216:
650:(NWS). However, by the late 1980s, the Soviet Union was collapsing and replacement of the again subsiding DYE stations was deemed not worth the expense. In connection with the turn-over of Sondrestrom to the Danish government in 1992, the DYE stations were abandoned and left to sink into the ice, an ongoing process. DYE 1-3 were evacuated in 1988, and DYE 4 in September 1991.
634:
the size and capability of the Soviet bomber force had been vastly overestimated. The three to six hours of warning that the Line might have provided thus became of little relevance. In addition, had the DYE stations warned of a raid, there would have been no means of interception or further tracking until landfall hours later; and they did not fully close the
307:
293:
279:
265:
251:
237:
223:
813:
164:. The Danes raised objections to the Kulusuk site due to fear of undesirable fraternization with the inhabitants of a local Eskimo village. The result was that the DYE-4 site there was placed off-limits to locals, although this policy failed resoundingly. Legally, the DYE-1 through -4 were annexes of the
633:
The DEW Line was a drastic response to an urgently felt requirement for continental air defense, but when it was completed, the problem essentially evaporated – first, because ballistic missiles overtook the airbreathing threat by about 1960, and second, because overhead reconnaissance revealed that
192:
that had been built for air defense radars in coastal waters off the United States, except that the “tripod” was anchored in the ice, and the legs were eight massive steel beams. Periodic re-alignment of the station could be accomplished by adjustment of the beam attachments. At the inland stations,
168:
under authority of the 1951 Greenland Bases Treaty. Unlike the case with the other U.S. bases in
Greenland, Denmark took no interest in the DYE stations and, except for engineering operations, did not participate in their operation; and unlike other U.S. bases, they did not become a cause for
86:" radar stations as with other air defense elements. On June 30, 1958, the Eastern DEW Extension had 4 stations and there were 4 DER & 4 AEW&C aircraft operating for the Atlantic Barrier and on July 19, 1958, DYE 1 (DYE 4 on August 3) was begun by
625:(Distant Early Warning Identification Zone) requiring positive ID of southbound tracks. The stations did not serve in civilian air traffic control, but their communications relay capabilities were of occasional utility to civilian air traffic.
612:
The stations were linked by tropospheric scatter and by HF radio, and all maintained radio watch on VHF 126.2, UHF 236.6, and HF 3023.5 (Receive only); also on guard (121.5 and 243.0). They also had radio beacons colocated; at one time
817:
117:. After successful completion of the DEW Line, in 1957 U.S.-Canadian attention turned to the implementation of plans to close the North Atlantic radar gap with physical stations to replace the radar early warning aircraft
710:
Buss, L. H. (Director) (14 April 1959). North
American Air Defense Command and Continental Air Defense Command Historical Summary: July–December 1958 (Report). Directorate of Command History: Office of Information
775:
Buss, L. H. (Director) (1 October 1958). North
American Air Defense Command Historical Summary: January–June 1958 (Report). Directorate of Command History: Office of Information Services.
841:
646:
During the resurgent tension of the 1980s, Canada and the United States (which jointly operate NORAD) decided to replace the obsolescent DEW Line with an update known as the
172:
Since the stations were built at high elevations, surveys indicated that during normal propagation conditions they should essentially close the gaps across
320:
188:(Site 1 and Site 2). The new design used pillars which would delay subsidence of the station into the ice. In this sense the stations were similar to the
215:
754:
Condit, Kenneth W. (1992) . "Chapter 15: Continental
Defense". The Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Policy: 1955-1956 (Report). Vol. VI of
653:
In addition to air defense radar tracks, Dye
Stations provided thirty years of meteorological observations — the 2 ice cap sites (e.g.,
204:
carried out a delicate re-pillaring of the two ice cap stations through a “jacking-up” procedure that also laterally moved the station.
144:
Negotiations with
Denmark, concluding with an agreement on 20 March 1958, settled on four stations in Greenland, one on a mountain near
796:
184:
at the
Northwestern corner of Iceland. Construction was influenced by mixed experience with two earlier ice cap radar stations near
200:
Snow accumulation of about one meter per year caused subsidence which eventually necessitated a re-foundation. In 1977 and 1982,
380:
being the "Officer-in-Charge" as "DEW Sector
Commander", 1 of 5 RCAF officers at DYE (2 additional officers were USAF).
587:
59:
502:, 8700 ft) was established on the ice cap after errors in locating its construction camp required relocation.
554:
512:
474:
433:
391:
336:
201:
138:
126:
674:
125:, preferred a line going north around Greenland's polar coast, and others suggested a coastal line south to
109:
expected that the air defense radar network would have to extend across the North
Atlantic to Europe or the
20:
129:, but eventually the service settled on a direct line across the ice cap to Iceland, the Faroes, and the
722:
114:
647:
606:
602:
594:
165:
91:
63:
617:
stations. The minimally staffed stations radioed air traffic to fuse with other DEW Line tracks at
461:, 7650 ft) and DYE-3 were built using telescoping structures on top of the Greenland Ice Cap.
