The North Warning System (NWS) is a joint United States and Canadian 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.
The NWS consists of both long AN/FPS-117 and short range AN/FPS-124 surveillance radars, operated and maintained by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The Alaska Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC) at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska controls the stations in Alaska; the Canada East and Canada West Regional Operations Control Centers (ROCCs) at CFB North Bay, Ontario control the stations in Canada. ROCC information is then passed to the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) Combat Operations Centre (COC) at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The Distant Early Warning 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 Mulroney and President Reagan in Quebec City on 18 March 1985 the DEW Line began it's 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 Saglek, and LAB-6 Cartwright both in Labrador. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, new NWS LRR radars replaced former DEW Line sites. DEW sites that weren't 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. Manned sites are operated by the Canadian Forces Air Command. Logistical and maintenance support for the NWS is supplied by the United States Air Force Materiel Command, Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC), Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
The NWS consists of 15 long-range radars (11 in Canada of which 8 were DEW Line sites) and 39 short-range radars (36 in Canada).[1] The system forms a 4,800-kilometer-long and 320-kilometer-wide "tripwire" stretching from Alaska, via Canada, to Southern Labrador.
Site ID | Name | Location | Radar | Coordinates | Activated | Inactivated | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LIZ-2 | Point Lay | AK | FPS-124 | 69°01′27″N 163°51′26″W / 69.02417°N 163.85722°W | 1955 | 1994 | Established as DEW Line Auxillary site, 1955. Also was part of Alaska Radar System, site A-15. DEW operations ended 1989; minimally-attended NWS Short Range Radar installed 1990; Site Inactivated 1994 and remediation work was completed by 2005. Gravel runway and building pads remain. See also: Point Lay LRRS Airport (PPIZ) |
LIZ-3 | Wainwright | AK | FPS-124 | 70°36′37″N 159°52′12″W / 70.61028°N 159.87000°W | 1955 | 2007 | Established as DEW Line Auxillary site, 1955. Also was part of Alaska Radar System, site A-16. DEW operations ended 1995; minimally-attended NWS Short Range Radar installed 1994; Former DEW station remediation work was completed by 2005. Site Inactivated 2007 due to soil erosion & budget concerns. See also: Wainwright Airport (PAWI) |
POW-M | Point Barrow | AK | FPS-117 | 71°19′38″N 156°38′10″W / 71.32722°N 156.63611°W | 1957 | Active | Established as DEW Line Main site, 1957. Also is part of Alaska Radar System, site A-17, Maintained by USAF 611th Air Support Group. DEW operations ended 1998; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar installed 1999 Station buildings remain in use and in good repair. See also: Point Barrow Long Range Radar Site |
POW-1 | Point Lonely | AK | FPS-124 | 70°54′37″N 153°14′23″W / 70.91028°N 153.23972°W | 1957 | 2007 | Established as DEW Line Auxillary site, 1957. Also was part of Alaska Radar System, site A-18. DEW operations ended 1990; minimally-attended NWS Short Range Radar installed 1994. Site Inactivated 2007 due to soil erosion & budget concerns. Station buildings remain in good repair. See also: Lonely Air Station (PALN) |
POW-2 | Oliktok | AK | FPS-117 | 70°29′54″N 149°53′22″W / 70.49833°N 149.88944°W | 1957 | Active | Established as DEW Line Auxillary site, 1957. Also is part of Alaska Radar System, site A-19, Maintained by USAF 611th Air Support Group. DEW operations ended 1989; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar installed 1990. Station buildings remain in use and in good repair. See: Oliktok Long Range Radar Site |
POW-3 | Flaxman Island | AK | FPS-124 | 70°10′34″N 146°51′19″W / 70.17611°N 146.85528°W | 1957 | 2007 | Established as DEW Line Auxillary site, 1957. Also was part of Alaska Radar System as Bullen Point Short Range Radar Site site A-20. DEW operations ended 1995; minimally-attended NWS Short Range Radar installed 1994. Site Inactivated 2007 due to soil erosion & budget concerns. Station buildings remain in good repair. |
BAR-M | Barter Island | AK | FPS-117 | 70°07′49″N 143°38′21″W / 70.13028°N 143.63917°W | 1957 | Active | Established as DEW Line Main site, 1957. Also is part of Alaska Radar System, site A-21, Maintained by USAF 611th Air Support Group. DEW operations ended 1989; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar installed 1990 Station buildings remain in use and in good repair. See also: Barter Island LRRS Airport (PABA) |
