CFS Gander

 (1953-1993) - A Cold War Pinetree Line Canadian Forces Radar Station first established in 1953 near Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador as RCAF Station Gander. Renamed CFS Gander on 1 Feb 1968 with the reorganization of Canadian forces. Initially assigned an ID of N-25 that later became C-25. Downsized in 1990 and became FGCANRHQ Detachment Gander. Became Canadian Coastal Radar Site Gander a minimally attended radar site in 1993 as a part of the Canadian Coastal Radar (CCR) System.

222 Aircraft Warning Squadron
CFS Gander was established in 1952 as a U.S. Air Force funded permanent Pinetree Line radar site and became operational on 23 Nov 1953 manned by the Canadian 222 AC&W Squadron.

Initial equipment included the FPS-3C search radar and an FPS-502 height-finder radar. The initial installation did not have a radome installed to cover the radar antenna and the squadron did not have long distance communications with the next echelon. The search radar was later upgraded to an FPS-20A and then to an FPS-93A. A FPS-6B height-finder radar was installed in 1961 and that was replaced with an FPS-26.

On 1 Nov 1966, the squadron was reduced to a NORAD Surveillance Station and on 26 July 1978 CFS Gander completed integration with the SAGE System using the FYQ-47 Common Digitizer to transmit data to the direction center. On that same date, the 222 AC&W Squadron became the 222 Radar Squadron.

The 222 Radar Squadron was deactivated on 1 Jul 1990 and portions of it became the FGCANRHQ Detachment Gander.

FGCANRHQ Detachment Gander
FGCANRHQ Detachment Gander formed on 6 Jul 1990 from 21 former members of the 226 Radar Squadron. The unit was disbanded three years later on 6 Aug 1993 with only 10 members remaining. The newly installed FPS-117 radar required only 3 technicians to maintain and they were to be housed in the community. The minimally attended 3D FPS-117 solid-state radar set was installed on the site in 1993 and remains in place as a part of the Canadian Coastal Radar (CCR) system.

Current Status
A Canadian Coastal Radar (CCR) now located on the site at Gander with an FPS-117 3D radar.

See Also:
 * Permanent System Radar Sites
 * US Radar Sets
 * Pinetree Line

Sources:
 * Pinetree Line - Alma Williams, History of CFS Gander 1979

Links:
 * Radomes - CFS Gander Air Station
 * Wikipedia - CFB Gander
 * Pinetree Line - CFS Gander
 * Pinetree Line - FPS 117 Gander Installation
 * CF Position Advertisement - FPS-117 Technician 2015