Located on New Jersey's Sandy Hook peninsula, Fort Hancock was the site of the nation's first artillery proving ground. It was also the site of numerous seacoast fortifications dating from both the 19th and 20th Centuries.

The Fort Hancock Nike site, Nike Battery NY-56, was activated during 1955. This four magazine double site could track and engage two targets simultaneously and was in operation through 1974. Historic Fort Hancock, including its Cold War era Nike facility, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

	Location Launcher Area: Sandy Hook peninsula, (Monmouth County), NJ Control Area: Sandy Hook peninsula, (Monmouth County), NJ Dates of Operation 1955-1974 Weapons Systems & Missile Load Nike Ajax / 40 Nike Hercules / 24 Missile Magazines 4 Magazines (double site). 4 type "B".		Radar Types ACQR, LOPAR, ABAR, HIPAR. Unit Information Army - HHB/526th (1955-1958) C/526th (1955-1958) HHB/4/71st (1958-1964) C/4/71st (1958-1964) HHB/3/51st (1964-1968) C/3/51st (1964-1974) HQ 52nd Artillery Brigade (1968-1974) National Guard - HQ 254th Artillery Group (1959-1963) Present Status Located within the confines of the Sandy Hook unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area (National Park Service), Nike site NY-56 remains mostly intact. Most of the site's original buildings and structures (including missile magazines and radar towers) are intact, although to date no official efforts have been made to either preserve or restore this historic Cold War era installation.