Former BAR-3 DEW Line Radar Site

Canada / Northwest Territories / Tuktoyaktuk /
 former air force base, early warning radar
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Established in 1957 following three years of site construction, the BAR-3 or Tuktoyaktuk/"Tuk" radar site was a long-range radar site in the BAR Sector of the DEW line. Quickly assuming a similar logistical role to a DEW Line "Main" station due to its proximity to both a deepwater natural harbor and available contractor workforce from the village of Tuktoyaktuk, the site quickly grew to cover almost all of its allotted 913 acres of land, the majority of which was dedicated to supply and material storage for other BAR Sector sites. The site's airfield also served as a gateway and transfer point for both military and civilian workers assigned to BAR Sector sites who would often be staged at BAR-3 awaiting their flights on or off the DEW Line.

Operational through the entire life of the DEW Line, the BAR-3 site was eventually co-located with the present-day BAR-3 North Warning System radar site in 1990, which functioned as a backup until the BAR-3 site was deactivated with the rest of the DEW Line in September of 1993. Largely stripped and abandoned thereafter, the BAR-3 DEW Line site was razed of its infrastructure and underwent a full environmental site remediation in the early 2000's which completed in 2005.
lswilson.dewlineadventures.com/bar3pics.htm
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Coordinates:   69°26'35"N   133°0'2"W
This article was last modified 8 years ago