Joint Surveillance System

The former J-31 San Pedro JSS ARSR-1 radar site, California

USAF Battle Control System operators monitor the skies from the floor of the program’s Eastern Air Defense Sector location.

The Joint Surveillance System (JSS) is a joint United States Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration system for the atmospheric air defense of North America. It replaced the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system in 1983.

Overview

The JSS consists of long range surveillance radars, primarily operated and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but providing communication and radar data to both FAA and United States Air Force control centers.

Air Route Surveillance Radar

FAA equipment is a primarily a mixture of Long Range Air Route Surveillance Radars (ARSR) of various types, although some use legacy AN/FPS radars. They are co-located with UHF ground-air-ground (G/A/G) transmitter/receiver (GATR) facilities at many locations. Fourteen sites have VHF radios as well. The GATR facility provides radio access to fighters and Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft from the SOCCs. The JSS has been enhanced under the FAA/Air Force Radar Replacement Program with 44 ARSR-4/FPS-130 radars to replace some of the many previous long-range radars. This provides common, high-performance, unattended radars. The ARSR-4/FPS-130 is a 3-D long range radar with an effective detection range of some 250 miles and has been fully integrated with JSS at all joint use sites.

These radars are located along the coastlines of the United States and along the national borders between the United States, Canada and Mexico. The sites are generally unattended except for periodic FAA maintenance crews which visit the sites as necessary.

Sector Operations Control Centers

The USAF Air Combat Command portion of the JSS is composed of three Continental United States (CONUS) Sector Operations Control Centers (SOCC) equipped with Battle Control System-Fixed (BCS-F) displays. Three of the SOCCs are located in the Continental United States (CONUS) at the following locations:

• Rome, New York 43°13′00″N 075°24′21″W (Eastern Air Defense Sector)
• Tyndall AFB, Florida 30°04′30″N 085°35′39″W (Air Operations Center for AFNORTH)
• McChord Field, Washington 47°07′18″N 122°30′14″W (Western Air Defense Sector)

A SOCC is located in Alaska at Elmendorf AFB, in Hawaii at Hickam Field and two in Canada at CFB North Bay, Ontario. The mission of the SOCC network is peacetime air sovereignty and surveillance. Wartime functions are available if necessary. The SOCCs accept data from multiple sensors, automatically process this data and display data for detection, tracking and identification of air targets, and the assignment and direction of interceptor aircraft to ensure peacetime air sovereignty.

Each SOCC functions as the primary command and control center in each NORAD region during crisis or attack as long as they are capable.

CONUS SOCCs receive data from 46 radar sites. Some 14 more sites feed data to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska and two radar sites supply data for the SOCC at Hickam Field, Hawaii. A total of 24 air surveillance radar networks in Canada feed data to two SOCCs located at CFB North Bay, Ontario.

Command and control can be transitioned to the E-3AAirborne early warning and control (AEW&C) for survivability as the tactical situation warrants. In peacetime, six of these aircraft are assigned to co-operate with the JSS. ROCC information is also passed to the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) Combat Operations Centre (COC) at Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Radar stations

