Tactical
Air Control System
Page 6 - 412L Aircraft Warning & Control System [U], 1959-1980
US Air Force, Europe
Looking for more information from
military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with any
units of US Air Force, Europe
that operated or supported the Theater Air Control System. If
you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please email
me (webmaster).
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| The 412L Air Weapons Control System |
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| (Source: History Office, HQ US Air Forces, Europe) |
| 1960s - early 1980s |
| General Information |
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Historical Manuscript
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The story of the 412L Air Weapons Control System that was used in southern Germany from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s to manage air defense activities in the FOURATAF sector, was documented by the Office of History of the 601st Tactical Control Wing in 1981. The resulting report: "412L Aircraft Warning and Control System, 1959-1980" has just recently been declassified by the History Office at HQ USAFE and has been cleared for release.
A big thank you goes out to Jeff States who initiated the effort, Dr. William Elliott of the History Office who coordinated the effort, and the staff at the History Office who reviewed the manuscript.
The report, in its entirety -- minus the sections that have been sanitized because they are still deemed sensitive -- will be presented below. It will take some time to post the whole report as the scanned pages have to be prepped for OCR and then QC'd and corrected. So please be patient.
In the meantime, if anyone has additional insight or personal recollections concerning the 412L system and its implementation in the European Theater - please contact me. We would love to get your input!
Of special interest are also any details on the Kindsbach Cave, its role in the integrated air defense system and on the airmen and soldiers who served there. |
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| (Source: ON GUARD, 86th Air Division magazine, Oct 1961) |
CRC - pre-412L |
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A view of the manual plotting world of a CRC prior to the implementation of the semi-automatic plotting and tracking capabilities of the 412L system in the early 1960s. |
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| (Source: General Electric advertisement in SIGNAL journal, Nov 1962) |
412L Mock Up |
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(Source: Email from William W. Morgan, 412-L ACWS Project, General Electric, Jan 1962-June 1964) |
I worked for General Electric from the mid-1950s to about 1967. From January 1962 to June 1964 I was assigned to the 412-L Project, working from the Palast in Wiesbaden. I was a Test Conductor, responsible for running operation tests on the system, usually using aircraft. This was part of the program for verifying that the system performed to design specifications and was in fact ready to turn over to the USAF for operational use.
At one time or another, and usually many times, I went to all of the underground sites to conduct these tests.
For some reason, sitting at my computer, I was thinking about 412-L and decided to do a search on Google. I found your site of course, and it sure did bring back memories. Some of the site names had been forgotten, and I think there are some that I do not see at all. But I have not read everything!
Even at this late date I have some “residual reluctance” to mention the things I do remember. Perhaps more than anything, I remember some of the non-Air Force things. Such as the mausoleum for ”Fritz”, Hitler’s number one glider pilot, who was killed in an accident. And I was sitting in a bar or coffee shop in Hof listening to music on the radio. When the program was suddenly interrupted, and in German the announcer said “John F. Kennedy, the 45th president of the United States is dead”. There was complete silence in the place. And I thought to myself, “I must be interpreting this wrong. Something is not right”. But it was true. It was of course November 22nd, 1962.
The little towns near all the sites were very interesting and nice. The most glamorous though, was in Berlin. I would fly from Wiesbaden in a transport aircraft on Monday morning, wearing a parachute. I always put my military-related ID aside, keeping my passport in my pocket. Thinking if I had to parachute out and landed OK, I would tell them I was a lost tourist. Or something like that...? It was interesting going through Checkpoint Charlie and going to the East Berlin Opera. Where I sat in the same box Khrushchev had used when he visited Berlin. And walking down the brilliantly lit and totally deserted Karl Marx Allee late at night. With my date’s high heels clicking loudly and echoing between the buildings. And thinking there might be thousands of eyes watching us.
I remember the East German or Russian fighters heading west toward the border at supersonic speed. Causing the USAF to scramble fighters. Then almost on the border the East German or Russian fighters would pull up into a vertical climb and then roll back toward the east. Testing to see how long it took the USAF to scramble.
General Electric
I believe GE actually designed the system under contract to the USAF. I know they manufactured it, and we (GE) installed it in the bunkers. (Or, as I said below, supervised or advised USAF personnel who actually did the work.) And then we were responsible for the unit and system testing in preparation for the acceptance testing by the USAF. The GE headquarters was at what was once the Palast Hotel in downtown Wiesbaden.
I don’t know the exact number, but there must have been around 500 GE people at the Palast, and various people at sites to maintain the equipment during the installation and testing phase. The GE people in Wiesbaden filled the Palast, which must have been at least ten stories tall. There were some Air Force officers there also.
Now I am realizing how much time has passed, and how much I have forgotten! When I arrived there in January 1962 from Spain, where I had been managing a test equipment calibration operation under contract to the USAF, the other GE people had been there for some time, and most of the equipment had been installed but was not really running yet as a system I don’t think. Now I remember that my title was “Test Manager”, and there were about 5-6 of us I think. Nominally, one for each of the sites. Although I operated at all of the sites at one time or another. Except perhaps the one at Ramstein (repair facility), which I don’t remember.
First there were individual site tests (after all the units on site were working, such as the troublesome Light Valve), and then it was test as a comprehensive, multi-site system.
