Background
The Lima Site 85 U.S. military installation began c. 1966 with a CIA airstrip and command bunker for supporting local forces in the Laotian Civil War against North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao forces of the North Military Region. The USAF subsequently added tactical air navigation system (TACAN) equipment to the mountaintop and a helicopter landing zone (LZ) below the summit in August 1966 to support flights into northern areas. By November 1, 1967, to provide a Combat Skyspot ground-directed bombing capability against northern North Vietnam targets particularly for the monsoon season, a Reeves AN/TSQ-81 Bomb Directing Central and other structures were added near the TACAN. The central directed aerial bombing and was operated by two 5-man crews on day/night shifts with weekly rotations (TACAN Circuit Rider personnel of the 1st Mobile Communications Group and the CIA case officer were also rotated.)
Prior to emplacement of the AN/TSQ-81, the 7th Air Force estimated the enemy would attack the site about 6 months after radar operations began. The radar crews were manned with military volunteers discharged from the USAF so their civilian status would provide cover if they were identified operating in the neutral Kingdom of Laos.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Lima Site 85
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