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Cold War Radar

Cutbacks

NORAD was constantly adjusting and moving forward.  This was true in their use of radar as well, as between 1957-1963 an 15% more radars were put into place (50% more gap fillers, 30% Airborne Early Warning stations, and 50% picket ships).

However, by the 1960s and 1970s NORAD’s value was waning a bit.  The main threat to the continent became ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) instead of bombers. Because of this change, NORAD in the 1970s had become more of an alert system then an actual defence one. 

This can be seen as the number of interceptors in NORAD dropped from 3000 (200 Canadian) in 1960 to 300 (36 Canadian) by the end of the 1970s.  This corresponded with a decline in radar lines as well, with the Mid-Canada Line almost gone by 1965 and the Pinetree and DEW Lines cut in half by the mid-1970s.

Cutbacks began in both countries in the 1960s and in 1964 four Pinetree stations were closed, and Canadian squadrons were reduced to 3 CF-101s.  The United States closed the sea and air extensions of the DEW Line, and reduced their Permanent Radar System and interceptors.  The money was no longer in the same way.

Trudeau, as he came into power in 1968, thought Canadian defence should focus on North America, but with more emphasis on nationalism.  This saw the NORAD boundaries redone in 1982 to fit the borders of each country.  Canada also became less involved in certain endeavors, for example not having any BMEWS radars in Canada.

In the 1970s with the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty which limited each superpower to two defensive missile sites, it was unknown where air defence was headed.  Some even considered shutting down NORAD near the end of the 1970s when ADCOM was closed, but the relations between the two countries were too important.