34th NORAD Division SAGE Center - Springfield, MI
Posted by: S5280ft
N 42° 19.333 W 085° 16.038
16T E 642773 N 4687006
Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was developed to direct NIKE and other air defense systems against enemy bomber aircraft. Today, this 4 story windowless block of a building is a warehouse.
Waymark Code: WM3A88
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 03/04/2008
Views: 78
From Wikipedia.com (
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SAGE, the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment, was an automated control system used by NORAD for collecting, tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft from the late 1950s into the 1980s. In later versions, the system could automatically direct aircraft to an interception by sending commands directly to the aircraft's autopilot.
By the time it was fully operational the Soviet bomber threat had been replaced by the Soviet missile threat, for which SAGE was entirely inadequate. Nevertheless, SAGE was tremendously important; it led to huge advances in online systems and interactive computing, real-time computing, and data communications using modems. It is generally considered to be one of the most advanced and successful large computer systems ever developed.
From the Battle Creek Enquirer: (
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Up to 1,000 men continued at the Air Force Station, home to the 34th North American Air Defense Division. There's an eerie reminder at Fort Custer of NORAD's controversial Semi-Automated Ground Environment network in the form of a large, windowless "blockhouse" near the corner of Base and Major Streets. It was there that a NORAD commander and his staff could wage a defensive war against enemy aircraft approaching the Great Lakes region.
The SAGE building had 600 telephone stations and two computers that weighed 700 tons apiece. Today, the building serves as a warehouse.