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{{Use American English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=North Warning System
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|anniversaries=
}}
{{kmlgeoGroup}}
 
The '''North Warning System''' (NWS, {{langx|fr|Système d'alerte du nord}}) is a joint United States and Canadian [[early-warning radar]] system for the atmospheric [[air defense]] of North America. It provides surveillance of airspace from potential incursions or attacks from across North America's polar region. It replaced the [[Distant Early Warning Line]] system in the late 1980s.
 
==Overview==
[[File:North Radar System.png|thumb|right|360px|The North Warning System as part of NORAD radar array as envisioned by Canada and the US in 1987.]]
 
The NWS consists of both long range [[AN/FPS-117]] and short range [[AN/FPS-124]] surveillance radars, operated and maintained by the [[North American Aerospace Defense Command]] (NORAD).<ref Thename="SOW">{{cite Alaskaweb Regional|title=North OperationsWarning Control CenterSystem (ROCCNWS) atOffice [[JointStatement Baseof ElmendorfWork |url=https://buyandsell.gc.ca/cds/public/2021/03/31/4e8d94dff0f4235b75242f90c7650954/sow_-Richardson_edt.zip |Elmendorfformat=Compressed AFB]],PDF Alaskafile controls|website=Buyandsell.gc.ca the|publisher=Public stationsServices inand Alaska; theProcurement Canada East|access-date=6 andJune Canada2021 West|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606005827/https://buyandsell.gc.ca/cds/public/2021/03/31/4e8d94dff0f4235b75242f90c7650954/sow_-_edt.zip|archive-date=6 RegionalJune Operations2021 Control Centres (ROCCs) at [[CFB North Bay]]|language=en, Ontariofr|date=November control2020|url-status=live}}</ref>{{rp|16}} theThere stationsare in13 Canada.long ROCCrange informationsites isand then36 passedshort to the NORAD Combat Operations Centre (COC) at Colorado Springs,range Coloradosites.
 
In Canada, the station sites are owned or leased by the Government of Canada, which also owns most of the infrastructure. The radars and tactical radios are owned by the [[United States Air Force]].<ref name="SOW" />{{rp|16}} The Alaska Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC) at [[Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson|Elmendorf AFB]], Alaska controls the stations in Alaska; the Canada East and Canada West Regional Operations Control Centres (ROCCs) at [[CFB North Bay]], Ontario control the stations in Canada. ROCC information is then passed to the NORAD Combat Operations Centre (COC) at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
 
Each Long Range site consists of accommodation buildings, radar towers and [[radomes]], generator and fuel systems, satellite terminals, automated weather station, and [[UHF]] and [[VHF]] ground-air-ground radio.<ref name="SOW" />{{rp|17}} Short Range sites consist of a single AN/FPS-124 radar, satellite terminals, power generation and fuel systems, and a small emergency shelter that can accommodate six people. Some short range stations lack weather stations and UHF Tactical Radios.<ref name="SOW" />{{rp|17–18, 24}}
 
==History==
The [[Distant Early Warning Line|Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line]], constructed in the late 1950s, was reaching obsolescence in the 1980s. With the signing of North American Air Defence Modernization agreement at the "[[Shamrock Summit]]" between Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney|Mulroney]] and President [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] in Quebec City on 18 March 1985, the DEW Line began its eventual upgrading and transition becoming the North Warning System (NWS) of today.
 
The NWS began limited operation in 1988 with the commissioning and acceptance of the three newly constructed east coast sites BAF-3 [[Brevoort Island]], [[Nunavut]], LAB-2 [[CFS Saglek|Saglek]], and LAB-6 [[Cartwright AirLong StationRange Radar Site|Cartwright]], both in [[Labrador]]. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, new NWS LRR radars replaced former DEW Line sites. DEW sites that weren'twere not transitioned to North Warning operation were eventually closed down. The official activation of the NWS and inactivation of the DEW Line took place on 15 July 1993.
 
The bi-national North Warning System Office (NWSO) is located in Ottawa, Ontario and staffed with both Canadian and American military and civilian personnel. MannedStaffed sites are operated by the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]], but physically staffed by civilian contractors. Logistical and maintenance support for the NWS is supplied by the [[Air Force Materiel Command]] of the [[United States Air Force]], located at [[Ogden Air Logistics Center]] (OO-ALC), [[Hill Air Force Base]], Utah.
 
