616th AC&W Squadron

The 616th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (AC&W Squadron) was a United States Air Force unit activated during the early years of the Cold War. Established in 1950, the squadron was primarily tasked with operating radar sites for air defense, providing early warning and control of airspace in the southeastern United States. Stationed at sites such as Benton Air Force Station, Pennsylvania, the 616th played a crucial role in the network of units monitoring for potential Soviet bomber incursions. The squadron was inactivated in 1961, as advances in radar technology and changes in strategic defense priorities led to the consolidation and realignment of air defense forces.