plots were of tracks calculated by the computer's Aircraft Coordinates and Plotting Group which converted radar spherical data to plotting board cartesian coordinates ( non-inertial east, north, up coordinate system ) using sine/cosine voltages and radar-estimated range respectively from

2419-419: The integration ended) with the integrator deltas generated a path of simulated bomb impact (SBI) points that moved relative to the A/C position throughout the remainder of the bomb run. The latest SBI was the AN/MSQ-77's best estimate of the impact position if bomb release was from the current A/C position: The AN/MSQ-77 control algorithm continually commanded the A/C so the BTG simulated bomb impact point, which

Reeves AN/MSQ-77 Bomb Directing Central - Misplaced Pages Continue

2478-599: The last Vietnam War Skyspot mission was also from OL-25 (in December 1975 the TSQ-81 that had been at OL-23 was moved near Osan Air Base , Korea.) The AN/MSQ-77 averaged 300–350 ft (91–107 m) error for 1967 missions at ranges ≤100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi), and the AN/TPQ-10 had a CEP of 150 ft (46 m). For Route Package I sorties, the "major increase in high altitude MSQ-77 bombing

2537-452: The last of 888 simulated bomb runs against San Diego scored in 1946 as well as 2,499 runs scored in 1947. The 1948 increase to 12,084 was the result of a "scathing" Lindbergh review of SAC in the Spring of 1948 ( SAC's commanding general was replaced 15 October, and January 1949 simulated raids by Curtis LeMay 's "entire command" on Wright-Patt AFB "were appalling"). On 21 July 1948,

2596-399: The later Ground to Air Data Link Subsystem for fighters). Despite the availability of solid-state military guidance computers in 1961 , planning for a USAF vacuum-tube trajectory computer/radar system began in early 1965. In October 1965, F-100s tested the AN/MSQ-77 at Matagorda Island General Bombing and Gunnery Range on the Texas Gulf Coast . In March 1966, AN/MSQ-77 operations using

2655-406: The need for scoring of simulated bomb runs, and GPS avionics allow onboard tracking for "no-drop bomb scoring" of unguided bombs. World War II included Army Air Forces Bombardier Schools ' scoring of trainee's proficiency at the " West Texas Bombardier Triangle " and other USAAF ranges (e.g., observers on Range Towers), and ground-directed bombing for combat guided by automatic tracking radars

2714-418: The ordnance from the aircraft by voice countdown. This was a manual process requiring training, practice and adherence to procedure. Both the site and aircrew were authorized to "withhold" release at any point if doubt arose. All communications were tape recorded by the aircrew for post strike debriefing. Similar to World War II GDB and Korean War GDB , Combat Skyspot was planned during 1965 development of

2773-415: The radar sites, handoff of the bomber from air controllers (e.g., a DASC ) to the site, tracking the aircraft by radiating the bomber (e.g., activating the 400 Watt Motorola SST-181 X Band Beacon Transponder ), and radioing of technical data from the aircrew to the radar site such as the airspeed/heading for the central to estimate wind speed on the bomb(s). With the bomber near a designated "Initial Point"

2832-528: The typical automatic tracking radar errors such as the antenna lag due to the conical scan tracking, Track Range Computer error, any inaccuracy of the A/C transponder delay value used by the central, and the range offset of the A/C transponder antenna from the actual position of the bomb release point(s) on the A/C (particularly negligible when the radar was tracking from the side of the A/C). The AN/MSQ-77 compensation for antenna lag during rate-aided computer track used

2891-493: Was a Combat Skyspot operation for ground-directed bombing of Red River Delta targets ( Hanoi , Haiphong , etc.) out of range of the initial Combat Skyspot sites using a specialized radar emplaced by Heavy Green at one of the Laos Sites of the Vietnam War . The operation also bombed clandestine targets in the neutral Kingdom of Laos (e.g., for self-defense during the Battle of Route 602 ) using Detachment 1 personnel of

2950-557: Was being conducted at the Reeves Instrument Corporation in New York. "In March 1966 the first MSQ-77 arrived at Bien Hoa" Air Base ("activated" April 1 to use the " reverse MSQ method ".) later Udorn RTAFB Combat Skyspot was first used "to support fighting ground troops" on July 2, 1966; and the initial 15,000 Skyspot sorties from March 1966 -March 1967 included the respective 35%, 46%, and 54% "of