== Site remediation==
The former DEW Line sites were operated using practices and materials accepted by the environmental standards of the time. With their closure and many of them rebuilt as NWS sites, a clean-up project was undertaken to remove surplus infrastructure, treat chemically contaminated soils, and stabilize landfill sites. The clean-up was designed to keep chemical contamination from the DEW Line sites out of the [[Arctic]] food chain, and ensure that the sites are restored to an environmentally safe condition. In 1989, the Canadian [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]] (DND) started investigating the environmental conditions of the DEW Line sites and commenced clean-up work at two sites in 1996. The clean-up of 21 sites was scheduled to be completed in 2013. Currently,In 14March sites2014 haveDND been cleaned up andannounced the remaining seven areremediation on-goingproject inwas Nunavutcomplete.
 
== Stations ==
[[File:Edinburgh Island NWT 2.jpg|thumb|right|PIN-DA Short Range Radar site, [[Edinburgh Island]], Nunavut]]
{{kmlgeoGroup|section=Stations}}
The NWS consists of 15 long-range [[radar]]s (11 in Canada, of which 8 were DEW Line sites) and 39 short-range radars (36 in Canada).<ref>[http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA268184 Environmental Assessment for North Warning System (Alaska)]</ref> The system forms a {{Convert|4,800|km|abbr=on|0}} long and {{Convert|320|km|abbr=on|0}} wide "[[tripwire]]" stretching from Alaska to southern Labrador. Minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar AN/FPS-117 radar sites shaded in blue.▼
 
