Starting in the early 50’s for over 20 years, General Electric was successful in fielding many sophisticated radar systems all employed in guidance and tracking of ICBM-class long range missiles. The systems were developed, manufactured and marketed by Heavy Military Electronics Department (HMED), Electronics Park, Syracuse, NY.

• Development applications included all of the early versions of Atlas and Titan, up through their upgrades and evolutions including modern weapons in service today.
   
• Operational applications were the “on-line” silo-based Atlas and Titan ICBMs.
   
• Latter applications were in direct support of the manned space program up to 1966.
   
• Military applications continued until 1995 when the last MOD III was retired at Vandenberg, vacuum tubes and all!

GE marketed their systems to the space industry; mostly by face-to-face selling, accompanied with slick marketing brochures. The system was named General Electric Radio Tracking System (GERTS). ”Accessories” included a conical scan radar* for acquisition and guidance after liftoff, all interface equipment for calculation of Impact Prediction (IP) and Mission Analysis, Airborne transponders with numerous antennae configurations; GERTS had an impeccable reputation for reliability and accuracy.

Below you will find the pages of the GERTS Brochure copied in black and white. If I get the opportunity, I will rescan these in the full color of the original publication.

Larry Brunetti

*the picture is of the conical antenna mounted on the “snout” of the the MOD III antenna. You can see a small portion of the banana peel-shaped “sails” to the left and right. The snout also carried the main monopulse feedhorns that worked in conjunction with the sails.