CFS Lowther
Encyclopedia
Canadian Forces Station Lowther (ADC ID: M-119/C-119) is a closed General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 12.7 miles (20.4 km) east-southeast of Mattice-Val Côté, Ontario
. It was closed in 1987.
It was operated as part of the Pinetree Line
network controlled by NORAD.
and with the expansion of a North American continental air defence system, Lowther was selected as a site for a United States Air Force
(USAF) radar station, one of the many that would make up the Pinetree Line of Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) radar sites. The original plan was to build the base in Oba, Ontario, but the location was changed due to Oba's poor road access.
The USAF initially considered Lowther to be part of a planned deployment of forty-four mobile radar stations, to support the permanent ADC network of seventy-five stations around the perimeter of the United States. For that reason the station was initially designated as "M-119". This designation was later changed to reflect its Canadian location and was re-designated as "C-119", in line with the other Ontario Pinetree Line sites being constructed.
In July 1957, the USAF Air Defense Command (ADC) 37th Air Division moved the 639th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
to the station. Initial radars installed were AN/MPS-7, AN/FPS-4, and AN/MPS-14 sets. Lowther Air Station, as it was referred to by the USAF, was declared operationally ready on 1 July 1958.
In early 1963 the 639th AC&WS was inactivated and preparations were made to transfer the station to the Royal Canadian Air Force
. This was part of an arrangement with the United States that came as a result of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow. Canada would lease 66 F-101 Voodoo
fighters and take over operation of 12 Pinetree radar bases.
In March 1963, Lowther AS was connected to the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system and the station became a long-range radar site. It would no longer guide interceptors but only look for enemy aircraft, feeding data to the Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector
SAGE DC-14 Data Center of the 30th NORAD Region at K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan.
On 1 July 1963, the station was turned over to the RCAF, the final Pinetree Line site to be transferred. Under RCAF jurisdiction, the station was renamed RCAF Station Lowther. The RCAF's operating unit was No. 36 Radar Squadron. It was also upgraded with the following radars:
On 1 April 1966, Lowther began feeding SAGE data to the 29th NORAD Region at Duluth, Minnesota
(later re-designated the 23d NORAD Region in November 1969). With the unification of the RCAF, Royal Canadian Navy
and Canadian Army into the Canadian Forces
, the station was re-designated simply CFS Lowther in 1968.
Beginning in 1983, the station began reporting to Canada East ROCC. In July 1986, plans to decommission CFS Lowther along with 17 other sites were in the works and on 1 April 1987 CFS Lowther was officially decommissioned as part of the shut-down of the Pinetree Line.
By 1988 CFS Lowther had become somewhat forsaken. Though there were still buildings and radar towers present only three commissionaires remained to guard the once vibrant base. By 1992 everything was gone including the guards. The old gymnasium had been moved into the nearby town of Opasatika where it was turned into a mushroom growing facility, and the remote radio site was taken over by Hyundai for use as a winter test facility.
As a memorial an AN/FPS-26 Height Finder antenna was relocated to the main throughway in Kapuskasing, ON where the many children who lived on base went to school and the majority of the families shopped and carried out other business. The closure of the base had a large impact on many of the surrounding communities and the memories of CFS Lowther will live on even in its absence.
Other that the abandoned roadways, nothing remains of CFS Lowther today.
Mattice-Val Côté, Ontario
Mattice-Val Côté is an incorporated township in Cochrane District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is located approximately east of Hearst and west of Kapuskasing on Ontario Highway 11....
. It was closed in 1987.
It was operated as part of the Pinetree Line
Pinetree Line
The Pinetree Line was a series of radar stations located across the northern United States and southern Canada at about the 50th parallel north, along with a number of other stations located on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Run by NORAD , over half were manned by United States Air Force...
network controlled by NORAD.
History
As a result of the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and with the expansion of a North American continental air defence system, Lowther was selected as a site for a United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) radar station, one of the many that would make up the Pinetree Line of Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) radar sites. The original plan was to build the base in Oba, Ontario, but the location was changed due to Oba's poor road access.
The USAF initially considered Lowther to be part of a planned deployment of forty-four mobile radar stations, to support the permanent ADC network of seventy-five stations around the perimeter of the United States. For that reason the station was initially designated as "M-119". This designation was later changed to reflect its Canadian location and was re-designated as "C-119", in line with the other Ontario Pinetree Line sites being constructed.
In July 1957, the USAF Air Defense Command (ADC) 37th Air Division moved the 639th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
639th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
The 639th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Lowther Air Station, Ontario, Canada...
to the station. Initial radars installed were AN/MPS-7, AN/FPS-4, and AN/MPS-14 sets. Lowther Air Station, as it was referred to by the USAF, was declared operationally ready on 1 July 1958.
In early 1963 the 639th AC&WS was inactivated and preparations were made to transfer the station to the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
. This was part of an arrangement with the United States that came as a result of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow. Canada would lease 66 F-101 Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
fighters and take over operation of 12 Pinetree radar bases.
In March 1963, Lowther AS was connected to the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) system and the station became a long-range radar site. It would no longer guide interceptors but only look for enemy aircraft, feeding data to the Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector
Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector
The Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, being stationed at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan.- History :...
SAGE DC-14 Data Center of the 30th NORAD Region at K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan.
On 1 July 1963, the station was turned over to the RCAF, the final Pinetree Line site to be transferred. Under RCAF jurisdiction, the station was renamed RCAF Station Lowther. The RCAF's operating unit was No. 36 Radar Squadron. It was also upgraded with the following radars:
- Search radars: AN/MPS-7, AN/FPS-27, AN/FPS-27A
- Height radars: AN/MPS-14, AN/FPS-4, AN/FPS-6B, AN/FPS-26A
On 1 April 1966, Lowther began feeding SAGE data to the 29th NORAD Region at Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth Air National Guard Base
Duluth Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base located on the grounds of Duluth International Airport. It is home to the 148th Fighter Wing.-History:...
(later re-designated the 23d NORAD Region in November 1969). With the unification of the RCAF, Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
and Canadian Army into the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, the station was re-designated simply CFS Lowther in 1968.
Beginning in 1983, the station began reporting to Canada East ROCC. In July 1986, plans to decommission CFS Lowther along with 17 other sites were in the works and on 1 April 1987 CFS Lowther was officially decommissioned as part of the shut-down of the Pinetree Line.
Post closure
As part of a process that would take more than two years to complete the radar station, a ground-air transmitter receiver (GATR) site and recreational and living facilities would be completely removed and the land returned to its natural state.By 1988 CFS Lowther had become somewhat forsaken. Though there were still buildings and radar towers present only three commissionaires remained to guard the once vibrant base. By 1992 everything was gone including the guards. The old gymnasium had been moved into the nearby town of Opasatika where it was turned into a mushroom growing facility, and the remote radio site was taken over by Hyundai for use as a winter test facility.
As a memorial an AN/FPS-26 Height Finder antenna was relocated to the main throughway in Kapuskasing, ON where the many children who lived on base went to school and the majority of the families shopped and carried out other business. The closure of the base had a large impact on many of the surrounding communities and the memories of CFS Lowther will live on even in its absence.
Other that the abandoned roadways, nothing remains of CFS Lowther today.