773rd RADS

The 773rd Radar Squadron (RADS) was an integral unit of the United States Air Force Air Defense Command, activated in 1950 during the early years of the Cold War. Stationed initially at Montauk Air Force Station, New York, its primary mission was to operate radar systems for the detection and tracking of potential airborne threats approaching the northeastern United States. The squadron provided vital early warning and ground-controlled interception capabilities as part of the nation's air defense network. The 773rd RADS was inactivated in 1981 as advances in technology and changes in strategic defense priorities led to the consolidation of radar sites.