Melville Air Station
Melville Air Station was a General Surveillance Radar station. It was located on the summit of Dome Mountain, west of CFB Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. It was closed in 1988.
History
The site was established in 1953 as a General Surveillance Radar station, funded by the United States Air Force. It was used initially by the Northeast Air Command, which stationed the 641st [Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron] on the station on 1 November 1957. The station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes.It was equipped with the following radars:
- Search Radar: AN/FPS-3C, AN/FPS-502, AN/FPS-20A, AN/FPS-87A, AN/FPS-93A, AN/CPS-6B
- Height Radar: AN/TPS-502, AN/FPS-6B, AN/FPS-90
In 1971, the USAF transferred control of the site to the Canadian Forces. It was closed in 1988.
USAF units and assignments
Units:- 641st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Activated at Grenier Air Force Base, New Hampshire 26 May 1953
- 64th Air Division, 1 August 1953
- 4732d [Air Defense Group], 1 April 1957
- Goose Air Defense Sector, 1 April 1960
- 37th Air Division, 1 April 1966
- 21st Air Division, 31 March 1970 – 30 June 1971