Fort Fisher Air Force Station Fort Fisher Air Force Station was a US Air Force installation located on the Atlantic coast southwest of Kure Beach , North Carolina . Its primary mission was as a radar complex . It was closed on 30 June 1988 by the Air Force , and turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) . Today the site is part of the Joint Surveillance System ( JSS ) , designated by NORAD as Eastern Air Defense Sector ( EADS ) Ground Equipment Facility . History . During the Civil War , Fort Fisher was a Confederate stronghold . It fell to Union forces on January 15 , 1865 . In late December 1940 , a new military facility was built as an Army anti - aircraft artillery training facility . It was named Camp Davis , and was manned by about 20 , 000 officers and men . Camp Davis was attached to the First Army , Fourth Corps Area . It was an expansive facility consisting of more than 3 , 000 buildings on with access provided by newly built railroad spurs leading into the camp . Camp Davis was different from most military installations by having its firing ranges outside of the boundaries of the main post . In total five ranges were set up outside of Camp Davis for conducting live anti - aircraft training . These ranges were spread out along the southern coast of North Carolina at Sears Point , New Topsail Inlet , Maple Hill , Holly Shelter , and Fort Fisher . Fort Fisher Army Air Field . The Fort Fisher range ultimately became the main range for Camp Davis and the installation was given the name Fort Fisher Army Air Field ( AAF ) . Because of the new range ' s prominence , it was deemed necessary to make the range a self - sustaining post . This called for the construction of 48 frame buildings , 316 tent frames , showers and latrines , mess halls , warehouses , radio and meteorological stations , a post exchange , photo lab , recreation hall , outdoor theater , guardhouse , infirmary , and an administration building . In addition to these facilities , the site featured a 10 , 000 - gallon water storage tank , a motor pool , a large parade ground , and three steel observation towers along the beach . One of the more prominent features of the range was a . unpaved runway . From a historical standpoint this is unfortunate as a section of the earthworks for the fort ' s land face , known as Shepard ' s Battery , were leveled to make the runway . The Army was well aware of the historical significance of the old fort , but the necessities of the war outweighed historic preservation . Today , the parking lot and visitor center for Fort Fisher sit on the remains of the runway . In 1944 the anti - aircraft training facility was transferred to another base and Camp Davis was closed . At the time of its closure , Fort Fisher AAF had grown to include an 80 - seat cafeteria , a 350 - bed hospital and dental clinic , and covered an area of several hundred acres . Fort Fisher Air Force Station . In 1955 , the United States Air Force retained part of Fort Fisher AAF and renamed it Fort Fisher Air Force Station . It was assigned to Air Defense Command ( ADC ) as part of a planned deployment of forty - four Mobile radar stations . Fort Fisher AFS was designed as site M - 115 and the 701st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was assigned on 1 August 1955 . ADC initially installed AN / MPS - 7 and AN / MPS - 8 radars at the site , and initially the station functioned as a Ground control intercept ( GCI ) and warning station . As a GCI station , the squadron ' s role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the squadron ' s radar scopes . By 1958 the AN / MPS - 8 had been converted into an AN / GPS - 3 and an AN / MPS - 14 had been added . In 1962 an AN / FPS - 7 C and AN / FPS - 26 were placed in operation along with the AN / MPS - 14 radars . During 1962 Fort Fisher AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment ( SAGE ) system , initially feeding data to DC - 04 at Fort Lee AFS , Virginia . After joining , the squadron was redesignated as the 701st Radar Squadron ( SAGE ) on 1 July 1962 . The radar squadron provided information 24 / 7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range , direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile . On 31 July 1963 , the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z - 115 . The station was supported logistically by nearby Myrtle Beach Air Force Base South Carolina . In addition , an AN / FSS - 7 radar was operated by 4783d Surveillance Squadron , 14th Aerospace Force to monitor for Ballistic Missile launches by submarines . In addition to the main facility , Fort Fisher AFS operated several unmanned Gap Filler sites : Myrtle Beach operated an AN / FPS - 14 , while Fort Bragg operated an AN / FPS - 18 . In addition , with the closure of ADC facilities at MCAS Cherry Point ( M - 116 ) , the AN / FPS - 14 Gap Filler at Holly Ridge , NC was redesignated Z - 115C in 1963 . Over the years , the equipment at the station was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars . The 701st Radar Squadron ( SAGE ) was inactivated and replaced by the 701st Air Defense Group in March 1970 Just before inactivation , the squadron earned an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for exceptionally meritorious service for the period from 1 December 1968 through 28 February 1970 . The upgrade to group status was done because of Fort Fisher AFS ' status as a Backup Interceptor Control ( BUIC ) site . BUIC sites were alternate control sites in the event that SAGE Direction Centers became disabled and unable to control interceptor aircraft . The group was inactivated and replaced by 701st Radar Squadron ( SAGE ) in January 1974 . in reductions to defenses against manned bombers . The group and squadron shared a second AF Outstanding Unit Award for the period 1 January 1973 through 31 December 1974 . Fort Fisher AFS came under Tactical Air Command jurisdiction in 1979 with the inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command and the creation of ADTAC . It operated in this capacity until its closure on 30 June 1988 . Upon decommissioning the site , the FAA continued to run the radar as part of the Joint Surveillance System ( JSS ) network as site J - 02 . In 1995 an AN / FPS - 91 A radar performed search duties . After its closure , a portion of the base was returned to the state of North Carolina which turned much of it into the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and historic site . The Air Force , however , decided to retain the housing complex for the base and turn it into a recreation area known as Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area . With the closure of Myrtle Beach AFB in 1993 , the Air Force facilities at Fort Fisher are currently supported by Seymour Johnson Air Force Base . Besides being a recreation area , the Fort Fisher site is used by the National Guard as a training area and also hosts the Annual Seafood , Blues and Jazz Festival . Units . Squadron Group