I originally worked for the Heavy Military Electronics Equipment Department (HMED) of GE, based in Syracuse, NY. I was a Tech Rep for them on various radar systems, first in Japan and then in Europe. I am trying to remember, but I think 412-L may have come under a GE group in Schenectady, NY.
Type of support that GE provided for the 412-L system in Germany? Also, there was a repair facility at Ramstein AB. Was there some repair/schooling etc done in Wiesbaden?
GE did more than just “support”. It was the design, manufacture, installation and checkout of the individual equipment and system. I don’t even remember a repair facility at Ramstein. I think this must have been used and functional after the acceptance and turnover of the system. I only remember our installation and maintenance people maintaining the equipment prior to acceptance by the USAF.
Training of USAF personnel was an on-going thing on site whenever there was no actual system testing. Although that of course was also part of the training.
Did GE support the German radar sites that operated the 412-L systems after the sites had been turned over to GAF?
As I alluded above, GE had a support contract for at least some of the radar site equipment. I remember working on the AN/FPS-6 height finder radar, and also a search radar, for which I don’t remember the designation. Perhaps SPS-8 or something like that? (Or maybe that was a shipboard radar on which I had worked at one time...?!) I had worked on this in France and Germany during 1958-December 1959, when I left for test equipment operation in Spain.
I did overhauls on radar equipment in Turkey and other locations outside of Europe, first out of a depot in Nancy, France and then later from Kaiserslautern.
GE would often get frantic calls from one of the radar sites, with something not working. And I would get in my car and drive out to the site. Which from Nancy and going to Germany would sometimes require an overnight stop!
At this time the radar sites were basically all USAF as I remember. As I sort of remember, I think someone else eventually for the Tech Rep contract for the radar sites. Perhaps RCA. I do remember they offered me a job as I was leaving the project in the summer of 1964. A nice increase in pay too, although I decided to stay with GE and returned to the US. Eventually to work with their Process Control Computer operation in Phoenix, AZ.
Were there several GE offices in southern Germany or just the one in Wiesbaden?
As far as 412-L was concerned, there was only the “office” in Wiesbaden. As I said, installation and maintenance personnel were located at near the sites on sort of a “TDY” basis. Although having said that, I now think that probably the actual “physical labor” of installation was done by USAF personnel, with the GE people supervising.
I think there were still GE Tech Reps assigned for the radar sites, but that was part of the aforementioned HMED group.
While working on 412-L I would sometimes run into them, most of whom were former colleagues from when I worked on the radar site program. The HMED operation was also headquartered in Wiesbaden, although not at the Palast. There may still have been GE people working out of the operation in Kaiserslautern.
Postscript
I suppose one reason I suddenly entered “412-L” in Google was the fact that periodically I try to locate any of my former colleagues. Or anyone who worked on 412-L from GE. Sadly, I have not had contact with any of them for decades. And now only remember a few individual names. And therefore remember only “sketchy” details on any of the program. A few things are slowly coming back, but very few and very slowly. More may come.
I remember at some of the major system test, sitting beside a 2-3 star AF general. With me effectively controlling air operations unless or until he had to over-ride me in event of something like a diversion for a real “event”. We both had a “Priority” button on our EMS phones. But in day-to-day operations I think I was still only a minor cog. About four levels down from the GE guy in charge. A bit like sometimes being SOPA (Senior Officer Present Afloat) in the Navy when you are only a Lt. (Jg). And for some reason, everyone from the Admiral on down is suddenly away for a short time. Or being the OD, subject to being over-ridden by the Captain if need be. |
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| (Source: Email from Jeff States, 615th AC&WS, Kindsbach, 1962-66) REVISED! |
I was stationed at the "Cave" located in Kindsbach, Germany from 1962-1966. The cave was located close to Ramstein Air Force Base and was the underground command center for NATO and the USAFE in Europe. I was in the initial group of 412L personnel that was sent to Kindsbach to help "bridge" the switch from manual plotting to the "new" 412L semi-automatic system. I attended the GE school in Syracuse for 412L training prior to arriving in Germany.
Upon out initial visit to the cave, it was obvious that 412L was still going through its basic installation process which would continue for many months. We were assigned briefly to the active unit at the cave (manual) which we were to ultimately replace. They presented the current air picture over Germany to a senior USAFE/NATO staff by using a manual plotting system. We therefore had to learn to write backwards and took our turn working behind a very large plotting board.
The cave was a very large underground facility and the area that was to house 412L was only very large, empty rooms when we first arrived. Although we didn’t know it at the time, I have since read an official report that 412L was originally designed as a mobile system, but ultimately that concept did not work. To use the existing 412L equipment, it was decided to send it to Germany for use by NATO and the USAFE. In Europe, the 412L equipment would be used as a stationary system similar to SAGE in the US. (Interestingly, the 412L computer was transistorized while the SAGE computer used vacuum tubes)
The cave housed more then 412L. There was a huge communications area with lots of crypto equipment. Weather and intelligence units were also located at the cave. Amazingly, none of us knew or questioned other personnel working in the other units at the cave. We simply reported to work, did our jobs and went back to Ramstein when our shift was over. We also occasionally had to do some work at a special teletype machine that required us to get a top secret security clearance.