Site Number	NORAD-ID	Name	State	Type	Location	USAF Sector	FAA Sector	Notes
QPC		Haleyville	AL	AN/FPS-67B	34°24′56″N 087°32′23″W	EADS	ASO Southern	Radar developed by Raytheon for SAGE system
QXR	Z-237	Russellville	AR	AN/FPS-64A	35°24′10″N 092°59′39″W	WADS	ASW Southwest	Radar developed by Bendix for SAGE system
QXP		Seligman	AZ	ARSR-3	35°21′10″N 112°56′59″W	WADS	AWP Western Pacific
J-83	Z-33	Crescent City	CA		41°33′33″N 124°05′10″W		AWP Western Pacific	Closed 1995
J-83A		Rainbow Ridge	CA	ARSR-4	40°23′39″N 124°09′58″W	WADS	AWP Western Pacific	Replaced Klamath AFS, CA (J-83) and Point Arena AFS (J-34)
J-34	Z-37	Point Arena AFS	CA	ARSR-4	38°53′35″N 123°32′40″W		AWP Western Pacific	Former ADCOM SAGE site, closed 1995
J-33	Z-38	Mill Valley AFS	CA	ARSR-4	37°55′26″N 122°35′51″W	WADS	AWP Western Pacific	Former ADCOM SAGE site, closed 1980
J-32	Z-236	Paso Robles	CA	ARSR-4	35°23′41″N 120°21′15″W	WADS	AWP Western Pacific	FAA site since 1960. Former USAF SAGE site Z-236, replacing Cambria AFS, Became JSS site in 1980
J-31	Z-39	San Pedro AFS	CA		33°44′46″N 118°20′10″W		AWP Western Pacific	Closed 1995
J-36A		San Clemente Island (USN)	CA	ARSR-4	32°53′03″N 118°27′03″W	WADS	AWP Western Pacific
J-30	Z-76	Mount Laguna AFS	CA	ARSR-4	32°52′34″N 116°24′54″W	WADS	AWP Western Pacific
J-04	Z-327	Whitehouse NOLF	FL	ARSR-4	30°20′45″N 081°52′25″W	EADS	ASO Southern
J-05	Z-211	Patrick AFB	FL		28°12′50″N 080°35′57″W		ASO Southern	Closed 1996
J-05A		Melbourne	FL	ARSR-4	28°05′03″N 080°47′53″W	WADS	ASO Southern
J-06	Z-210	Richmond AFS	FL	ARSR-1F	25°37′24″N 080°24′16″W		ASO Southern	Closed 1992
J-06A		Tamiami	FL	ARSR-4	25°38′50″N 080°30′19″W	EADS	ASO Southern
J-07	Z-209	NAS Key West	FL	ARSR-4	24°35′04″N 081°41′21″W	EADS	ASO Southern
J-09	Z-330	Fort Lonesome	FL	ARSR-3	27°38′44″N 082°07′58″W		ASO Southern	Closed 1998
J-09A		Fort Green	FL	ARSR-4	27°42′02″N 082°00′25″W	EADS	ASO Southern
J-10	Z-333	Cross City	FL	ARSR-4	29°44′38″N 083°00′03″W	EADS	ASO Southern
J-11	Z-198	Tyndall AFB	FL	ARSR-4	30°04′33″N 085°36′39″W	EADS	ASO Southern
QHN		Ashburn	GA	ARSR-1E	31°41′45″N 083°45′01″W	EADS	ASO Southern
QNK		Lincolnton	GA	ARSR-3	33°45′35″N 082°28′01″W	EADS	ASO Southern
QJO		Arlington	IA	ARSR-3	42°46′06″N 091°36′55″W	WADS	ACE Central
QVA		Ashton	ID	ARSR-2	44°33′45″N 111°26′41″W	WADS	ANM Northwest Mountain
QTZ		La Grange	IN	ARSR-1E	41°37′52″N 085°24′53″W	EADS	AGL Great Lakes
QBZ		Oskaloosa	KS	ARSR-2	39°13′19″N 095°14′46″W	WADS	ACE Central
J-14	Z-248	Lake Charles AFS	LA		30°11′05″N 093°10′30″W		ASW Southwest	Closed 1990s
J-14A		Lake Charles	LA	ARSR-4	30°21′38″N 093°30′41″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
J-13	Z-246	Slidell	LA	ARSR-4	30°20′53″N 089°46′46″W	EADS	ASW Southwest
QHA		Cummington	MA	AN/FPS-66B	42°28′29″N 072°58′05″W	EADS	ANE New England
J-53	Z-10	North Truo AFS	MA	ARSR-4	42°02′03″N 070°03′15″W	EADS	ANE New England
J-54	Z-110	Bucks Harbor	ME	ARSR-4	44°37′46″N 067°23′43″W	EADS	ANE New England
J-58	Z-34	Empire	MI	ARSR-4	44°48′07″N 086°03′05″W	EADS	AGL Great Lakes
J-62	Z-397	Canton	MI	ARSR-4	42°16′36″N 083°28′27″W	EADS	AGL Great Lakes
QJE		Minneapolis	MN	ARSR-1E	44°45′09″N 093°13′40″W	WADS	AGL Great Lakes
J-60	Z-306	Nashwauk	MN	ARSR-4	47°23′51″N 093°10′13″W	WADS	AGL Great Lakes
QJC		Tyler	MN	ARSR-2	44°11′37″N 096°12′15″W	WADS	AGL Great Lakes
QMH		Newport	MS	ARSR-3	32°56′51″N 089°50′41″W	EADS	ASO Southeast
J-77	Z-147	Malmstrom AFB	MT		47°30′05″N 111°12′11″W		ANM Northwest Mountain	Closed 1996
J-77A		Bootlegger Ridge	MT	ARSR-4	47°36′49″N 111°17′25″W	WADS	ANM Northwest Mountain
J-78	Z-179	Lakeside (Kalispell)	MT	ARSR-4	48°00′41″N 114°21′54″W	WADS	ANM Northwest Mountain
QRL		Benson	NC	ARSR-1E	35°30′40″N 078°32′56″W	EADS	ASO Southern
QRM		Charlotte	NC	ARSR-1	35°36′39″N 081°14′18″W	EADS	ASO Southern
J-02	Z-115	Fort Fisher	NC	ARSR-4	33°58′38″N 077°54′56″W	EADS	ASO Southern
J-75	Z-303	Finley	ND	ARSR-4	47°31′42″N 097°54′03″W	WADS	AGL Great Lakes
J-76	Z-300	Watford City	ND	ARSR-4	47°40′44″N 103°46′50″W	WADS	AGL Great Lakes
J-51	Z-63	Gibbsboro AFS	NJ	ARSR-4	39°49′29″N 074°57′15″W	EADS	AEA Eastern
QWC	Z-234	Mesa Rica	NM	ARSR-1E	35°14′15″N 104°12′16″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
J-28	Z-245	Silver City	NM		32°59′21″N 108°57′38″W		ASW Southwest	Closed 1990s
J-28A		Deming	NM	ARSR-4	32°29′30″N 107°09′59″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
J-52	Z-315	Riverhead	NY	ARSR-4	40°52′43″N 072°41′14″W	EADS	AEA Eastern
J-55	Z-312	Remsen	NY	ARSR-4	43°20′43″N 075°14′56″W	EADS	AEA Eastern
J-56	Z-309	Dansville	NY	ARSR-1E	42°38′18″N 077°39′10″W	EADS	AEA Eastern
QWO		London	OH	ARSR-1E	39°50′46″N 083°28′54″W	EADS	AGL Great Lakes
QVN		Fossil	OR	ARSR-3	44°57′37″N 119°57′06″W	WADS	ANM Northwest Mountain
J-81	Z-345	Salem	OR	ARSR-4	44°55′22″N 123°34′25″W	WADS	ANM Northwest Mountain
QCF		Clearfield	PA	ARSR-3	41°04′13″N 078°33′01″W	EADS	AEA Eastern
J-61		Trevose	PA	ARSR-1	40°08′03″N 074°59′13″W		AEA Eastern	Closed 1990s
J-03	Z-324	Jedburg	SC	ARSR-4	33°04′11″N 080°13′14″W	EADS	ASO Southern
QOJ	Z-235	Joelton	TN	ARSR-1E	36°20′10″N 086°51′41″W	EADS	ASO Southern
QYB	Z-233	Memphis	TN	ARSR-1	34°51′10″N 089°45′57″W	EADS	ASO Southern
QYS		Rogers	TX	ARSR-1E	30°56′38″N 097°16′07″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
J-27	Z-244	El Paso	TX		31°40′51″N 106°11′50″W	WADS	ASW Southwest	Closed 1997
J-27A		Eagle Peak	TX	ARSR-4	30°55′13″N 105°05′09″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
J-15	Z-240	Ellington AFB	TX		29°36′56″N 095°10′23″W	WADS	ASW Southwest	Closed 1997
J-15A		Morales	TX	ARSR-4	29°20′29″N 096°52′18″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
J-26	Z-242	Odessa	TX		32°33′15″N 102°25′40″W	Closed 1995	ASW Southwest
J-26A		King Mountain	TX	ARSR-4	31°17′06″N 102°16′24″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
J-16	Z-242	Oilton	TX	ARSR-4	27°29′56″N 098°58′10″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
J-25	Z-339	Sonora	TX	ARSR-3	30°28′16″N 100°33′29″W		ASW Southwest	Closed 1995
J-25A		Rocksprings	TX	ARSR-4	30°02′48″N 100°16′04″W	WADS	ASW Southwest
QHZ		Horicon	WI	ARSR-2	43°26′45″N 088°29′32″W	EADS	AGL Great Lakes
QBN		Binns Hall	VA	ARSR-3	37°22′58″N 076°59′55″W	EADS	AEA Eastern
J-01	Z-321	NAS Oceana	VA	ARSR-4	36°49′38″N 076°00′49″W	EADS	AEA Eastern
J-50	Z-318	The Plains	VA	ARSR-3	38°52′57″N 077°42′10″W	EADS	AEA Eastern
J-79	Z-151	Mica Peak	WA	ARSR-4	47°34′26″N 117°04′52″W	WADS	ANM Northwest Mountain
J-80	Z-44	Makah AFS	WA	ARSR-4	48°22′18″N 124°40′30″W	WADS	ANM Northwest Mountain
QSI	Z-224	Lowell	WY	ARSR-2	44°49′01″N 107°54′08″W	WADS	ANM Northwest Mountain

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Joint Surveillance System @ radomes.org