Horton River DEW Line Station

The closure was a direct result of the end of the Cold War and technological obsolescence. The Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line was replaced by the more advanced and largely automated North Warning System (NWS). The Horton River site was not selected for integration into the new system and was therefore deemed surplus to military requirements.

The site is abandoned and has undergone extensive environmental remediation. As part of the Canadian government's DEW Line Clean-Up Project, all buildings, radar equipment, and infrastructure were dismantled and removed to address contamination (primarily PCBs and fuel spills). The land has been returned to a near-natural state. The gravel airstrip, while still visible from satellite imagery, is unmaintained, considered unusable, and is officially closed. There are no remaining facilities or services at the location.

Horton River was a critical 'Intermediate Site,' designated BAR-D, within the DEW Line. Constructed in the mid-1950s, its primary role was to fill radar coverage gaps between the larger main and auxiliary stations, providing early warning of a potential Soviet bomber attack over the Arctic. The station featured a 4,900-foot gravel airstrip that was essential for its construction, logistical support, and deployment of maintenance crews. Although typically unmanned, the airstrip enabled periodic access for servicing the automated radar and communications equipment. The site represents a significant chapter in Cold War history and the immense logistical effort required to build and operate a defensive line in the high Arctic.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the Horton River airstrip. Its original military purpose is obsolete, and there is no local community or economic driver to justify the significant cost of restoring and maintaining an airfield in such a remote Arctic location. The site is considered permanently closed and is now primarily of historical and environmental interest.