A word about the "set-up" at the cave. 412L at the cave was technically a NATO installation and all of the 412L sites in Germany, in addition to performing their specific duties, would forward their computer information up the chain-of-command to Kindsbach. Our job was to present the consolidated air picture from our various radar sites to a senior NATO/USAFE staff. There was a German officer who was technically in charge, although it was the Americans who ran each shift and made all decisions. Also, there were two French enlisted personnel on each shift until France pulled out of NATO. We had a huge screen (It was 40' x 40') on which we displayed all air traffic currently over East and West Germany as well as some of the Soviet eastern block countries. The large screen was overlaid with a map of Europe and great attention was paid to the border between East and West Germany. The display on the screen was very interesting. It was projected by a machine called a "Light Valve." This machine took the radar data and projected it onto the screen as “moving targets." The presentation was in color and was also dynamic. Of course the good guys were in green and the bad guys were in red (magenta). This was an astounding development and made us all feel we were doing very important work!! Clearly the light valve was the forerunner of today's "Projection TV.” Another innovation of the 412L system was a new phone system which used "tones" to dial the numbers selected on the telephone keypad. Clearly the 412L phone system was the forerunner of touch tone dialing. Remember it was only the early sixties when all of this was happening!
My tour at Kindsbach cave finished after spending almost 4 ½ years in Germany. Now, more than 40 years later, those years remain very special and exciting. 412L was retired from service in 1984 which is also the year that the USAFE and NATO permanently departed from the Kindsbach cave. Eventually, Germany would permanently seal the cave and today it is a forgotten, underground relic from another time. It survives solely in the memories and experiences of the military personnel who once served there. |
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| (Source: Email from Jerry Evans) |
I found your website by "goggling" the name "MESSTETTEN" and you may want some info concerning the USAFE sites.
In my case I was assigned as a instructor at Keelser training Ops people in the 412-L system. I originally transferred from R-G AFB train officers/NCO's/Canadians in SAGE to GE, Syracuse NY for 412-L development/implemptation. We trained a few EM/Officers for the initial placement in Germany and started the school at Keesler.
I was placed on a special training team in 1963 to train German AF folks at Messtetten. If my memory is correct, we trained approx.
500 germans with 11 AF instructors and trained them on live equipment at Freising. My tour was approx 6 mos TDY and I returned to Keesler for discharge in Oct. 1964.
I do have some pictures of the barracks and the USAF people assigned. The OIC was a Capt. The NCOIC was an E-8 and a couple of E-5, E-6 and a few E-4's.
I have fond memories of that part of Germany and the German AF asked the lot of us to stay, but the request by them was turned down. |
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| (Source: Email from Robert E. Blevins) |
You did not mention Giebelstadt, where the 602nd AC&W Squadron and part of the 69th Arty (Hawk missiles) were stationed. Also, a part of the systen was the Electronic Switching Center (ESC), one of the first computerized data switching centers in operation (North Electric Company, Galion, Ohio). I was an electronics technician, and helped on the initial installation of the center.
I was at Giebelstadt from Nov. 1962 until Jan. 1966. I helped install the ESC and connect it to the other sites via the Deutsches Bundespost and USAF microwave system. The ESC was one of the first computerized switching systems with both voice and data transmission capabilities. This was accomplished by time division multiplex (TDM) modulation internal in the system.
There were 14 "highways" each having 20 available "time slots" resident within the ESC. When transmitting data or voice to another center, there had to be an idle coincident time slot available in each center. I believe there were 280 available time slots in each center. Some of the time slots were used up by "overhead" (each centers computer exchanging control data with every other center) e.g. timing and synchronous data for all sites was derived from a central control location - probably Ramstein.
By today's standards the system was very limited, but the state of the art for the early 1960's. Each site controlled it's associated Hawk and Nike missile detachments and provided control and tracking data to the command center and the fighter intercept squadrons. I believe the tracking radar had a range of 400 nautical miles (not certain). You may get additional information from General Electric Archives. The original ESC was designed by L M Erickson Ldt. Sweden. |
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| (Source: Email from Jim Tarbet, 615th ACW Squadron, Birkenfeld, 1968) |
I have seen your site and it has better 412L info than all else combined on the net.
I was a maintenance type and cannot help much on operational aspects. Check out the 615th roster on Radomes for contacts if Ops is your interest. I was in the 615th ACW stationed at Birkenfeld (moved to Neubrucke in Dec 68) and worked at Borfink. That was the same timeframe that HHB 5/6 moved from Hoppstadten to Neubrucke, when the 98th General was mothballed. No, I can't remember any 5/6 people. I do remember (by name only) a SSGT Sandoval from 94th who worked in the bunker.
Since 412L was still classified when I went through school, I did not have any training material. I have very little on it, outside of my "Outhouse of Worthless Knowledge." I do remember that we communicated to Nike through Hill 479 and do remember the 412L network and system structures.
Walt, I promised I would get you something on the 412L systems and equipment, particularly complementary to the information you already had. It is still in "draft" form.
I found this from a data flow diagram that I forgot that I had. It even included all of the cabinet numbers except for the power supply cabinets. It differs from yours only in that it lists each data/control element instead of your generic blocks.
Right now, I am still attempting to verify a few points, primarily the actual function & nomenclature for the AN/GPA-73 and an explanation of the OA-xxxx nomenclature. It appears that the OA-xxxx groups were actually under the GPA-73 (but no bets yet).
A 412L system was comprised of various equipment groups, depending on the site responsibilities and configuration.
There were 7 separate maintenance responsibility areas.
- Radars & radar signal processing (could be remote from the operations site).
