Demarcation Bay DEW Line Station
 | This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2012) ) |
Demarcation Bay DEW Line Station | |
|---|---|
| Part of Alaskan Air Command (AAC) | |
  Demarcation Bay DEW BAR-A Location of Demarcation Bay DEW Line Station, Alaska | |
| Coordinates | 69°53′09″N 142°18′28″W / 69.88583°N 142.30778°W |
| Type | Air Force Station |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |  United States Air Force |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1957 |
| In use | 1957-1963 |
Demarcation Bay DEW Line Station is an abandoned
History
The station was built in 1957 to support the Distant Early Warning Line. Designated BAR-A, it was classified as an "Intermediate Site". Intermediate sites were small, consisting of usually one or two buildings, and AN/FPS-23 Doppler radar systems, which transmitted CW signals to the adjacent Main or Auxiliary stations. Low flying aircraft trying to penetrate the DEWLine would be detected by a Doppler shift at the adjacent receiving station and thus signal an alarm which indicated an intrusion was in progress. The system was so sensitive that often flocks of birds would trigger false alarms. BAR-A had a permanent 1500’ gravel airstrip for support. In the winter, a 5000’ ice runway was laid out across the bay when the sea ice exceeded 6’ in thickness. The ice runway could accommodate larger aircraft, such as the DC-3, to provide necessary supplies. Demarcation Bay was logistically supported by the Barter Island BAR-MAIN DEW Line Station, but was operated by civilian contract workers.
Along with the other intermediate DEW Line Sites, Demarcation Bay Station was closed in 1963 after developments in radar technology rendered it obsolete. It has been abandoned ever since. The radars and other military buildings were removed around 2000, returning the site to a relatively natural condition. The gravel streets and the runway of the former airstrip of the station remain.
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency