Radar Tower Construction Underway at Jefferson Barracks

Construction is moving forward on a new at .

When completed, the tower will have a revolving radar antenna with a range of 240 nautical miles. The unit costs $30 million and will replace a similar radar unit that was decommissioned in 1999.

The 121st Air Control Squadron of the Missouri Air National Guard will use the tower to support air missions based at the Barracks.  

“This piece of equipment will be a major asset to us,” said Capt. Eric White in a Nation Guard release, the 121st air battle manager. “Once the radar is mounted on the top of the tower, it will give us a phenomenal air picture of the entire area and it will extend our radio communications because most of our radios right now are line-of-sight. And if the air traffic control radar went down at Lambert (Airport) for some reason, our radar could supplement homeland security and the Federal Aviation Administration.” 

Completion of the tower is expected by the end of September.