- Trackers
- Datalink
- Weapons Computer
- Consoles & Displays
- Light Valve dynamic display
Communications was handled by a separate series of personnel
- Electronic Switching Center
- Wire maintenance
- Radio maintenance
- GATR and Microwave
- Commercial telecomm providers.
And then the old Power Production and Air Conditioning people.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. Det 1, 17th Air Force ran the Allied Sector Operations Center III at Börfink. It was really an integrated unit designation. Unlike the Army, the AF frequently had organizations that existed as a function and with people assigned, but no orderly room or the rest of the formalities.
SOC III was a function within Boerfink and it was a 17th AF function. Truly, it was only the command post. All of the remaining operations were 615th as we functioned as the Master CRC.
2. As best I can recall, the function at Hill 479 was an AADCP (we called it "Adcap"). I don't know that much about Army nomenclature but I understood (from your info and other stateside Nike stuff) that 412L weapons computer system (all components) were used instead of the Missile Master or MCC. I really don't know the difference, if any.
3. Further, we did have Army personnel (within Börfink) operating all of the Nike functions, not Air Force. I believe the only Air Force involvement was mission tasking (EUCOM-style shared command). In case you run across it, the only name I recall was a SSgt Sandoval in the 1969-1971 timeframe. I never dealt with them.
4. What was the role of SPATS at Boerfink? SPATS was also designated Det 1, 17th AF. They strictly did both the systems programming and the data analysis. Their system was used strictly for that purpose and could not be used for back-up. It was not a functional site. Their only "mission functional" capabilities were a couple weapons ops consoles used in analysis and they had no out-bound capabilities. SPATS was originally located at Gieb and was relocated to Borfink in 1968 when Gieb's functions were relocated to Lauda and turned over to GAF. The system was housed in the same computer room in the lower level of the bunker. Their offices were on the 4th Floor.
5. There was no back-up to 412L. The compartmentalizing of resources meant that a site could function as a manual site if the data processing equipment went down, operate as a command site if radar was down, operate as an isolated site if datalink went down. In case the whole joint went down (power outage), there was more than sufficient overlap that the network would not be in a truly degraded state.
6. Tthe 1970 IRAN project at Borfink: IRAN (Inspect & Replace As Necessary) included replacing a great number of the coax cable harnesses in the systems. It also included replacing the Typotron storage displays (DID's) with an integrated circuit-based raster display system. The DID's had the weapons or mission data stored on them. They had a bad habit of the image getting burned into the phosphor.
7. The Air Force unit designations & responsibilities were always rather fluid. While 412L squadron designations didn't change, the formal reporting structures were. Watch out for some of the traps. These innocuous drive people nuts yet they interfere with explaining issues.
* Call signs, for example, changed with changes in functional responsibilities.
* 4th ATAF (NATO) was strictly 17th AF with the associated liaison staffs.
* 86th Air Division went away and the 601st TCW came into existence. Outside of who was called, nothing changed.
* HQ USAFE moved to Ramstein and 17th AF vanished.
* And many more ...
One thing not mentioned anywhere was the 412L at Berlin. Apparently discovered by the Russians and then pulled because it could be used on offense. Also, under 412L, Birkenfeld was a split responsibility site. Radar assets were maintained by II Fernmelderegiment 32 (Heinrich Hertz Kaserne, Birkenfeld) while all operations and systems maintenance were 615th ACWRON. Specialized comm functions (crypro, microwave, etc) were under OL-B of the 2184th Comm Sq based at Hahn AB.
The funny thing in all of this is that there were only the 8 functional sites (7 after the Berlin RP was removed) with varying degrees of functionality and there were two rather complete support systems. One was the SPATS system and the other was the training system at Keesler AFB. Note in Lyle's info that he referenced the switch to GEADGE and they took the system at Keesler since training was no longer needed. |
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| (Source: Fernmelderegiment 31, 25 Jahre) |
| FIXED RADAR SITES WITH 412L SYSTEM |
RADAR STATION |
OP UNIT |
COMMENTS |
| CRC Börfink |
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| RP Burglengenfeld [2] |
5./FmRgt 31 |
operational Dec 1962; closed 8 July 1983 |
| RP Döbraberg |
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| CRC Freising |
604th AC&WS [1] |
operational 4 Jan 1965 |
| CRC Lauda |
II./FmRgt 31 |
operational 1 Sep 1968 |
| CRC Messtetten |
I./FmRgt 31 |
operational 3 Aug 1964 |
| CRP Wasserkuppe |
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[1] II Abt./FmRgt 31 assumed full operational responsibility for the radar site on 15 Dec 1965
[2] not sure if Burglengenfeld ever had the 412L system installed |
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| INTEGRATION OF THE MSG-4 (NIKE) and 412L (TACS) SYSTEMS |
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| (Source: FM 44-1, US Army Air Defense Employment, Oct 1965) |
Theater Air Defense Coordination
412L and the MSG-4
MSG-4 in Germany |
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Typical Army-Air Force Air Defense Coordination System (doctrine)
The organization of Army and Air Force forces assigned to a theater will vary, depending upon the size and geography of the area of operations, assigned missions, forces available, and the desires of the component commanders. (See xxx for a depiction of a portion of the air defense facilities and coordination links in a type theater.)
Army air defense operations are coordinated with other Army and Air Force tactical and tactical support operations by the air defense elements (ADE) located in the supported force tactical operations centers (TOC).