BAR-1 | Komakuk Beach | YT | FPS-124 | 69°35′41″N 140°10′41″W / 69.59472°N 140.17806°W | 1957 | Active | Established as DEW Line Auxillary site, 1957, operations ended 1989; minimally-attended NWS Short Range Radar installed 1990. Now located in the Yukon's Ivvavik National Park, station site remediation work was completed by 2005. Komakuk Beach SRRS Airport (ICAO: CYAJ) remains in use for access to site. |
BAR-B | Stokes Point | YT | FPS-124 | 69°19′49″N 138°44′13″W / 69.33028°N 138.73694°W | 1957 | Active | Established as DEW Intermediate site, closed and site abandoned in 1963. Reopened as minimally-attended NWS Short Range Radar site in 1991. Now located in the Yukon's Ivvavik National Park, no station site remediation is planned. Stokes Point SRRS Airstrip remains in use for access to site. |
BAR-2 | Shingle Point | YT | FPS-117 | 68°55′22″N 137°15′38″W / 68.92278°N 137.26056°W | 1957 | Active | Established as DEW Line Auxillary site, 1957, operations ended 1989; minimally-attended NWS Long Range Radar installed 1989. Now located in the Yukon's Ivvavik National Park; station site remediation status is undetermined. Shingle Point SRRS Airport (ICAO: CYUA) remains in use for access to site. |
BAR-BA3 | Storm Hills | NT | FPS-124 | 68°53′39″N 133°56′31″W / 68.89417°N 133.94194°W | 1990 | Active | New NWS LRR site activated November 1990 |
BAR-3 | Tuktoyaktuk | NT | FPS-124 | 69°26′35″N 132°59′55″W / 69.44306°N 132.99861°W | 1957 | Active | DEW operations ended 1993; Short Range Radar installed 1990 |
BAR-DA1 | Liverpool Bay | NT | FPS-124 | 69°36′15″N 130°53′37″W / 69.60417°N 130.89361°W | 1990 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated November 1990 |
BAR-4 | Nicholson Peninsula | NT | FPS-124 | 69°55′27″N 128°58′24″W / 69.92417°N 128.97333°W | 1953 | Active | DEW operations ended 1993; Short Range Radar installed 1990 |
BAR-E | Horton River | NT | FPS-124 | 70°00′59″N 126°56′35″W / 70.01639°N 126.94306°W | 1957 | Active | DEW Intermediate site "Malloch Hills", closed 1963. Reopened as NWS Short Range Radar site June 1991 |
PIN-M | Cape Parry | NT | FPS-117 | 70°10′17″N 124°43′30″W / 70.17139°N 124.72500°W | 1953 | Active | Former DEW MAIN site, DEW operations ended 1989; Long Range Radar installed 1989 |
PIN-1BD | Keats Point | NT | FPS-124 | 69°40′22″N 121°40′19″W / 69.67278°N 121.67194°W | 1991 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated July 1991 |
PIN-1BG | Croker River | NU | FPS-124 | 69°16′00″N 119°13′00″W / 69.26667°N 119.21667°W | 1991 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated August 1991 |
PIN-2A | Harding River | NU | FPS-124 | 68°50′10″N 116°58′05″W / 68.83611°N 116.96806°W | 1991 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated September 1991 |
PIN-CB | Bernard Harbor | NU | FPS-124 | 68°45′19″N 114°56′21″W / 68.75528°N 114.93917°W | 1991 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated September 1991 |
PIN-3 | Lady Franklin Point | NU | FPS-117 | 68°28′45″N 113°13′32″W / 68.47917°N 113.22556°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxiliary site, operations ended 1989; Long Range Radar installed 1989 |
PIN-DA | Edinburgh Island | NU | FPS-124 | 68°29′09″N 110°51′50″W / 68.48583°N 110.86389°W | 1991 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated October 1991 |
PIN-EB | Cape Peel West | NU | FPS-124 | 69°02′11″N 107°49′18″W / 69.03639°N 107.82167°W | 1991 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated October 1991 |
CAM-M | Cambridge Bay | NU | FPS-117 | 69°06′58″N 105°07′08″W / 69.11611°N 105.11889°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Main site, operations ended 1989; Long Range Radar installed 1989 |
CAM-A3A | Sturt Point | NU | FPS-124 | 68°57′47″N 103°45′34″W / 68.96306°N 103.75944°W | 1991 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated October 1991 |
CAM-1A | Jenny Lind Island | NU | FPS-124 | 68°44′31″N 101°51′17″W / 68.74194°N 101.85472°W | 1991 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated October 1991 |
CAM-B | Hat Island | NU | FPS-124 | 68°19′02″N 100°04′09″W / 68.31722°N 100.06917°W | 1991 | Active | Former DEW Intermediate site, closed 1963; New NWS SRR site activated September 1991 |
CAM-2 | Gladman | NU | FPS-124 | 68°40′48″N 097°48′38″W / 68.68000°N 97.81056°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxillary site, operations ceased 1992. SRR site activated October 1990 |
CAM-CB | Gjoa Haven | NU | FPS-124 | 68°38′03″N 095°51′56″W / 68.63417°N 95.86556°W | 1990 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated October 1990 |
