CFS Lowther
| Canadian Forces Station Lowther | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 49°33′21″N 082°59′31″W / 49.55583°N 82.99194°W |
| Type | Radar Station |
| Code | M-119/C-119 |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |
 United States Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force
|
| Site history | |
| Built | 1957 |
| Built by |
United States Air Force
|
| In use | 1958-1963,1963-1987 |
Canadian Forces Station Lowther (ADC ID: M-119/C-119) is a closed General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 12.7 miles (20.4 km) east-southeast of Mattice-Val Côté, Ontario. It was closed in 1987.
It was operated as part of the Pinetree Line network controlled by NORAD.
As a result of the Cold War and with the expansion of a North American continental air defence system, Lowther was selected as a site for a United States Air Force (USAF) radar station, one of the many that would make up the Pinetree Line of Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) radar sites. The original plan was to build the base in Oba, Ontario, but the location was changed due to Oba's poor road access.
The USAF initially considered Lowther to be part of a planned deployment of forty-four mobile radar stations, to support the permanent ADC network of seventy-five stations around the perimeter of the United States. For that reason the station was initially designated as "M-119". This designation was later changed to reflect its Canadian location and was re-designated as "C-119", in line with the other Ontario Pinetree Line sites being constructed.
In July 1957, the USAF Air Defense Command (ADC) 37th Air Division moved the 639th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron to the station. Initial radars installed were AN/MPS-7, AN/FPS-4, and AN/MPS-14 sets. Lowther Air Station, as it was referred to by the USAF, was declared operationally ready on 1 July 1958.
In early 1963 the 639th AC&WS was inactivated and preparations were made to transfer the station to the Royal Canadian Air Force. This was part of an arrangement with the United States that came as a result of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow. Canada would obtain 66 F-101B Voodoo fighters from 1961 onwards, and take over operation of 12 Pinetree radar bases.
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