Calumet Air Force Station Calumet Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station . It is located east - southeast of Phoenix , Michigan . It was closed in 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 J - 59 . History . In late 1951 Air Defense Command selected the Keweenaw , Michigan site as one of twenty - eight radar stations built as part of the second segment of the permanent radar surveillance 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 second segment 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 . On 1 May 1951 the 665th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began operating AN / FPS - 3 and AN / FPS - 5 radars at this northern Michigan site in early 1953 , 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 . On 1 December 1953 the site was re - designated as Calumet Air Force Station . In 1956 an AN / FPS - 6 replaced the AN / FPS - 5 height - finder radar . In 1958 an AN / FPS - 20 search radar was deployed at Calumet . By 1961 this radar was upgraded and redesignated as an AN / FPS - 64 . During 1960 Calumet AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment ( SAGE ) system , feeding data to DC - 14 at K . I . Sawyer AFB , Michigan . After joining , the squadron was re - designated as the 665th Radar Squadron ( SAGE ) on 15 July 1960 . 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 the NORAD ID Z - 16 . A turn - over of equipment in 1963 left the site with an AN / FPS - 27 search radar along with AN / FPS - 26 A and AN / FPS - 90 height - finder radars . The AN / FPS - 90 was removed in the late 1970s . In addition to the main facility , Calumet operated the following AN / FPS - 18 Gap Filler sites : The 665th Radar Sq was inactivated and replaced by the 665th Air Defense Group in March 1970 . The upgrade to group status was done because of Calumet 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 the 655th Radar Squadron as defenses against manned bombers were reduced . The group was disbanded in 1984 . 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 . Calumet came under Tactical Air Command jurisdiction in October 1979 with the inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command and the formation of ADTAC . The station then underwent cease - operations about that time , and the AN / FPS - 26A height - finder radar was removed , but the site closing was soon reversed . On 30 September 1988 , the site finally closed permanently . Calumet was then reconfigured as an Air Force Joint Surveillance System ( JSS ) site , initially with only the AN / FPS - 27 . An AN / FPS - 91 A replaced the AN / FPS - 27 , and later an AN / FPS - 116 height - finder radar was installed . The former station was used by Keweenaw Academy , a reform school , however today the site is unused and abandoned . The facilities are visibly degrading in a very remote area .