CAM-3 | Shepherd Bay | NU | FPS-117 | 68°47′34″N 093°26′25″W / 68.79278°N 93.44028°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxillary site, operations ceased July 1989. SRR site activated July 1989 |
CAM-D | Simpson Lake | NU | FPS-124 | 68°35′41″N 091°57′24″W / 68.59472°N 91.95667°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Intermediate site, closed 1963; New NWS SRR site activated September 1991 |
CAM-4 | Pelly Bay | NU | FPS-124 | 68°26′13″N 089°43′34″W / 68.43694°N 89.72611°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxillary site, operations ceased 1992. SRR site activated September 1991 |
CAM-5A | Cape McLoughlin | NU | FPS-124 | 69°39′13″N 085°31′04″W / 69.65361°N 85.51778°W | 1992 | Active | Location approximate. New NWS SRR site activated July 1992 |
CAM-FA | Lailor River | NU | FPS-124 | 69°06′38″N 083°32′23″W / 69.11056°N 83.53972°W | 1992 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated August 1992 |
FOX-M | Hall Beach | NU | FPS-117 | 68°45′39″N 081°13′35″W / 68.76083°N 81.22639°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Main site also known as "Site 30", operations ended September 1989; Long Range Radar installed September 1989 |
FOX-1 | Rowley Island | NU | FPS-124 | 69°04′01″N 079°03′55″W / 69.06694°N 79.06528°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxillary site, operations ceased 1991. SRR site activated August 1991 |
FOX-A | Bray Island | NU | FPS-124 | 69°13′26″N 077°13′48″W / 69.22389°N 77.23000°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Intermediate site, AKA "Site 32", closed 1963; New NWS SRR site activated August 1991 |
FOX-2 | Longstaff Bluff | NU | FPS-124 | 68°53′56″N 075°08′20″W / 68.89889°N 75.13889°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxillary site, AKS "Site 33", operations ceased August 1991. SRR site activated November 1990 |
FOX-B | Nudluardjk Lake | NU | FPS-124 | 68°37′10″N 073°12′45″W / 68.61944°N 73.21250°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Intermediate site, AKA "West Baffin", closed 1963; New NWS SRR site activated October 1991 |
FOX-3 | Dewar Lakes | NU | FPS-117 | 68°39′02″N 071°13′58″W / 68.65056°N 71.23278°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxillary site, operations ceased July 1989. LRR site activated July 1989 |
FOX-CA | Kangok Fjord | NU | FPS-124 | 68°38′51″N 069°07′47″W / 68.64750°N 69.12972°W | 1992 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated September 1992 |
FOX-4 | Cape Hooper | NU | FPS-124 | 68°28′21″N 066°48′01″W / 68.47250°N 66.80028°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxillary site, AKA as "Site 37", operations ceased 1991. SRR site activated December 1990 |
FOX-5 | Broughton Island | NU | FPS-124 | 67°32′05″N 063°47′10″W / 67.53472°N 63.78611°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Auxillary site, AKA as "Qikiqtarjuaq" or "Site 39", operations ceased 1991. SRR site activated December 1990 |
DYE-M | Cape Dyer | NU | FPS-117 | 66°39′52″N 061°21′21″W / 66.66444°N 61.35583°W | 1957 | Active | Former DEW Main site also known as "Site 41", operations ended August 1989; Long Range Radar installed August 1989 |
BAF-2 | Cape Mercy | NU | FPS-124 | 64°57′17″N 063°33′38″W / 64.95472°N 63.56056°W | 1992 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated July 1992 |
BAF-3 | Breevport Island | NU | FPS-117 | 63°20′24″N 064°09′29″W / 63.34000°N 64.15806°W | 1988 | Active | New NWS LRR site activated October 1988 |
BAF-4A | Loks Land | NU | FPS-124 | 62°30′22″N 064°31′06″W / 62.50611°N 64.51833°W | 1992 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated August 1992 |
BAF-5 | Resolution Island | NU | FPS-124 | 61°35′47″N 064°38′20″W / 61.59639°N 64.63889°W | 1943 | Active | Former Pinetree Line radar station N-30, closed 1961; NWS SRR site established September 1991. |
LAB-1 | Cape Kakiviak | NL | FPS-124 | 59°59′15″N 064°09′55″W / 59.98750°N 64.16528°W | 1992 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated July 1992 |
LAB-2 | Saglek | NL | FPS-117 | 58°29′19″N 062°35′08″W / 58.48861°N 62.58556°W | 1953 | Active | Former Pinetree Line radar station N-29, closed 1971; New NWS SRR site activated November 1988 |
LAB-3 | Cape Kiglapait | NL | FPS-124 | 57°08′07″N 061°28′32″W / 57.13528°N 61.47556°W | 1992 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated August 1992 |
LAB-4 | Big Bay | NL | FPS-124 | 55°44′30″N 060°25′42″W / 55.74167°N 60.42833°W | 1992 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated September 1992 |
LAB-5 | Tukialik | NL | FPS-124 | 54°42′53″N 058°21′30″W / 54.71472°N 58.35833°W | 1992 | Active | New NWS SRR site activated October 1992 |
LAB-6 | Cartwright | NL | FPS-117 | 53°33′04″N 056°49′48″W / 53.55111°N 56.83000°W | 1953 | Active | Former Pinetree Line radar station N-27, closed 1968; New NWS SRR site activated November 1988 |