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RAF Spadeadam that is
also referred to as LFA13 or Danger Area D510, on NOTAM’s is the RAF's
largest station anywhere covering around 9000 acres.
The Electronic Warfare range at Spadeadam located at the northern end of
Low Flying Area 17. The Range is identified as Low Flying Area 13 within
the RAF’s low fly system. It extends from Hawick in Scotland, south to
Alston in England and from Langholm in the West to Hexham in the East.
Within its perimeter are numerous targets and electronic threats can be
simulated primarily for the RAF, but other NATO Air Forces use the range
as well. The aim is to achieve realistic Electronic Warfare training |
Signals on the range
stimulate the aircraft's Radar Warning Receiver and jamming systems, causing
the aircrew to react to the threats by employing various tactics to
'survive', depending on what type of threat they think is 'attacking' them.
All these different systems mean that the Range can reproduce realistic
scenarios for almost any theatre of operation in the world. The aircrews
then try to evade the threats, whilst carrying out their assigned mission.
There are a mixture of real SAM and AAA systems, emulators and simulators
currently in use on the Range.
Additionally, they have an array of visual targets
including a dummy airfield, complete with aircraft, missile sites and
vehicle convoys. The aircrews try to evade the threats, whilst carrying
out their assigned mission. The
emulators are built in the West but fully replicate the real systems'
characteristics. |
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A number of the targets are
former eastern block vehicles
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Aircraft then react by jamming, chaff
and manoeuvres or a combination of all
three. Simulators transmit radar signals and track aircraft using
Secondary Surveillance Radar or cameras. The signals they produce are
authentic, but the simulators cannot 'see' and, therefore, cannot react to
an aircraft's counter-measures like the other systems. They are good for
lighting up the RWR and to activate the jamming pods, but they can't
provide the full tactical training required by most customers. All these
different systems mean that the Range can reproduce realistic scenarios
for almost any theatre of operation in the world.
Because of its size all what goes on at Spadeadam can't always be seen,
but there is a location where a public road crosses the Southern end of
the range. From were a number of targets can be seen which are used during
some Forward Air Control courses are carried out. The site is known as
Wiley Sike open moor land |
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These
vehicles are made more authentic by adding the old soviet red star |
An
armored vehicle target is set on fire after a Tornado bomb run |
A few of the attacking aircraft on the
Wiley Sike range
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