The Montauk site's radar detection capabilities were enhanced by the arrival of an AN/CPS-5 radar set during 1951. Jointly designed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and General Electric, production of the AN/CPS-5 was initiated during January 1945.

This radar type played an important role during the Berlin Airlift of 1948, serving to guide thousands of transport aircraft to the German city after land routes had been blocked by Soviet forces.

A transportable, medium range surveillance radar, the CPS-5 was operated by a crew of ten personnel. It provided the Montauk site with highly effective radar coverage over a 60 mile radius and could detect aircraft flying at altitudes of 40,000 feet. It has been reported that this radar could often detect aircraft at distances of over 200 miles.

The AN/CPS-5 surveillance radar was typically deployed in conjunction with an AN/TPS-10 height finder radar. Such was the case at Montauk where both radar types were deployed simultaneously during 1951.

Copyright 2000 by Donald E. Bender. All Rights Reserved.