Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center

(Redirected from Alaska Radar System)

The Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center, formerly the 611th Air Support Group, is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

PACAF Regional Support Center
Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
Garrison/HQJoint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
Motto(s)Eyes of the Kill Chain!
Commanders
Current
commander
Col Timothy "Steiner" Meerstein (July 2024-Present)
Notable
commanders
Col Breanna D. Fulton (July 2022-July 2024)

The center is responsible for the program management, operation, and quality assurance of the Alaska Radar System, consisting of 17 long-range and 3 short-range radar sites; the forward operation locations at Galena Airport, King Salmon Airport, and Eareckson Air Station; project management for future radar and communications systems; and logistics staff for 11th Air Force and the Alaska NORAD Region.

From October 1, 2010, the 611th Air Support Group added eight tropical locations in the Pacific to the sites it managed around Alaska.[1] Due to the creation of Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, the management and support of Wake Island Airfield and seven other geographically separated locations were moved from the 15th Wing at JBPHH to the 611th ASG at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Units

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The group consists of two squadrons and two flights and provides surveillance radars, Arctic infrastructure including airfields, communications and USAF airmen for homeland defense, decisive force projection, and aerospace command and control in Alaska. The Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center is part of the Eleventh Air Force.

  • The 611th Air Support Squadron (611 ASUS) manages three of PACAF's largest operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts worth $82M for Eareckson Air Station, the FOL at King Salmon airport, 15 remote radar sites (including the King Salmon Long Range Radar Site nearby King Salmon airport) and three radio relay stations. The squadron provides/directs quality assurance for logistics, force protection, services, communications and facility engineering efforts at these 19 remote locations. The 611 ASUS also supports 11 AF logistics planning and contingency operations, directs delivery of 8 million US gallons (30,000 m3) of fuel annually to all remote sites and ensures safe and reliable transportation of over 5,000 passengers and 2,700 tons of equipment and supplies annually.
  • The 611th Air Communications Squadron (611 ACOMS) serves as the focal point for all command, control, communications, and computers (C4) support for ANR and 11 AF. Key functions include theater long-haul communications, radar systems communications, circuit management, network operations and configuration control. Additionally, the unit performs Meteorological Navigational (METNAV) certifications for airfields throughout the theater, as well as Defense Red Switch Network, Communications Security (COMSEC) and frequency spectrum management support. In addition to providing communications planning and programming support to the three O&M contracts, the 611 ACOMS also manages $22 million in communications requirements. The 611 ACOMS also provides direct communications support to the 611 AOC – 24/7 battle staff crisis action operation center.
  • The 611th Civil Engineer Squadron (611 CES) provides engineer service functions at all 40 (active and inactive) sites throughout Alaska. The 611 CES assures environmental compliance within 59,000 square miles (150,000 km2) of military operations air space and provides, as a command resource, specialized capability in aircraft hangar door maintenance and repair; asbestos and lead abatement; depot overhaul and certification of emergency power engine-generator sets and aircraft arresting systems; construction of Super K-Span facilities; as well as crane and hoist repair and certification. The 611 CES provides facility support to the three O&M contracts and also manages $61.8M in facility requirements.
  • The Missile Defense Flight or Command Representative for Missile Defense serves as the focal point for all issues related to Ground-based Midcourse Defense in Alaska, in support of Alaska Command, Alaska NORAD Region, and 11 AF.
  • The 11 AF/Alaska NORAD Region (ANR) Logistics Flight provides a core group of logisticians to support Air Force and NORAD air operations throughout the theater, including manning the ANR Battlestaff and establishing logistics readiness centers when necessary.

Alaska Radar System

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see also: Joint Surveillance System

Radar sites

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Military support airports

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References

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  1. ^ "611th Air Support Group adds eight tropical Pacific locations". Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Retrieved 16 August 2022.