Many do not know that the U. S. Navy also played a key role in the air defense of the U. S.  Operationally controlled by the U. S. Air Defense Command and the North Atlantic Air Defense (NORAD) Command the U. S. Navy provided Radar Picket Ships in support of this effort.  They would normally cruise up and down the coast approximately 300 miles out.

Radar Picket Ships were used to detect all aircraft heading toward the U. S. coasts. Once an unidentified aircraft was detected, it was plotted and pertinent information such as speed, altitude and heading was determined.  It was then assigned a particular identification number and then reported, continuously, to the relevant Air Force SAGE Direction centers ashore by use of radio teletype. The SAGE Direction Centers fed the information into the SAGE computer AN/FSQ 7 IBM computer where it was processed along with information from other radar sites. At this time the contact was evaluated as friendly, hostile or unknown. If hostile, fighter interceptors from nearby air fields were scrambled to intercept and destroy hostiles or identify unknowns. The Picket Ships were given intercept control of those fighter aircraft for use against the unknowns or hostiles.

There were 2 Guardian-class Radar Picket Ships assigned to the HQ Portland Air Defense Sector, SAGE Direction Center 13, at Adair Air Force Station.

USS Interceptor (AGR-8), was a refurbished WWII Liberty Ship.  It was commissioned as a radar picket ship in 1956.  It was decommissioned in 1965 and scrapped in 1978

USS Interceptor (AGR-8)

USS Locator, AGR-6, was another refurbished WWII Liberty Ship.  It was also commissioned as a Radar Picket Ship in 1956.  It was decommissioned in 1965 and scrapped in 1975.

USS Locator (AGR-6)

During the period that the Portland Air Defense Sector had operational control of the radar picket ships there were three U. S. Naval Officers assigned as liaison officers at Adair Air Force Station.

They were: