CFS Baldy Hughes
Encyclopedia
Canadian Forces Station Baldy Hughes (ADC ID: C-20) is a closed General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 22.3 miles (35.9 km) south-southwest of Prince George, British Columbia
. It was closed in 1988.
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, The site at Baldy Hughes 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. Construction on the base began in 1952 and was completed in 1953.
The base was manned by members of the USAF's Air Defense Command (ADC) 918th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
, being known as Baldy Hughes Air Station. In June 1953, operations began at the unit's permanent home. The station was equipped with AN/FPS-3C, AN/FPS-502, AN/FPS-20A; AN/TPS-502, and AN/FPS-6B radars.
As a GCI base, the 918th's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. These interceptors were based at the 25th Air Division at McChord Air Force Base in Washington.
In the early 1960s, the USAF relinquished control of the base to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). 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.
Upon hand-over on 1 March 1963, the operating unit Became No. 54 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron and the base became RCAF Station Baldy Hughes. Radar operations at 54 Squadron were automated on 1 June 1966 by 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 Seattle Air Defense Sector SAGE DC-12 Direction Center of the 25th NORAD Region at McChord AFB, Washington. Radars at the station were also upgraded to the following equipment:
As a result of the unification of the Canadian Forces
in 1968, the new Canadian Forces
organization absorbed the RCAF, RCN and the Canadian Army. 48 Radar Squadron, RCAF Station Baldy Hughes, became simply Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Baldy Hughes in 1967.
The station began reporting to the Canada West ROCC in 1983. It was closed in 1988. Some of the buildings remain occupied, some are in better condition than others.
Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, with a population of 71,030 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
. It was closed in 1988.
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, The site at Baldy Hughes 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. Construction on the base began in 1952 and was completed in 1953.
The base was manned by members of the USAF's Air Defense Command (ADC) 918th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
918th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
The 918th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Seattle Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Baldy Hughes Air Station, British Columbia, Canada...
, being known as Baldy Hughes Air Station. In June 1953, operations began at the unit's permanent home. The station was equipped with AN/FPS-3C, AN/FPS-502, AN/FPS-20A; AN/TPS-502, and AN/FPS-6B radars.
As a GCI base, the 918th's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. These interceptors were based at the 25th Air Division at McChord Air Force Base in Washington.
In the early 1960s, the USAF relinquished control of the base to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). 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.
Upon hand-over on 1 March 1963, the operating unit Became No. 54 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron and the base became RCAF Station Baldy Hughes. Radar operations at 54 Squadron were automated on 1 June 1966 by 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 Seattle Air Defense Sector SAGE DC-12 Direction Center of the 25th NORAD Region at McChord AFB, Washington. Radars at the station were also upgraded to the following equipment:
- Search Radars: AN/FPS-3C, AN/FPS-6B
- Height Radars: AN/FPS-502, AN/FPS-20A, AN/FPS-27, AN/FPS-26
As a result of the unification of the Canadian Forces
Unification of the Canadian Forces
Unification of the Canadian Forces took place in 1968 when the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged to form the Canadian Armed Forces....
in 1968, the new 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."...
organization absorbed the RCAF, RCN and the Canadian Army. 48 Radar Squadron, RCAF Station Baldy Hughes, became simply Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Baldy Hughes in 1967.
The station began reporting to the Canada West ROCC in 1983. It was closed in 1988. Some of the buildings remain occupied, some are in better condition than others.