3009-617: Was destroyed by a television fire on 26 December 1967, and in 1969, the Combat Skyspot Trophy was first "awarded annually to the most outstanding [RBS] detachment in the 1st Combat Evaluation Group". At least 1 of the SAC RBS sites was operating until mid-1994 when Wilder Radar Bomb Scoring Site closed after the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission . In 2005, USAF RBS records were designated for destruction "10 years after inactivation of site". The Northrop T-38C

SECTION 50

#1732779610007

3068-617: Was improved during the suspension period, another UHF radio was added at the summit, and the radio relay's secondary task of surveilling for MiGs was eliminated. Commando Club was resumed by November 21 when F-105s attacked the Yên Bái airfield (also on December 1 & 23, January 5, & February 11.) LS-85 directing bombings of Laos' Ban Phougnong truck park on December 22, a target "25 miles west of [LS-85's TACAN] Channel 97" on December 28, and "a target 20 miles east of San Neua" December 31; and "Commando Club under Wager Control" bombed

3127-418: Was plotted separately from the A/C track, would move toward the target. While the A/C was being guided, an AN/MSQ-77 bomb release algorithm used a model for the future path of simulated bomb impact points to predict the nearest impact to the target (a No-Go condition aborted before effecting an outlying bomb release). Instead of releasing from the A/C position corresponding to the nearest predicted impact point,

3186-452: Was probably the most important reason for loss reduction" (fewer shoot downs), Casualties associated with Combat Skyspot included a Detachment 15 NCO killed in an enemy rocket attack, 6 of a site survey team killed in a 1966 ambush, and the 13 KIA of the Battle of Lima Site 85 . In 1989, remains of an F-4C Weapon System Officer shot down during a November 10, 1967, AN/MSQ-77 bomb run were recovered in Southeast Asia, and US remains from

3245-545: Was redesignated the 11th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron .) In 1955, RBS bomb runs for the SAC Bombing and Navigation Competition were on Amarillo, Denver, Salt Lake City, Kansas City, and San Antonio (Phoenix also had runs) and in 1957, SAC installed RBS sites for the competition (named "Operation Longshot") which had 3 targets: Atlanta , Kansas City, and St. Louis. The c.  1963 " Goldwater congressional investigation" investigated working and travel conditions at

3304-698: Was the ground-directed bombing (GDB) operation of the Vietnam War by the United States Air Force using Bomb Directing Centrals and by the United States Marine Corps using Course Directing Centrals (" MSQ-77 and TPQ-10 ground radars"). Combat Skyspot's command guidance of B-52s and tactical fighters and bombers —"chiefly flown by F-100's " —at night and poor weather was used for aerial bombing of strategic, close air support, interdiction, and other targets. Using

3363-1023: Was upgraded to have no-drop bomb scoring capability in 2007 by estimating the impact from the onboard GPS-calculated position of release, and the United States Marine Corps had no-drop bomb scoring at Yuma Proving Ground in 2010. At least 1 Strategic Air Command RBS site continues as an electronic warfare range—the Belle Fourche Electronic Scoring Site in Powder River Military Operations Area with Infrared Enhance Targets and Unmanned Threat Emitters (the site's call sign remains "Belle Fourche Bomb Plot"). Combat Skyspot American intervention 1965 1966 1967 Tet Offensive and aftermath Vietnamization 1969–1971 1972 Post- Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974) Spring 1975 Air operations Naval operations Lists of allied operations Combat Skyspot

3422-596: Was used against Cambodia targets of Operation Menu from Bien Hoa Air Base and by Operation Niagara . The Combat Skyspot "Operations Order (OPORD) 439–67" was published March 10, 1967; and notable battles using Skyspot include: Skyspot also supported Lockheed AC-130 gunships, BLU-82 /B drops from MC-130 Commando Vault aircraft to clear landing zones, at least 1 helicopter evacuation of wounded on August 13, 1966, and "since many maps of South Vietnam contained distance errors of up to 300 meters", target surveying by tracking an observation aircraft flying circles around

3481-721: Was used in the Mediterranean Theatre's Po Valley . On 6 June 1945 "the 206th Army Air Force Base Unit (RBS) (206th AAFBU), was activated at Colorado Springs , Colorado under the command of Colonel Robert W. Burns [with] operational control of the two SCR-584 radar detachments located at Kansas City and Fort Worth Army Airfield (Det B), and dets were later "established at Denver , Chicago, Omaha, Albuquerque and [ c.  1952 at] Los Angeles ." USAF RBS units were at MacDill AFB in 1947, in Phoenix in 1952, and Guam in 1954. RBS by Strategic Air Command began with

#6993