Army AD operations are conducted by AD commanders operating from Army air defense command posts (AADCP). (AADCP operations are discussed further below.) As necessary, the AADCP coordinates its tactical operations with collocated and/or operationally connected Army flight operations centers (FOC) and US Air Force facilities, thereby insuring the safety of friendly aircraft from friendly air defense fires. The following subparagraphs describe the US Air Force facilities:
TACC:
The tactical air control center (TACC) is the operations center of the Air Force commander's command post. The TACC plans and coordinates the employment of offensive and defensive tactical air effort and air control functions in the theater of operations. Through the TACC facilities, the Air Force commander effects centralized direction of the Air Force effort and coordinated planning. The TACC maintains a visual presentation of the overall air situation on an AD plotting board. The AD plotting board is supplemented with status boards which continuously reflect AD tactical action; fighter, reconnaissance, and airlift mission progress; conditions of alert; and other data pertinent to current AD operations. The TACC also directs the detailed apportionment of available air effort to the various tasks to be performed.
CRC:
The subordinate control and reporting centers (CRC) provide radar surveillance within a designated area, and have the capability of vectoring fighter-interceptor aircraft in both offensive and defensive operations and furnishing early warning and identification to Army surface-to-air missile units. The CRC is connected to the Army fire distribution system operating in the area by automatic data links or manual communications. To facilitate the required coordination, the CRC, the AADCP, and the FOC may be collocated when the tactical situation permits.
CRP:
CRC capabilities are extended forward by subordinate control and reporting posts (CRP). These installations are capable of vectoring fighter-interceptor aircraft and providing radar surveillance information to Army surface-to-air missile units. The CRP normally has no responsibility to identify aircraft except for those they are currently vectoring, unless designated as an alternate CRC.
Army AD augmentation elements will be provided for operation in the Air Force facilities involved with air defense at each level, in order to facilitate coordination of Army and Air Force air defense efforts. The size and composition of the Army augmentation elements provided may vary with the situation; however, there must be sufficient personnel for sustained operations.
Electronic Coordination and Control Facilities
The Army Missile Monitor fire distribution system will be used in some theaters of operation, and may operate in the same areas as the Air Force air weapon control system 412L. When operating in the same area, the system should be operationally connected.
The 412L system performs the essential functions of air surveillance, maintenance of aircraft movement and identification information, and weapon control for air defense against air-breathing threats and for offensive strike and reconnaissance missions. Varying numbers of 412L systems may be vetted together to provide coordinated air control for a large geographical area. (See 412L and the MSG-4 graph.)
CRC Army augmentation element personnel will function in the 412L system facilities performing the duties of coordination and missile controllers. In those areas not equipped with 412L digital data facilities, CRC Army augmentation elements will net with appropriate AADCP's to furnish the necessary coordination and control links. |
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Air Defense Coordination
Close coordination is maintained between AD forces or elements of the services to insure unity of action and to exchange information with respect to capabilities, intelligence, operating procedures and other information concerning AD activities.
The AD brigade has one organic tactical air control center section which provides an Army augmentation element at the Air Force tactcial air control center (TACC). However, when authorized by Department of the Army or the Army component commander, the brigade will be augmented with as many sections as necessary to provide Army elements at the Air Force control and reporting center.
Communications
To meet the communications requirements for air defense operations when using AN/MSG-4 Missile Monitor equipment, a VHF/UHF radio relay system is established using attached or augmented signal support units.
The minimum communication links that must be provided by this system between a battalion and its fire units include one automatic data link and three voice channels -
 (1) Command.
(2) Operations.
(3) Intelligence/radar reporting. This is operated full duplex on one channel providing facilities for transmission of intelligence from higher to lower echelon and radar reporting from lower to higher echelon.
For liaison and coordination, the AD units should utilize common user channels available through the field army area communications system.
In a static situation, control of radio relay stations should be at brigade or group level. As the situation becomes fluid, the control of relay stations should be at battalion level.
Any additional communications means available, such as commercial circuits, land lines, and area communication systems, should be considered for alternate communications.
Backup Communications
Should the VHF/UHF radio relay system or the Missile Monitor equipment fail, backup communications must be available for manual AADCP operation. Backup communications are establshed using TOE radio equipment.
The following nets are recommended for use with organic communication equipment:
(1) The command net is used for command supervision and control, and limited administration and logistical information if a command and administration net is not available.
(2) The Air Force early warning broadcast net is used for receipt of early warning and identification from Air Force sources.
(3) The Air Force liaison net is used for exchange of information between the AADCP and an Air Force installation.
(4) Other liaison nets are used for exchange of information between the AADCP and other units such as adjacent AADCP's, FOC's, FCC's, Navy, armor, and infantry units.
(5) The radar reporting net is used for transmission of radar plots from the defense acquisition radars directly to the AADCP.
(6) The intelligence broadcast net is used for transmission of plot-tell and warning information from the AADCP to fire units. Information transmitted includes the location and identity of airborne objects, emergency warning, and similar information. Acknowledgements by receiving units are made over the radar operating net.
(7) The operations net is used for voice transmission of tactical information relative to air battle operations such as after action reports, rounds expended, engagement results, weapon status, states of alert, and action status.
