TSQ-91 combat air traffic control system

Preserving some info on an old, but interesting system.
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The U. S. Air Force Tactical Air Control System Control and Reporting Center (CRC), designated the AN/TSQ-91;


Tactical Air Control Systems Operations Center Under the Project 407L Tactical Air Control Systems program, RADC had been assigned the engineering responsibility for the AN/TSQ-91 Control and Reporting Center/Post element. Personnel completed Category II testing of the AN/TSQ-91 at Eglin AFB during the last quarter of the fiscal year.

In the early 1970s, the unit received its new AN/TPS-43E Radar and the AN\TSQ-91 (The Bubble).


OPERATIONS CENTRAL
5895011009412
Part Number: RCA-48/TSQ-92(V)
Supplier: 98749

COORDINATE DATA STORAGE GROUP
5895011009413
Part Number: RCA-50/TSQ-91(V)
Supplier: 98749

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM CONTROL GROUP
5895011009414
Part Number: RCA-51/TSQ-93(V)
Supplier: 98749

OPERATIONS CENTRAL
5895011009415
Part Number: RCA-52/TSQ-93(V)
Supplier: 98749

OPERATIONS CENTRAL
5895011009416
Part Number: RCA-46/TSQ-91(V)
Supplier: 98749

OPERATIONS CENTRAL
5895011009417
Part Number: RCA-47/TSQ-91(V)
Supplier: 98749

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Brings back memories of my last MOS, ATC Radar Repairer.

Anyone who has pics of parts of this system or stories or any relevant info, please post it here before it is lost forever.
Thanks!

I take it that is an inflatable tent? I have to admit, the Air Force really came up with some neat gear.

Cheers

Affirmative on the inflatable tent. Yes they did come up with some neat stuff.

It is nice that you are troubling to save the data.

I was doing a search on this system. I was in the Air Force and maintained this system until it was replaced (around 1992)with the TYQ-23. My AFSC was 305X4K. I missed working on this system. It was pretty much a capable system for only having 64K of memory. There ain't much I couldn't tell y'all about this system. Nice find.

I was stationed at Bergstrom AFB south of Austin TX from 1970-72 with the 727 TCS; 602 TCG. My spec was technical control of the communication services for a TACC. We had our own van for the 407L system. I was TDY'd to Stamford CT in 1970 to train and familiarize with the equipment we were scheduled to receive the next year but that delivery was delayed another year until 1972. By then the DOD budget was being cut and the Air Force was offering 'early outs' for members near their separation date I was discharged in June instead of November and so had only a few months working with the new gear. I sometimes think maybe I could have hung around those 5 more months but what's done is done.

The pics posted at the top of this thread are very familiar. The TACC ops room is the 2 modules connected under the inflated roof and a floor formed by lowering the hinged sides of the modular vans.

The modules for the ops room were paired and the size of the room could be varied by adding more pairs. The consoles for radar scopes, communication and other equipment would be stowed inside the modular vans and the floor panels were folded up to close the side of the vans. The roof was inflated by air blowers which were also stowed in the vans along with the deflated roof.

The vans pictured are very similar to the one I worked in. The system included some powerful turbine powered generators producing 3 phase 400 hz power, basically small jet engines with exhaust directed upwards. Very noisy and in the dry Texas climate produced static charges that could shock the unwary just walking near. The power was needed for the radar but all the equipment operated with the generator power.

There were separate modular vans for the radar and for communication radios - RF, HF and microwave link (klystrons) - those vans had masts to erect dish antennas. We had a capability to send/receive data signals using microwave transmitters/receivers but that was not yet fully implemented, though I was trained for that, just in case. The thinking in the design of the mobile tactical air control system (TACS) was to have almost all the capability as a fixed station.

Like I said, I didn't get much time with the system but other than on base exercises we did have one deployment to the Florida panhandle at Tyndall basically on the beach.

Found this pic of a van module that looks like the one I worked in in the early 70s.

TechControl said:

Found this pic of a van module that looks like the one I worked in in the early 70s.

Click to expand...

Download picture to site , links go dead.

Thank You Tech Control! I still have my S280 module in my back yard. Do you have any info on how they lowered the side panel. Also do you know any of the names of the TM's that were used?

I was stationed in Bamberg in the early 70's. We had a large post, and a real large amount of soldiers stationed there. We also had a few Zoomies. Not many, more like a handful. So one day I asked just what the heck they did. They had a TSQ-91 system located next to the airfield. Our HAWK site was on the other side. I walked over to look one day, but could only see the van. Barbed wire all over the place and guards told me to move on. We have a FB group for Bamberg vets. I will post there and see if anyone has some pictures.

I worked in the 182 CEM Sq supporting the 182 DASC or Direct Air Support Center Later to become the 182 ASOC in 98 Air Support Operations Center

Pictured is the two TSQ-93s and the one to the left is the single LEAP TSQ-93. To the the right of the Vans is the TSC-60 HF Radio Shelter on the mobilizer. The shelter on the ground is just a S-280 maintenance shelter. Second pic is the MRC-108 Radio Jeeps that were remoted into the TSQ-93 with their M416 trailers containing the 28v MEPP-26 generators. We had 12 MRC-108s in the ASOC and the 169 ASOS had 60 MRC-108s for the TACP's.

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM CONTROL GROUP
5895011009414
Part Number: RCA-51/TSQ-93(V)
Supplier: 98749

OPERATIONS CENTRAL
5895011009415
Part Number: RCA-52/TSQ-93(V)
Supplier: 98749