▲The NWS consists of 15 long-range [[radar]]s (11 in Canada, of which 8eight were DEW Line sites) and 39 short-range radars (36 in Canada).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312075312/http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA268184 Environmental Assessment for North Warning System (Alaska)]</ref> The system forms a {{Convert|4,800|km|abbr=on|0}} long and {{Convert|320|km|abbr=on|0}} wide "[[tripwire]]" stretching from Alaska to southern Labrador. Minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar AN/FPS-117 radar sites shaded in blue.
{{Clear}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
Line 245 ⟶ 254:
| 1957
| Active
| {{anchor|Lady Franklin Point}}Established as DEW Line Auxiliary site, 1957. Was expansive facility with airstrip and dock facility for resupplying. DEW operations ended in 1989; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar installed 1989. On 10 January 2000, a fire broke out at the site and burned for several days, destroying most of the site.<ref>[http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/fire_destroys_north_warning_system_radar_station/ Fire destroys North Warning System radar station]</ref> ItOnly wasthe expectedwarehouse, thathangar, garage and satellite terminals remain. As of November 2020, the radarsite wouldwas beindefinitely replacedout inof 2006commission orand 2007without power.<ref>[http://www.radomes.org/museum/NorthWarningSystem.php North Warningname="SOW" System]</ref>{{rp|18}} Lady Franklin Point LRRS Airport {{Airport codes||CYUJ}} is listed in the [[Canada Flight Supplement]] as abandoned.<ref name="cfs"/>
|-
| PIN-DA
Line 290 ⟶ 299:
| 1991
| Active
| {{anchor|Jenny Lind Island}}Replacement for CAM-1 DEW Auxiliary site opened in 1957, closed in 1992. Dew site was located on coast, with airstrip and dock facility for resupplying. New NWS Short Range Radar site opened in October 1991 to cover any Long Range Radar surveillance gaps, located on mountain peak approximately {{Convert|6.5|mi|abbr=on}} NNW of former DEW site. Low resolution imagery of area does not provide information regarding either facility. Helicopter pad used for access to site.
|-
| CAM-B
Line 326 ⟶ 335:
| 1957
| Active
| {{anchor|Shepherd Bay}}Established as DEW Line Auxiliary site, 1957. Was expansive facility with airstrip and dock facility for resupplying. DEW operations ended in July 1989; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar installed July 1989. Appears{{where|date=March 2019}} that much of the former DEW site facilities remain in use, buildings appear in good repair. Shepherd Bay SRRS Airport {{Airport codes||CYUS}} is listed in the [[Canada Flight Supplement]] as abandoned.<ref name="cfs"/>
|-
| CAM-D
Line 371 ⟶ 380:
| 1957
| Active
| {{anchor|Hall Beach}}Established as DEW Main site in 1957; also known as "Site 30". Was expansive facility with airstrip and dock facility for resupplying. DEW operations ended September 1989; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar September 1989. Appears{{where|date=March 2019}} that much of the former DEW site facilities remain in use, buildings appear in good repair. [[Hall Beach Airport]] {{Airport codes||CYUX}} remains in use for access to site.<ref name="cfs"/>
|-
| FOX-1
Line 417 ⟶ 426:
| 1957
| Active
| {{anchor|Dewar Lakes}}Established as DEW Line Auxiliary site, 1957. Was expansive facility with airstrip and dock facility for resupplying. Located on [[Baffin Island]]. DEW operations ended in 1989; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar installed July 1989. Appears{{where|date=March 2019}} that much of the former DEW site facilities remain in use, buildings appear in good repair. Dewar Lakes LRRS Airport {{Airport codes||CYUW}} is listed in the [[Canada Flight Supplement]] as abandoned.<ref name="cfs"/>
|-
| FOX-CA
Line 437 ⟶ 446:
| {{anchor|Cape Hooper}}Established as DEW Line Auxiliary site, 1957; also known as "Site 37" located on [[Baffin Island]]. DEW operations ended in 1991. NWS Short Range Radar site activated in December 1990 to cover any Long Range Radar surveillance gaps.
|-
| {{visible anchor|FOX-5}}
| [[Qikiqtarjuaq|Broughton Island]]
| NU
Line 453 ⟶ 462:
| 1957
| Active
| {{anchor|Cape Dyer}}Established as DEW Main site in 1957; also known as "Site 41". Was expansive facility with airstrip and dock facility for resupplying. DEW operations ended August 1989; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar August1989August 1989. Appears{{where|date=March 2019}} that much of the former DEW site facilities remain in use, buildings appear in good repair. Cape Dyer Airport {{Airport codes||CYVN}} is listed in the [[Canada Flight Supplement]] as abandoned.<ref name="cfs"/>
|-
| BAF-2
Line 462 ⟶ 471:
| 1992
| Active
| {{anchor|Cape Mercy}}Established in July 1992 as an unattended NWS Short Range Radar site to cover any Long Range Radar surveillance gaps. The site consists of a radar tower, communications facility, and small storage building. Low resolution imagery of area does not provide information regarding facility.
|- style="background: #F1F5FC; color: black"
| BAF-3
Line 471 ⟶ 480:
| 1988
| Active
| {{anchor|Brevoort Island }}Established in October 1988 as a minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar installed 1989. The site consists of a radar tower, communications facility, and small storage building. Appears{{where|date=March 2019}} to have been built on a former DEW site, which station site remediation work has left gravel roads, old building pads and a gravel airstrip. Former airstrip no longer listed in the [[Canada Flight Supplement]],<ref name="cfs"/> but new building appears{{where|date=March 2019}} to have been erected at end of runway.
|-
| BAF-4A
Line 489 ⟶ 498:
| 1943
| Active
| {{anchor|Resolution Island}}Former [[Pinetree Line]] radar station N-30, closed 1961; reopened as unattended NWS Short Range Radar site in September 1991 to cover any Long Range Radar surveillance gaps. Former Pinetree Line radar station remains, building conditions indeterminate. Many former radars and communication antennas still standing. Access to site appears{{where|date=March 2019}} to be by helicopter pad.
|-
| LAB-1
Line 549 ⟶ 558:
 
== Distant Early Warning Line sites not included ==
{{kmlgeoGroup|section=Distant Early Warning Line sites not included}}
The following table lists the DEW Line sites not included in the NWS. Most of these sites not included were Intermediate sites closed in 1963 when they were declared obsolete. The stations consisted of a module train, a warehouse, a vehicle garage, an [[Inuit]] house, POL (''P''etroleum, ''O''il, ''L''ubricant) tanks and a continuous wave radar tower. Others were some Auxiliary sites that were replaced with new NWS stations. DEW Line stations in the [[Aleutian Islands]] of Alaska were inactivated due to budget reductions in 1969. The [[DYE Stations]] in [[Greenland]] and [[Iceland]] were transferred to the USAF [[85th Group|Air Forces Iceland]] in 1980.
 
