746th AC&W

• Unit Designation: The 746th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (AC&W) was a United States Air Force radar squadron tasked with air defense operations during the Cold War. • Activation: The unit was activated on 1 February 1953 as part of the United States' efforts to strengthen continental air defense. • Location: The 746th AC&W was stationed at Oklahoma City Air Force Station, Oklahoma, a critical site in the central United States air defense network. • Mission Role: The squadron operated long-range radar systems designed to detect and track incoming enemy aircraft, providing early warning and guidance to interceptor aircraft. • SAGE Integration: In the late 1950s, the 746th AC&W was incorporated into the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, an advanced command and control network for air defense. • Air Defense Command: The unit was assigned to the 33rd Air Division and later the Oklahoma City Air Defense Sector, both under Air Defense Command (ADC). • Radar Technology: The squadron operated AN/FPS-20 and later AN/FPS-66 search radars, as well as AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars, reflecting the evolution of radar technology through the 1950s and 1960s. • 24/7 Operations: Crews worked around the clock in shifts to maintain continuous radar surveillance, a critical component of America's "early warning" defense posture during the Cold War. • Deactivation: The 746th AC&W Squadron was inactivated on 1 September 1961 as part of a broader reorganization and consolidation of the air defense radar network. • Legacy: Although the unit was in service for less than a decade, it played a vital role in the development of the United States' air defense capabilities and the transition to automated systems like SAGE.