Niagara/Buffalo Defense Area
Missile · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks.
Site designations and locations of Nike sites in western New York are: (BU-09) Ransom Creek/Millersport (NF-03) Model City
(BU-18) Lancaster/Milgrove (NF-16) Sanborn/Cambria
(BU-34/35) Orchard Park (NF-41) Grand Island, originally
(BU-52) Hamburg designated NF-74/75.
Buffalo and Niagara Falls were separate Defense Areas until their merger in December 1961. Sites BU-18, NF-16, and NF-41 were converted to operate Nike Hercules. Sites BU-34/35, BU-52, NF-03, NF-16, and NF-74/75 were double sites hosting 24 launchers. Before consolidation, the Niagara Falls Defense Area was commanded from historic Fort Niagara. Command and control was handled from a "BIRDIE" site collocated with Air Force tracking radars at Lockport Air Force Station. Both Regular Army and Army National Guard Units operated these batteries.
Subtopics
- Nike BU-09 12 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - Dec 1961 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.
- Nike BU-18 12 Nike Ajax/Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational 1956 - Mar 1970 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.
- Nike BU-34/35 24 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - Mar 1963 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.
- Nike BU-52 24 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1956 - Dec 1961 . Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.
- Nike NF-03 24 Nike Ajax launchers.. Operational 1955 - 1963. Both Control and launch sites transferred from DoD control to another party.
- Nike NF-16 24 Nike Ajax/11 Nike Hercules launchers. Operational 1955 - Mar 1970 . Control site private ownership. Launch site private ownership.
- Nike NF-41 11 Nike Hercules launchers.. Operational Apr 1959 - Mar 1970 . Control site private ownership. Launch site private ownership.
Related
- Country
- USA
- Launch Vehicles
- Nike Ajax, Nike Hercules
- Bibliography
- 13403