Pinetree Line

Pinetree Line
Active1951–1991
CountryCanada
BranchRoyal Canadian Air Force
United States Air Force
TypeEarly-warning radar
RoleContinental Air Defense
Part ofNorth American Aerospace Defense Command

The Pinetree Line was a series of radar stations located across southern Canada at about the 50th parallel north, along with a number of other stations located on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Run by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) (after its creation), over half were staffed by United States Air Force personnel with the balance operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The line was the first coordinated system for early detection of a Soviet bomber attack on North America, but before the early 1950s radar technology quickly became outdated and the line was in full operation only for a short time.