Thule Site J

Thule Site J is a radar installation in northwestern Greenland equipped with detection arrays and extensive refrigeration systems to maintain concrete structures in the Arctic permafrost. The infrastructure was designed specifically to operate reliably under extreme cold conditions.

The facility began construction in May 1958 as part of the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System during the Cold War. It was established to monitor missile and spacecraft threats and became a key component of early warning defenses.

The facility reflects the intersection of military technology and Arctic environmental adaptations through its specialized construction methods and operational procedures.

Access to the facility is possible only by air since no road connections exist to this remote region. Visitors should expect extreme weather conditions and availability depends heavily on seasonal climate patterns.

The facility is the northernmost radar station in its network and monitors threats above the Arctic Circle. Its location makes it one of the places with the most extreme natural conditions where continuous surveillance operations are conducted.