Boron Air Force Station Boron Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station . It is located northeast of Boron , California . It was closed by the Air Force in 1975 and turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) . The radar site is still operated by the FAA as part of the Joint Surveillance System ( JSS ) . History . Boron Air Force Station was one of twenty - eight stations built as part of the second segment of the Air Defense Command permanent radar network . Prompted by the start of the Korean War , on July 11 , 1950 , the Secretary of the Air Force asked the Secretary of Defense for approval to expedite construction of the permanent network . Receiving the Defense Secretary ’ s approval on July 21 , the Air Force directed the Corps of Engineers to proceed with construction . The 750th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was assigned to Atolia , California on 28 January 1952 . It assumed coverage responsibilities formerly held by the temporary " Lashup " site at Edwards AFB site ( L - 40 ) , and was operating two AN / FPS - 10 radars at this new 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 unit ' s radar scopes . Atolia AFS was renamed " Boron Air Force Station " on 1 December 1953 . The AN / FPS - 10 search radar at Boron remained until 1959 . In 1958 an AN / FPS - 6 replaced the AN / FPS - 10 height - finder radar . A second height - finder radar ( AN / FPS - 6 A ) was installed in 1959 . During 1961 Boron AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment ( SAGE ) system , feeding data to DC - 17 at Norton AFB , California . After joining , the squadron was redesignated as the 750th Radar Squadron ( SAGE ) on 1 May 1961 . 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 . In addition , Boron AFS became a joint - use facility with the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) . By this time the AN / FPS - 10 had been replaced by an AN / FPS - 20 search radar . However , this radar was soon replaced by an AN / FPS - 35 FD radar . By 1963 this radar operated with AN / FPS - 26 A and AN / FPS - 90 height - finder radars . Boron AFS was re - designated as NORAD ID Z - 59 on 31 July 1963 . In 1968 the AN / FPS - 90 was inactivated . In 1969 the AN / FPS - 35 was removed , and was replaced by an AN / FPS - 67 on the same tower ( and with a radome ) ; it became operational in 1970 . In addition to the main facility , Boron operated several AN / FPS - 14 Gap Filler sites : 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 750th Radar Squadron was inactivated on 30 June 1975 . The FAA retained the AN / FPS - 67 , and continue to operate it today and is now data - tied into the Joint Surveillance System ( JSS ) . Boron AFS was later converted into a Federal Prison in 1979 , for minimum security male inmates , which was closed in 2000 . The site is now abandoned and being vandalized . It may eventually be sold as surplus property through the GSA . External links .