99:
55:
792:
678:
729:
87:
377:
419:, 4789 ft) was on a peak in an uninhabited area 27 mi (43 km) southeast
185:
177:
161:
130:
106:
94:
for the interior stations. By
October 1, 1958, DYE communications were linked to the
835:
420:
369:
122:
79:
31:
601:
For closing dates and current status of the DIY-1 to DIY-5 sites, see the table of
194:
189:
173:
153:
786:
50:
domes of about 60 feet diameter. Crews were regularly supplied and rotated by
742:
376:
PIN, CAM, FOX) and in January 1959, the station's manning switched to an RCAF
181:
569:
556:
527:
514:
489:
476:
448:
435:
406:
393:
351:
338:
365:
83:
75:
43:
35:
635:
583:
541:
330:
145:
47:
24:
545:
149:
39:
197:
parabolic antennae had to be enclosed as part of the superstructure.
134:
118:
110:
28:
654:
618:
614:
464:
157:
95:
51:
548:
Island at the former site of a U.S. World War II weather station.
90:
using helicopter-assisted sealift at the coasts and airlift from
741:– Ed-Thelen.com single file--also available as page pictures at
622:
113:, and by early 1956 studies to this effect were approved by the
373:
821:
74:
The DEW Line became operational on August 13, 1957, with "
791:(in Danish). Danish Institute for Foreign Policy. 1997.
148:, two innovative sites in central Greenland, and one at
180:, the latter with the aid of a later radar station at
621:
in Colorado Springs and thus anchored the Greenland
121:then patrolling the ocean. Arctic veteran, Colonel
42:. DYE Stations were equipped with the 600 MHz
825:ONC Charts, 1977, and other cartographic material.
758:. Washington, DC: Historical Office, Joint Staff.
166:Sondrestrom joint Danish-American Defense Area
842:Radar stations of the United States Air Force
133:. An initial plan to place a main station at
8:
769:
767:
765:
723:USAF Control and Warning Support System 416L
704:
702:
700:
698:
102:via the AT&T Denver Toll Test Center.
38:(DEW Greenland Extension, "DEW East") and
141:was abandoned before construction began.
694:
666:
423:and 60 miles southwest of Sondrestrom.
586:, Iceland, where it connected to the
372:was 1 of 4 "Canadian Main stations" (
7:
822:Air Force Historical Research Agency
756:History of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
638:(Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom).
657:) were used for ice core drilling.
14:
673:Printed after December 1958--the
193:the nearly horizontally pointing
816: This article incorporates
811:
593:DYE-6 was the control center at
582:) was at Rockville Station near
305:
291:
277:
263:
249:
235:
221:
214:
21:Distant Early Warning Line sites
677:(p. 2 map) became part of the
156:, not too far from the former
78:...operational control of the
1:
788:Greenland during the Cold War
306:
292:
278:
264:
250:
236:
98:Combat Operations Center at
603:DEW Line sites not included
588:North Atlantic Radio System
222:
858:
202:Danish Arctic Contractors
544:on the southern cape of
46:long-range radar within
540:, 1000 ft) was at
818:public domain material
368:on the eastern tip of
169:domestic controversy.
329:The DEW data center (
115:Joint Chiefs of Staff
27:eastern extension in
648:North Warning System
607:North Warning System
595:Sondrestrom Air Base
321:class=notpageimage|
92:Sondrestrom Air Base
64:Sondrestrom Air Base
566: /
524: /
486: /
445: /
403: /
348: /
100:Ent Air Force Base
62:) staging through
56:109th Airlift Wing
570:64.033°N 22.650°W
528:65.533°N 37.167°W
490:65.183°N 43.833°W
449:66.483°N 46.300°W
407:66.633°N 52.850°W
352:66.667°N 61.350°W
849:
826:
815:
814:
809:
803:
802:
783:
777:
776:
771:
760:
759:
751:
745:
740:
738:
736:
730:Western Electric
727:
719:
713:
712:
706:
682:
671:
581:
580:
578:
577:
576:
571:
567:
564:
563:
562:
559:
539:
538:
536:
535:
534:
529:
525:
522:
521:
520:
517:
501:
500:
498:
497:
496:
491:
487:
484:
483:
482:
479:
460:
459:
457:
456:
455:
450:
446:
443:
442:
441:
438:
418:
417:
415:
414:
413:
408:
404:
401:
400:
399:
396:
363:
362:
360:
359:
358:
353:
349:
346:
345:
344:
341:
309:
308:
295:
294:
281:
280:
267:
266:
253:
252:
239:
238:
225:
224:
218:
88:Western Electric
54:aircraft of the
857:
856:
852:
851:
850:
848:
847:
846:
832:
831:
830:
829:
824:
812:
810:
806:
799:
785:
784:
780:
774:
772:
763:
753:
752:
748:
734:
732:
725:
721:
720:
716:
709:
707:
696:
691:
686:
685:
681:on 15 Feb 1959.