(8) The admin RATT net provides a command and administrative hard-copy facility between higher headquarters and battalion. |
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ARMY AIR DEFENSE AND 412L
(Source: Donald P. Moriarty, II, 10th Arty Gp and 6th Msl Bn, 61st Arty, 1962-65; 32nd AADCOM, 1973-77) |
| Email moved to Missile Control Centers, Overview Page, Air Defense section |
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MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
- The implementation, integration and evaluation of the 412L AWCS was coordinated by a Joint Test Center within 86th Air Division. Under the codename Gray Ghost, some 239 sorties were flown by USAFE fighter interceptor squadrons during the second half of 1963. Final turnover to the new system took place suring the Spring of 1965.
- The French used their own System, STRIDA II, which was installed at their control centers at Drachenbronn und Taverny. This system was initially not compatible with the General Electric 412L system. It took three additional years to develop the integration.
- 412L Radar Sites (operated by USAFE in the 1960s) (complete?)
Wasserkuppe
Döbraberg
Freising
Lauda
Börfink
- 412L Detachment, HHB, 10th Arty Group, worked with the 616th AC&WS (USAF) at the Wasserkuppe radar site.
- The 412L system would be replaced by the new GEADGE system in the early 1980s.
- 4 ATAF ADOC, call sign "Lafayette", late 1950s - is probably an element of 4 ATAF Air Operations Center;
- The AN/TRC-87 Communications System ("Track-87") provides complete ground-to-air communications . It is a sub-system of the 412 L AWCS and provides the vital ground-air communications link required to direct deployed tactical aircraft to their targets. Housed in a shelter, the system can be transported by a single truck, helicopter or air cargo plane. |
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| 412L Depot Level Maintenance Facility (Det 4, 86th AD) |
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| (Source: Email from Nelson Bryson, Det 4, 86th AD, 1967-70) |
412L Maint Fac, Ramstein
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Googling 412L AWCS got me to your site.
I was in training on the 412L system located in a Quonset Hut at Keesler AFB from May 1966 through May 1967. I then went to Ramstein where I worked in the 412L Depot Level Maintenance Facility. At that time we were called Detachment 4 of the 86th Air Division.
In the barracks on Ramstein AB where I lived were some of the "scope dopes" and "diddy-bops" that worked in Detachment 2 in the COC. I visited the site once to work on a particularly troublesome display position - probably in 1968-69 - and I still have one of the perfect mirrors (this one was chipped) that reflected the projected radar information onto the huge screen.
In addition to fixing all the subassemblies and PWB's that came back from the sites, Det 4 was tasked with installing ECO's and equipment upgrades as they were implemented throughout the system. At one time or another during 1967 through early 1970 I worked TDY at most of the 412L radar sites that were operational at that time.
Thanks for the memory! |
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The unmarried guys from both the detachments (Det 2 and Det 4, 86th Air Div) lived on the same floor in our barracks - so we knew each other -- at least in passing on the way to the common latrine.
Det 4 was THE depot maintenance facility for all the radar sites that formed the 412L grid and contained the actual computer systems. Technicians at these sites troubleshot problems to the major assembly level (switch panel, printed circuit board, power supply, etc.) and replaced them rather than fixing them on-site. These assemblies were sent to us for repair and test. We then returned them through our supply chain back to the sites.
At the time I was there the USAF had complete operational responsibility for all the sites and all required maintenance tasks. There were German civilians working in non-classified sections of our facility (machine shop area mostly). However, the assemblies themselves carried at least a secret classification - and some were so sensitive we could work on them only inside a vault (one of my favorite things)! I won't swear to it, but I don't think there were any Germans (GAF, or otherwise) inside the 412L computer facilities during the time I was in Europe. Hand over to the GAF occurred after I left (April 1970).
The Maintenance Facility was one large building - about the size of a supermarket - 25 to 30,000 square feet or so. It was organized into three major "shops". I worked in SAR (sub-assembly repair). The largest shop was PWB (Printed Wire Board) and the smallest (and newest) repaired the brand new "touch tone" telephone systems that provided primary voice telecom for the entire network. There was a QC section that inspected and tested everything before it left the building, a supply corner that kept most components used in the repair processes, and a combination metal fabrication/paint shop that produced, from scratch, any chassis component we needed. There was a small classroom, some storage for incoming and outgoing assemblies, the vault, administrative offices and the latrine.
As I stated earlier, there was a small supply corner in our facility. How the stuff got there and who was responsible for it, I don't know. I did know one of the guys (Vietnam Hero!) who worked in supply... he lived in our barracks so I suppose he was assigned to Det 4.
There was no "intermediate" repair facility between us and the sites. They would exchange the board/assembly and send it to us for repair. In the three years I was there I can't recall a case where we did not fix a device that wasn't completely burned up... and we fixed a few of those!
It is almost unbelievable to me to think that I went to Ramstein 40 YEARS ago this year! The assigned fighter squadron (which I only visited once) was flying F102's when I arrived and migrated to F4C's while I was there. I still get chills when I see a Phantom. Obviously I was there at the height of the Vietnam war. By the fortunes of war Europe had more jet fuel than tires so every takeoff was on full afterburner just to save rubber. I have slept through many a scramble - two would take off side-by side - so loud that the ground would shake! |
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| Detachment 4, 601st TCW |
| (Source: USAFE Ramstein Air Base Telephone Directory, January 1971) |
412L Maint Fac, Ramstein
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| The Historical Manuscript |
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| (Pages III: INTRODUCTION) |
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INTRODUCTION
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(U) For the past 15 years, the 412L Air Weapons Control System existed in southern Germany to manage air defense activities for NATO's Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force. Although the 412L was directly responsible to NATO, the 601st Tactical Control Wing supervised the day-to-day activities of USAF units that had a part in its operation. We choose now to write this story while the 412L is being phased out and replaced by modern components
(U) After addressing the frustrations and problems in making it an operational system, this monograph covers important milestones of the 412L era. These include transfer of most sites to the German Air Force, formation of joint German/American management functions Salty Net, and Constant Keystone. It ends, most appropriately, with an introduction to the German Air Defense Ground Environment (GEADGE) system that would replace the 412L during the 1980s.
(U) The documents used for preparing this narrative came out of historical archives at Headquarters USAFE, Seventeenth Air Force, and the 601st TCW. Naturally, it was written from the European perspective with references to stateside developments only when appropriate. The author, SSgt Manuel E. Siso, was completely objective in telling it like it was. This should be a worthwhile historical reference for years to come.
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I I I |
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| (Pages V: PREFACE) |
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PREFACE
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(U) This monograph, the first in several years
from a Seventeenth Air Force subordinate wing, was by
no means a solo effort. In fact, several people
played a major part in getting this narrative done.
I would like to single out four of them. Mr. Lyle
Herbaugh (GS-12), the 412L maintenance contract monitor at the 601st Tactical Control Wing, deserves the
most credit for his technical and inspirational
guidance. This work never would have gotten off the
ground without his contributions of time and three
boxes of supporting documents that he "never had the
heart to throw out," Colonel Richard Morain, 601st
TCW Deputy Commander for Command and Control (and
former 615th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
commander), also gave his time generously always
leaving his door open for countless inquiries. More
than 25 times I entered his office with "just a
quick question" when simple answers were not possible.
Another person who deserves recognition for this work
is our typist, Sgt David L. Jones, who retyped this
manuscript three times for proofreadings at wing-level for the most technical review; and the Seventeenth Air Force, USAFE, and Headquarters USAF history
offices. Finally, the biggest thanks go out to my
counterpart in the 601st TCW History Office, Ssgt Steve
Toepfer, who provided invaluable guidance on topic
selection, tie also carefully proofread each draft.
My heartfelt thanks to all of these people.
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V |
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Table of Contents |
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| (Pages XI - XVII: MILESTONES) |
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412L MILESTONES
DATE |
EVENT |
PAGE |
15 August 58 |
(U) The United States European Command assigned operational control of all U.S. Army and Air Force air defense forces to CINCUSAFE. |
2 |
21 July 59 |
(U) CINCUSAFE, Gen F. F. Everest, signed an agreement at Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany, calling for the transfer of six radar sites to the German Armed Forces. The German Federal Minister of Defense signed the document at Bonn, Germany, two days earlier. |
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10 September 59 |
(U) USAFE turned the Tuerkheim radar site over to the German Air Force. The Germans removed it from the active air defense net turning it into a training school. |
37 |
4 November 59 |
(U) Regensburg became the second site turned over to the fGermans. However, operational control was not given until 1 November 1960 after German controllers passed a tactical evaluation there. |
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13 April 60 |
(U) Air Force officials at the Pentagon approved expansion of the 412L project to include six sites instead of three. |
11 |
4 January 61 |
(U) The German Air Force took over manual radar operations at Freising. |
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X I
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DATE |
EVENT |
PAGE |
6 July 61 |
(U) A major agenda item at the
USAF Weapons Board meeting was
the possible deployment of two
mobile GPA-73 units in Germany.
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7 September 61 |
(U) The USAF Weapons Board approved one mobile CPA-73 for deployment at Erbeskopf. |
17 |
30 October 61 |
(U) Facility construction of earth-covered igloos completed at Kindsbach. |
15 |
8 December 61 |
(U) The USAFE Facilities Review Board approved emergency funds for interim power requirements at Doebraberg, Wasserkuppe, and Giebelstadt. |
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12 December 61 |
(U) The chief of the German Construction Agency announced that because of excessive delays, no more design changes would be allowed at the Boerfink bunker.
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10 February 62 |
(U) Installation of mobile CPA-73 started atop Erbeskopf mountain.
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1 March 62 |
(U) Construction at Wasserkuppe completed. |
15 |
12 March 62 |
(U) An agreement between the Electronics Systems Division and USAFE established the 412L European Task Organization as the primary point of contact for 412L construction and installation. |
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1 June 62 |
(U) Construction at the Freising bunker was completed. |
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1 July 62 |
(U) Doebraberg construction was completed.. |
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X I I
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DATE |
EVENT |
PAGE |
31 August 62 |
(U) With construction at Boerfink and Giebelstadt done, all 412L building projects were finished.
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DELETED |
D E L E T E D |
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1 September 63 |
(U) The 412L Site Activation Task Force was activated at Wiesbaden Air Base to coordinate the 412L testing program. |
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6 November 63 |
(U) USAFE and the Electronics
Systems Division of AFSC signed
a 412L system turnover agreement. |
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15 March 64 |
(U) Following system turnover readiness testing, ESD turned five 412L radar stations over to USAFE (Boerfink, Wasserkuppe, Doebraberg, Giebelstadt, and Kindsbach).
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15 April 64 |
(U) USAFE received Freising from ESD.