The primary DEW line radars were the [[Raytheon]] [[AN/FPS-19]] long range L-Band search radar in Canada and Alaska at main and auxiliary sites; [[Bendix Corporation|Bendix]] [[AN/FPS-30]] at the four Greenland "DYE" radar stations. [[Motorola]] [[AN/FPS-23]] short range search radar was installed at the Intermediate sites, used as fillers to cover any Long Range Radar surveillance gaps.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
Line 706 ⟶ 715:
| 1957
| 1963
| {{anchor|Tununuk Camp}}DEW Intermediate Site; closed and abandoned, 1963; site conditionappears isto undeterminedbe remediated.
|-
| BAR-D
Line 715 ⟶ 724:
| 1957
| 1963
| {{anchor|Atkinson Point}}DEW Intermediate Site; closed and abandoned, 1963; siteabandoned conditionbuildings isremain undeterminedon site. Replaced by NWS Site Liverpool Bay SRR (BAR-DA1)
|-
| PIN-A
Line 814 ⟶ 823:
| 1957
| 1963
| {{anchor|Matheson Point}}DEW Intermediate Site; closed and abandoned, 1963. Clean-up and remediation completed, site has been completely obliterated. Replaced by NWS Site Gjoa Haven SRR (CAM-CB)
|-
| CAM-E
Line 868 ⟶ 877:
| 1957
| 1963
| {{anchor|Durban Island}}DEW Intermediate Site; closed and abandoned, 1963. Low resolutionSatellite imagery shows high levels of site,recent conditionactivity isat undeterminedthe site.
|-
| DYE-1
Line 904 ⟶ 913:
| 1961
| 1988
| {{anchor|Kulusuk Island}}Parent station was Cape Dyer, NWT, Canada (DYE-Main). Closed 1988. Abandoned. Site badly deteriorated, buildings half covered in snow
|-
| DYE-5
Line 921 ⟶ 930:
==See also==
* [[Canadian Forces base]]
* [[Operation Hurricane (Canada)]]▼
* [[Joint Surveillance System]]
* [[NORAD Tracks Santa]] Program
▲* [[Operation Hurricane (Canada)]]
 
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
 
==Further reading==
* Lackenbauer, Farish, Arthur-Lackenbauer (2005). [httphttps://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/aina/DEWLineBib.pdf Lackenbauer, Farish, Arthur-Lackenbauer (2005), ''The Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line: A Bibliography and Documentary Resource List,'']. [https://web.archive.org/web/20220218092017/http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/aina/DEWLineBib.pdf Archived] from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2024. The Arctic Institute of North America]. {{ISBN|1-894788-01-X}} .
* [http://www.tunngavik.com/documents/publications/2007-03-17-NTI-Contaminated-Sites-Devolution-Paper.pdf Contaminated Sites in Nunavut] [https://web.archive.org/web/20230708182512/https://www.tunngavik.com/documents/publications/2007-03-17-NTI-Contaminated-Sites-Devolution-Paper.pdf Archived] from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2024
 
==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130509055446/http://www.norad.mil/about/index.html About NORAD] Public information.
* [http://www.pail.ca/nws.html PAIL Corp.] Public information from PAIL Corp.
* [http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/airdef/an-fps-124.htm Technical Radar Information] NWS Radar information from FAS.
 
{{CanadaColdWar}}
Line 941 ⟶ 950:
{{Royal Canadian Air Force|state=collapsed}}
{{Aerospace Defense Command|state=collapsed}}
{{Abandoned sites in Greenland}}
 
[[Category:Royal Canadian Air Force]]▼
[[Category:Cold War military history of Canada]]▼
[[Category:Radar networks]]▼
[[Category:Canada–United States relations]]
[[Category:Radar stations of the United States Air Force]]▼
[[Category:Aerospace Defense Command]]
[[Category:MilitaryCanada–United inStates the Arcticrelations]]
▲[[Category:Cold War military history of Canada]]
[[Category:Cold War military history of the United States]]
[[Category:Military globalization]]
[[Category:Military in the Arctic]]
▲[[Category:RadarAir defence radar networks]]
▲[[Category:Radar stations of the United States Air Force]]
▲[[Category:Royal Canadian Air Force]]
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