As a result of the Cold War and with the expansion of a North American continental air defence system, Armstrong 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.

[2] As a GCI base, the 914th's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes.

[2] On 1 April 1963 Armstrong AS was connected to the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, and the station became a long-range radar site.

It would no longer guide interceptors but only look for enemy aircraft, feeding data to the Duluth Air Defense Sector SAGE DC-10 Data Center of the 30th NORAD Region at Duluth AFS, Minnesota Later that month, the American station was handed over to the Royal Canadian Air Force and renamed the site as RCAF Station Armstrong.

It was run by a core of 20 volunteers offering music and news to the station and surrounding area seven days a week on 1450 kHz.

The Otter Flight's duties ranged from logistical support, search and rescue, to "Flying Doctor" services.

The "Flying Doctor" service was offered on a weekly and monthly basis to personnel stationed at Pagwa and Sioux Lookout.

Later that year the site was sold to private owners and became into a popular gathering area for Armstrong residents.