712th AC&W

The 712th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (AC&W) was activated by the United States Air Force in 1952 during the early years of the Cold War. Stationed primarily at Cape Dyer Air Station in the Canadian Arctic, it was part of the North American Air Defense (NORAD) system. The squadron’s mission was to operate radar equipment for detecting and tracking potential Soviet aircraft approaching North America, providing early warning and ground-controlled interception guidance. The unit was inactivated in 1961 as advancements in radar technology and shifting defense strategies led to a reorganization of continental air defense forces.