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4 January 65 |
(U) The 412L system assumed control aspects of the 4 ATAF air defense mission. The manual system remained operational as a back-up for the next two months. |
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4 March 65 |
U) American manual sites at Giebelstadt, Freising, Doebraberg, Langerkopf, Schoenfeld, and Wasserkuppe ceased operations after the 412L proved reliable. |
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X I I I
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DATE |
EVENT |
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15 December 65 |
(U) The German Air Force assumed control of Freieing 412L operations. The 604th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was inactivated.
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1 September 68 |
(U) The German Air Force opened the Lauda bunker as a 412L reporting post. |
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1 December 68 |
(U) The operation at Lauda was upqraded to control and reporting post. Accordingly, U.S. radar operations at nearby Giebelstadt ceased and the 602d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was inactivated. |
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5 October 72 |
(U) After a long delay, the German Air Force agreed to take over Doebraberg by 31 December 1974 and Wasserkuppe at an unspecified later date. |
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9 October 73 |
(U) A joint German/American agreement went into effect to establish the 412L Steering Committee and the Joint Direction Staff.
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1 July 74 |
(U) 412L operations at Doebraberg were turned over to the German Air Force. The 606th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was inactivated..
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X I V
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DATE |
EVENT |
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1 October 74 |
(U) The Joint System Management Group was activated at Birkenfeld to manage day-to-day operations of the 412L system. Group manning consisted of 40 percent American and 60 percent German. Detachment 1, 601st Tactical Control Group, was activated to provide manpower slots.
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1 October 74 |
(U) Philco Worldwide Services started contract maintenance at Wasserkuppe on a test basis. |
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1 May 75 |
(U) The Sacramento Air Logistics Center turned over the program depot maintenance program to Philco Worldwide Services. |
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May 75 |
(U) Gen John W. Vogt, Jr., CINCUSAFE, identified the interoperability of fixed and mobile radar elements as a key objective for Allied forces in Europe. Thus, project Salty Net was set in motion. |
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1 July 75 |
(U) USAFE, with 4 ATAF approval,
downgraded operations at Wasserkuppe from a control and reporting
post to reporting post. |
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2 July 75 |
(U) The 615th Aircraft Control
and Warning Squadron temporarily
stopped 412L operations at Boerfink during the Constant Keystone modification.
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18 July 75 |
(U) The 615th AC&WS began manual control and reporting post operations at Erbeskopf. This would continue for the duration of Constant Keystone.
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X V
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DATE |
EVENT |
PAGE |
1 October 75 |
(U) Philco Worldwide Services received its third 412L maintenance contract adding the consolidated intermediate maintenance facility at Sembach Air Base.
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20 October 75 |
(U) Air Force Systems Command published a plan identifying essential elements and milestones for Salty Net. |
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October 76 |
(U) Three separate Salty Net tests
involving mobile and fixed radar
units took place. IBM 4 Pi-CP2
computers (Salty Net Buffers) were
used to provide interface. |
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29 January 77 |
(U) Salty Net Buffers at four
mobile control and reporting posts
were declared operationally ready. |
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10 June 77 |
(U) NATO accepted the completed
Constant Keystone project. |
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September 77 |
(U) The 615th AC&WS resumed master control and reporting post operations (with one-third the space) in the Boerfink Bunker.
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1 October 77 |
(U) All U.S. 412L maintenance
responsibilities were combined into
the 412L Omnibus Maintenance Contract and awarded to Aeronutronics
Services Corporation (new name for
Philco Worldwide Services).
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June 78 |
(U) The Salty Net project progressed with the interface of the airborne warning and control system through message processing centers.
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13 August 78 |
(U) A technical radar evaluation at Wasserkuppe was terminated because of ineffective maintenance and management procedures.
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X V I
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DATE |
EVENT |
PAGE |
18 August 78 |
(U) The 412L maintenance contract monitor at Wasserkuppe was removed from his position due to maintenance problems there.
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22 August 78 |
(U) The 412L contract manager at the 601st TCW issued a "cure notice" for Aeronutronics Services Corporation to improve its performance at Wasserkuppe. |
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18 September 78 |
(U) The 609th Tactical Control Squadron (a 407L mobile radar unit) started a two-month test for conducting all Salty Net interface objectives within message processing centers. |
52 |
21 September 78 |
(U) Aeronutronics Services Corporation met all specifications of the "cure notice" issued a month earlier (except where parts were not available). |
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1 January 79 |
(U) 412L reporting post operations at Wasserkuppe were turned over to the German Air Force. The 616th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was inactivated. |
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15 June 79 |
(U) The 412L contract manager plus members of the USAFE contracting office met with the Aeronutronics Services Corporation director of operations to discuss dissatisfaction over maintenance practices at Boerfink. Specific improvements were requested in management and training programs.
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1 October 79 |
(U) The 601st Tactical Control Wing
declared message processing centers
operationally ready.
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1 September 80 |
(U) NATO temporarily closed fixed radar operations at Boerfink for transition from 412L to German Air Defense Ground Environment.
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X V I I
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| (Figure II: 412L SYSTEM EQUIPMENT OUTLAY) |
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(Large file - 440 KB)
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| (Additional Figure: 412L SYSTEM DATA FLOW, 412L Student Manual) |
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(Large file -
323 KB)
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| (Figure I & III: MAPS) |
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US Radar Sites - pre-412L
(Page 4)
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412L Radar Sites
(Page 10)
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| (Narrative - THE EARLY DAYS (pp 1-3) |
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