672:
668:
663:
644:
631:
575:64.033; -22.650
574:
572:
568:
565:
560:
557:
555:
553:
552:
533:65.533; -37.167
532:
530:
526:
523:
518:
515:
513:
511:
510:
495:65.183; -43.833
494:
492:
488:
485:
480:
477:
475:
473:
472:
454:66.483; -46.300
453:
451:
447:
444:
439:
436:
434:
432:
431:
412:66.633; -52.850
411:
409:
405:
402:
397:
394:
392:
390:
389:
378:Squadron Leader
357:66.667; -61.350
356:
354:
350:
347:
342:
339:
337:
335:
334:
327:
326:
325:
323:
317:
316:
315:
314:
310:
302:
301:
300:
296:
288:
287:
286:
282:
274:
273:
272:
268:
260:
259:
258:
254:
246:
245:
244:
240:
232:
231:
230:
226:
210:
105:From 1954, the
72:
12:
11:
5:
855:
853:
845:
844:
834:
833:
828:
827:
804:
797:
778:
761:
746:
714:
693:
692:
690:
687:
684:
683:
665:
664:
662:
659:
643:
640:
630:
627:
599:
598:
591:
549:
503:
462:
424:
319:
318:
312:
311:
304:
303:
298:
297:
290:
289:
284:
283:
276:
275:
270:
269:
262:
261:
256:
255:
248:
247:
242:
241:
234:
233:
228:
227:
220:
219:
213:
212:
211:
209:
206:
178:Denmark Strait
162:Bluie East Two
131:United Kingdom
107:U.S. Air Force
71:
68:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
854:
843:
840:
839:
837:
823:
820:from the
819:
808:
805:
800:
798:9788760169212
794:
790:
789:
782:
779:
770:
768:
766:
762:
757:
750:
747:
744:
731:
724:
718:
715:
705:
703:
701:
699:
695:
688:
680:
676:
670:
667:
660:
658:
656:
651:
649:
641:
639:
637:
628:
626:
624:
620:
616:
610:
608:
604:
596:
592:
589:
585:
579:
550:
547:
543:
537:
508:
504:
499:
470:
466:
463:
458:
429:
425:
422:
421:Holsteinsborg
416:
387:
383:
382:
381:
379:
375:
371:
370:Baffin Island
367:
361:
332:
322:
217:
207:
205:
203:
198:
196:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
170:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
146:Holsteinsborg
142:
140:
139:Cape Farewell
136:
132:
128:
127:Cape Farewell
124:
123:Bernt Balchen
120:
116:
112:
108:
103:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
80:Cape Lisburne
77:
69:
67:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
33:
32:North America
30:
26:
22:
18:
807:
787:
781:
755:
749:
733:. Retrieved
717:
669:
652:
645:
632:
611:
600:
506:
468:
427:
385:
328:
324:DYE stations
199:
195:troposcatter
190:Texas Towers
174:Davis Strait
171:
154:Angmagssalik
152:Island near
143:
104:
73:
17:DYE Stations
16:
15:
773:Preface by
708:Preface by
573: /
531: /
493: /
452: /
410: /
355: /
208:Description
743:SMECC.org)
728:(Report).
182:Isafjordur
70:Background
711:Services.
629:Operation
469:Sob Story
386:Red River
366:Cape Dyer
160:airfield
84:Cape Dyer
76:CINCNORAD
44:AN/FPS-30
36:Greenland
836:Category
675:Reno ADS
636:GIUK gap
584:Keflavik
542:Cape Dan
428:Sea Bass
331:callsign
48:geodesic
25:DEW Line
735:25 July
689:Sources
605:in the
561:22°39′W
558:64°02′N
551:DYE-5 (
546:Kulusuk
519:37°10′W
516:65°32′N
507:Big Gun
505:DYE-4 (
481:43°50′W
478:65°11′N
440:46°18′W
437:66°29′N
426:DYE-2 (
398:52°51′W
395:66°38′N
384:DYE-1 (
343:61°21′W
340:66°40′N
150:Kulusuk
119:EC-121s
40:Iceland
23:of the
795:
642:Legacy
135:Kangeq
111:Azores
29:Arctic
726:(PDF)
679:25 AD
661:Notes
655:Dye 3
623:DEWIZ
619:NORAD
615:TACAN
465:DYE-3
364:) at
333:DYE,
313:DYE-6
299:DYE-5
285:DYE-4
271:DYE-3
257:DYE-2
243:DYE-1
186:Thule
158:USAAF
137:near
96:NORAD
60:NYANG
52:C-130
19:were
793:ISBN
737:2013
176:and
374:cf.
229:DYE
34:in
838::
764:^
697:^
609:.
509:,
471:,
430:,
388:,
66:.
801:.
739:.
597:.
590:.
467:(
82:-
58:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.