ConAC and RCAF Negotiations

1950 – National Archives of Canada

The basic plan for extension of the Continental Air Defence System, dated 18 July 1950, was jointly prepared by representatives of the USAF Continental Air Command (ConAC) and the RCAF. The Chief of Staff, USAF, and the Chief of Staff, RCAF, each having reviewed the basic plan, agreed through an exchange of letters in September of the same year (1950) to continue with more detailed planning before implementation of the system.

In October 1950 ConAC was directed by USAF Headquarters (The directive was a Top Secret letter - Subject: "Plan for Extension of Continental Air Defence System") to meet with RCAF representatives to work out the detailed planning. The RCAF representatives met with USAF representatives at Mitchell Air Force Base, New York, in November 1950. They produced a Top Secret report (Since downgraded to Secret, this report was prepared by representatives of ConAC, RCAF and Northeast Command and entitled "A Detailed Study of the Extension of the Continental Air Defence Radar System", dated 30 November 1950) with detailed examination and costing of 32 radar sites and one air defence control centre. Construction problems in extremely isolated areas, manpower requirements "which impinge upon the Canadian sources to the extent that overall Canadian economy may be adversely affected", the technical problems of high powered low-frequency radio circuits backed up with high-frequency circuits, an astronomical overall price guessed at $191,806,000 – these were only some on the knotty difficulties that required solution.

The committee suggested that the magnitude of the cost and the complexity of manpower and other requirements might slow down progress, that the target date of 1 July 1952 might not be met in some instances. They produced a new priority list for consideration:

Chatham, Lac St. Joseph, Tour Au Pica, Edgar, McCarthy, Senneterre, Cape Scott (Holberg), Pembroke (Foymount), Falconbridge, Ste. Marie, Ramore.

Sayabec, Mt. Jacques Cartier, Halifax

Pagwa, Armstrong, Sioux Lookout, Beausejour

Stephenville, Goose Bay (GCI), St. John’s (ADCC)

Tatla Lake (Puntzi Mountain), Williams Lake (Baldy Hughes Mt.), Tete Jaune (Saskatoon Mt.)

St. Anthony, Gander, Bluie West I

Frobisher Bay, Cartwright, Hopedale, Hebron, Port Burwell

This report, with its over all circuitry analyses and extremely detailed costing for each of the sites, became the basis for further planning of the radar warning system.