Bullen Point Short Range Radar Site (LRR Site: A-20) was a United States Air Force radar site and military airstrip located east-southeast of
Point Barrow, Alaska
Point Barrow or Nuvuk is a headland on the Arctic coast in the U.S. state of Alaska, northeast of Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow). It is the northernmost point of all the territory of the United States, at , south of the North Pole. (The northe ...
. It is not open for public use.
History
The site was built in 1957 to support the
Distant Early Warning Line
The Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the north coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska (see List o ...
radar station at Point Lay (LIZ-2). The station was logistically supported by the
Point Barrow Main DEW Line Station (POW-MAIN). It was operated by civilian contract workers. DEW Line operations ceased in April 1995, and the personnel were relieved from their duties.
The radar station was upgraded with new radars and in 1994 was re-designated part of the
North Warning System
The North Warning System (NWS, ) is a joint United States and Canadian early-warning radar system for the atmospheric air defense of North America. It provides surveillance of airspace from potential incursions or attacks from across North Amer ...
(NWS) as a Short Range Radar Site, A-20, equipped with a minimally attended AN/FPS-124 surveillance radar. In 1998,
Pacific Air Forces
The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PAC ...
initiated "Operation Clean Sweep", in which abandoned Cold War stations in Alaska were remediated and the land restored to its previous state. The site remediation of the radar and support station was carried out by the 611th Civil Engineering Squadron at
Elmendorf AFB
Elmendorf Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) facility in Anchorage, Alaska. Originally known as Elmendorf Field, it became Elmendorf Air Force Base after World War II.
It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Air Command ( ...
, and remediation work was completed by 2005.
The site was closed in 2007 due to soil erosion and budget concerns. The support airport's status is presently undetermined.
See also
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North Warning System
The North Warning System (NWS, ) is a joint United States and Canadian early-warning radar system for the atmospheric air defense of North America. It provides surveillance of airspace from potential incursions or attacks from across North Amer ...
*
Distant Early Warning Line
The Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the north coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska (see List o ...
*
Alaskan Air Command
The Alaskan Air Command (AAC) is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command originally established in 1942 under the United States Army Air Forces. Its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise di ...
*
Eleventh Air Force
The Eleventh Air Force (11 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska.This unit is not related to the Eleventh Air Force headquart ...
References
External links
Bullen Point Short Range Radar SiteBullen Point Air Force Station
{{AKMilitary, state=autocollapse
Radar stations of the United States Air Force
Installations of the United States Air Force in Alaska
Defunct airports in Alaska
Airports in North Slope Borough, Alaska
Buildings and structures in North Slope Borough, Alaska
Military installations established in 1957
1957 establishments in Alaska
2007 disestablishments in Alaska
Military installations closed in 2007