Highlands Air Force Station, Military base and historic district in Middletown Township, United States
Highlands Air Force Station was a military installation spread across approximately 240 acres near the New Jersey coast, equipped with radar systems and fortified structures for air defense. The complex included multiple battery positions and control facilities for regional surveillance operations.
The facility became operational in 1948 when the Air Force established it as part of a regional defense network for the eastern coast. It remained active until 1966 when it was decommissioned and eventually repurposed.
The name reflects the elevated terrain that characterizes this coastal area. Visitors walking the grounds today encounter remnants of the defensive infrastructure that shaped the region's wartime role.
Today the grounds are accessible to visitors through Hartshorne Woods Park, a public recreation area managed by the county. Walking paths connect different sections of the former installation, making it easy to explore at your own pace.
In 1958 this station received one of the nation's first advanced long-range radar systems, a General Electric AN/FPS-7 model. This technology gave it a leading role in Cold War surveillance capabilities.
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