| Segment | Stations | Locations (Key) |
|---|
| Western Aleutians | 6 | Shemya, Adak, Atka, Amchitka, Cold Bay, Port Heiden |
| Bristol Bay / Alaska Peninsula | 5 | King Salmon, Port Moller, Cape Newenham, Cape Romanzof, Tin City |
| Bering Strait / Seward Peninsula | 5 | Teller, Wales, Shishmaref, Cape Lisburne, Point Lay |
| North Slope (Arctic Coast) | 10 | Point Barrow, Lonely, Oliktok, Barter Island, Demarcation Bay, etc. |
| Interior / Fairbanks Sector | 6 | Murphy Dome, Clear, Anderson, Nenana, Fort Yukon, Birch Creek |
Station Types
- Main Stations (6): AN/FPS-19 search radar + AN/FPS-23 gap-filler; full ops, 100+ personnel
- Auxiliary Stations (14): AN/FPS-19 only; smaller crews
- Intermediate Stations (12): AN/FPS-23 gap-filler only; unmanned (remote monitored)
Technology & Purpose
- Radar: AN/FPS-19 (L-band, 200+ mi range), AN/FPS-23 (S-band, Doppler, low-altitude)
- Mission: Detect Soviet bombers/missiles crossing Arctic → North America
- Communications: Tropospheric scatter (White Alice), later satellite
- Power: Diesel generators; some waste heat for heating
Timeline & Legacy
- Construction: 1955–1957 (massive logistics: sealifts, cat trains, airdrops)
- Operational: 1957–1985 (phased drawdown)
- Transition: 1985–1994 → North Warning System (NWS) — 15 long-range radars (AN/FPS-117), automated, fewer sites
- Cleanup: $500M+ environmental remediation (PCBs, fuel, asbestos, debris)
Remaining Sites
Many former DEW sites now host NWS radars (e.g., Point Barrow, Oliktok, Cape Lisburne, Tin City). Others: abandoned, remediated, or repurposed (research, comms).
32 Alaskan stations formed the western anchor of the DEW Line — the "tripwire" for continental air defense.
Wanderlust World