Cape Jones Airport

Military Decommissioning. The airport was constructed specifically to serve the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Sector Control Station 200 of the Mid-Canada Line, a Cold War radar defense system. This defense line was deemed obsolete with the advent of the more advanced DEW (Distant Early Warning) Line and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). The entire Mid-Canada Line was decommissioned in 1965, rendering the airport's primary purpose void and leading to its subsequent closure and abandonment.

The site is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery clearly shows the remnants of the single gravel runway, which is heavily weathered and being slowly reclaimed by the subarctic tundra. There are no intact buildings, hangars, or navigational aids remaining on the site. The foundations and debris from the former radar station may be visible on the ground, but the entire facility is in a state of decay. The area is uninhabited and there is no current human activity or infrastructure at the former airport.

Cape Jones Airport was a critical logistical component of North America's Cold War defenses. Built in the mid-1950s, its sole purpose was to facilitate the construction, supply, and staffing of the Mid-Canada Line's Site 200, a major Sector Control Station. The 3,500-foot gravel runway was essential for year-round access to this extremely remote location. It handled regular flights by military transport aircraft of the era, such as the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar and Douglas C-47 Dakota, which ferried personnel, fuel, food, and equipment. The airport was instrumental in the operation of a defense system designed to provide early warning of a potential Soviet bomber attack over the Arctic.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Cape Jones Airport. The region is exceptionally remote, with the nearest communities located far away. The original military justification for the airport has been obsolete for decades. A significant economic driver, such as a major mining or energy project, would be required to justify the immense cost of rehabilitating the runway, building new facilities, and establishing ongoing operations. As no such projects are publicly planned for the immediate vicinity, the prospect of reopening is effectively zero.