<s>
Marine	B-Device
Tactical	I-Device
Data	I-Device
System	I-Device
,	O
commonly	O
known	O
as	O
MTDS	B-Device
,	O
was	O
a	O
mobile	O
,	O
ground	O
based	O
,	O
aviation	O
command	O
and	O
control	O
system	O
developed	O
by	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
for	O
the	O
execution	O
of	O
anti-air	O
warfare	O
in	O
support	O
of	O
the	O
Fleet	O
Marine	O
Force	O
(	O
FMF	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MTDS	B-Device
was	O
a	O
spiral	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
Navy	O
's	O
Navy	B-Device
Tactical	I-Device
Data	I-Device
System	I-Device
(	O
NTDS	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Produced	O
by	O
Litton	O
Systems	O
Inc	O
.	O
in	O
Van	O
Nuys	O
,	O
California	O
,	O
MTDS	B-Device
took	O
almost	O
a	O
decade	O
to	O
develop	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MTDS	B-Device
remained	O
the	O
backbone	O
of	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
air	O
defense	O
operations	O
until	O
it	O
was	O
replaced	O
by	O
the	O
AN/TYQ	O
-23	O
Tactical	O
Air	O
Operations	O
Module	O
in	O
the	O
early	O
1990s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Marine	O
Corps’	O
air	O
warning	O
program	O
was	O
developed	O
during	O
World	O
War	O
II	O
to	O
provide	O
early	B-Algorithm
warning	I-Algorithm
and	O
fighter	O
control	O
for	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
forces	O
ashore	O
during	O
amphibious	O
operations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
mid-1950s	O
,	O
early	B-Algorithm
warning	I-Algorithm
,	O
fighter	O
control	O
,	O
and	O
ground	O
controlled	O
intercept	O
(	O
GCI	O
)	O
were	O
performed	O
by	O
the	O
Marine	O
Air	O
Control	O
Squadrons	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Marine	O
Aviation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Thus	O
was	O
born	O
the	O
Semi-Automatic	B-Device
Ground	I-Device
Environment	I-Device
also	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
SAGE.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
funds	O
became	O
available	O
in	O
1957	O
,	O
a	O
contract	O
was	O
awarded	O
to	O
Litton	O
Systems	O
Incorporated	O
for	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
Marine	B-Device
Tactical	I-Device
Data	I-Device
System	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
(	O
AN/TYQ	B-Device
-2	I-Device
)	O
-	O
Tactical	O
Air	O
Operations	O
Center	O
(	O
TAOC	O
)	O
,	O
produced	O
by	O
Litton	O
Industries	O
-	O
An	O
operational	O
complex	O
of	O
14	O
shelters	O
containing	O
computers	O
to	O
track	O
and	O
process	O
radar	O
information	O
and	O
communications	O
equipment	O
for	O
the	O
execution	O
of	O
anti-air	O
warfare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
(	O
AN/TYA	O
-5	O
)	O
-	O
Central	O
Computer	O
Group	O
-	O
shelter	O
that	O
contains	O
the	O
electronic	O
data	O
processing	O
equipment	O
that	O
forms	O
the	O
core	O
of	O
the	O
AN/TYQ	B-Device
-2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
(	O
AN/TYA	O
)	O
-	O
Maintenance	O
Group	O
-	O
Two	O
shelters	O
for	O
test	O
and	O
repair	O
of	O
the	O
magnetic	B-General_Concept
drum	I-General_Concept
assembly	O
,	O
microppsitioner	O
,	O
power	O
supplies	O
,	O
and	O
communications	O
modules	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
TDCC	O
hosted	O
the	O
critical	O
operational	O
software	O
to	O
drive	O
MTDS	B-Device
and	O
exchange	O
air	O
command	O
and	O
control	O
data	O
with	O
NTDS	O
and	O
other	O
joint	O
command	O
and	O
control	O
systems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MTDS	B-Device
consisted	O
of	O
three	O
major	O
components	O
that	O
worked	O
in	O
concert	O
to	O
automate	O
early	B-Algorithm
warning	I-Algorithm
,	O
fighter	O
direction	O
and	O
the	O
control	O
of	O
surface	O
to	O
air	O
missiles	O
within	O
the	O
Marine	O
Air-Ground	O
Task	O
Force	O
(	O
MAGTF	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Under	O
MTDS	B-Device
,	O
air	O
defense	O
within	O
the	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
was	O
to	O
be	O
combined	O
into	O
a	O
new	O
agency	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Tactical	O
Air	O
Operations	O
Center	O
(	O
TAOC	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ensuring	O
that	O
the	O
entirety	O
of	O
the	O
system	O
was	O
helicopter	O
transportable	O
was	O
a	O
major	O
factor	O
influencing	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
design	O
of	O
MTDS	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Marine	O
Corps	O
forces	O
operating	O
from	O
amphibious	O
shipping	O
needed	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
sling	O
load	O
MTDS	B-Device
huts	O
underneath	O
helicopters	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
get	O
it	O
ashore	O
during	O
an	O
amphibious	O
operation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
original	O
design	O
,	O
MTDS	B-Device
planned	O
to	O
utilize	O
TADIL-A/Link	O
11	O
to	O
communicate	O
between	O
all	O
participating	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
units	O
(	O
TACC	O
,	O
LAAM	O
,	O
etc	O
...	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
Navy	O
's	O
NTDS	O
afloat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
were	O
also	O
questions	O
about	O
the	O
viability	O
of	O
utilizing	O
high	B-Algorithm
frequency	I-Algorithm
radio	O
waves	O
in	O
mountainous	O
terrain	O
where	O
the	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
may	O
need	O
to	O
operate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
TRC-97	O
provided	O
data	O
,	O
voice	O
and	O
teletype	O
connectivity	O
for	O
MTDS	B-Device
and	O
would	O
grow	O
to	O
become	O
the	O
backbone	O
of	O
USMC	O
and	O
USAF	O
long	O
haul	O
communications	O
for	O
years	O
to	O
come	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Early	O
in	O
the	O
design	O
phase	O
of	O
MTDS	B-Device
,	O
it	O
was	O
decided	O
to	O
use	O
magnetic	B-General_Concept
drum	I-General_Concept
memory	I-General_Concept
computers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Memory	B-General_Concept
drums	I-General_Concept
were	O
used	O
as	O
the	O
digital	O
storage	O
elements	O
and	O
system	O
clock	O
pulse	O
generators	O
in	O
the	O
Central	O
Computer	O
Group	O
and	O
each	O
of	O
the	O
Radar	O
and	O
Identification	O
Data	O
Processors	O
(	O
RIDP	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
that	O
time	O
a	O
senior	O
defense	O
official	O
questioned	O
the	O
efficacy	O
of	O
drum	B-General_Concept
memory	I-General_Concept
computers	O
and	O
requested	O
a	O
review	O
of	O
the	O
program	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
a	O
few	O
month	O
delay	O
,	O
the	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
was	O
able	O
to	O
show	O
that	O
the	O
drum	B-General_Concept
memory	I-General_Concept
system	O
already	O
in	O
place	O
met	O
all	O
reliability	O
requirements	O
set	O
forth	O
for	O
the	O
program	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
early	O
1960s	O
,	O
Marine	O
Air	O
Control	O
Squadron	O
3	O
(	O
MACS-3	O
)	O
at	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
Air	O
Station	O
Santa	O
Ana	O
,	O
California	O
was	O
administratively	O
detached	O
from	O
the	O
I	O
Marine	O
Amphibious	O
Force	O
and	O
moved	O
under	O
Air	O
,	O
Fleet	O
Marine	O
Forces	O
Pacific	O
for	O
purposes	O
of	O
testing	O
MTDS	B-Device
equipment	O
and	O
operational	O
concepts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MACS-3	O
Sub-Unit	O
1	O
located	O
at	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
Base	O
Twentynine	O
Palms	O
,	O
CA	O
took	O
delivery	O
of	O
the	O
second	O
MTDS	B-Device
system	O
in	O
September	O
1962	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1963	O
,	O
the	O
program	O
was	O
in	O
serious	O
trouble	O
and	O
then	O
Commandant	O
of	O
the	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
General	O
David	O
M	O
.	O
Shoup	O
named	O
Colonel	O
Earl	O
E	O
.	O
Anderson	O
as	O
the	O
first	O
program	O
manager	O
for	O
MTDS	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
1965	O
,	O
MACS-3	O
accepted	O
the	O
first	O
production	O
model	O
of	O
MTDS	B-Device
for	O
operational	O
testing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MACS-3	O
graduated	O
its	O
first	O
class	O
of	O
MTDS	B-Device
operators	O
and	O
maintainers	O
on	O
8	O
October	O
1963	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MTDS	B-Device
began	O
fielding	O
to	O
the	O
operating	O
forces	O
in	O
July	O
1966	O
with	O
the	O
last	O
system	O
fielding	O
in	O
August	O
1973	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MTDS	B-Device
was	O
replaced	O
by	O
the	O
AN/TYQ	O
-23	O
Tactical	O
Air	O
Operations	O
Module	O
(	O
TAOM	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
joint	O
USAF/USMC	O
program	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
the	O
AN/TYQ	O
-23	O
began	O
in	O
the	O
early	O
1980s	O
and	O
coincided	O
with	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
USMC	O
's	O
next	O
generation	O
long	O
range	O
radar	O
,	O
the	O
AN/TPS	B-Application
-59	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Testing	O
was	O
not	O
complete	O
before	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
Gulf	B-Application
War	I-Application
in	O
1990	O
therefore	O
Marine	O
Air	O
Control	O
Squadron	O
2	O
utilized	O
MTDS	B-Device
when	O
combat	O
operations	O
commenced	O
in	O
January	O
1991	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fielding	O
of	O
the	O
AN/TYQ	O
-23	O
began	O
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
Gulf	B-Application
War	I-Application
and	O
MTDS	B-Device
was	O
concurrently	O
removed	O
from	O
the	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
inventory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
MTDS	B-Device
system	O
fielded	O
to	O
the	O
Fleet	O
Marine	O
Force	O
was	O
given	O
to	O
Marine	O
Air	O
Control	O
Squadron	O
4	O
at	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
Base	O
Camp	O
Pendleton	O
,	O
California	O
in	O
September	O
1966	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
1966	O
they	O
sent	O
an	O
advanced	O
party	O
to	O
scout	O
the	O
best	O
locations	O
for	O
MTDS	B-Device
in	O
country	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
its	O
time	O
in	O
Vietnam	O
utilizing	O
MTDS	B-Device
,	O
MACS-4	O
controlled	O
or	O
assisted	O
472,146	O
aircraft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1969	O
,	O
the	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
fielded	O
the	O
AN/TPS	O
-32	O
radar	O
which	O
was	O
the	O
service	O
's	O
first	O
phased	O
array	O
three	O
dimensional	O
radar	O
and	O
was	O
optimized	O
for	O
operations	O
with	O
MTDS	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
development	O
of	O
MTDS	B-Device
coincided	O
with	O
the	O
fielding	O
of	O
the	O
MIM-23	O
HAWK	O
Missile	O
system	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
AN/TPQ	B-Algorithm
-10	I-Algorithm
Radar	I-Algorithm
Course	I-Algorithm
Directing	I-Algorithm
Central	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Testing	O
and	O
fielding	O
of	O
MTDS	B-Device
along	O
with	O
various	O
other	O
automated	O
systems	O
in	O
the	O
1960s	O
highlighted	O
that	O
the	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
was	O
not	O
properly	O
staffed	O
to	O
develop	O
,	O
test	O
and	O
acquire	O
new	O
digital	O
equipment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lessons	O
learned	O
from	O
MTDS	B-Device
's	O
testing	O
and	O
development	O
and	O
the	O
recognized	O
need	O
to	O
support	O
current	O
and	O
future	O
tactical	O
data	O
systems	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
Marine	O
Corps	O
Tactical	O
Systems	O
Support	O
Activity	O
(	O
MCTSSA	O
)	O
based	O
at	O
MCB	O
Camp	O
Pendleton	O
,	O
CA	O
.	O
</s>
