Editing RAF Spadeadam (section)

==History==
===Cold War===
[[File:Blue Streak Engine Test.jpg|thumb|left|One of the rocket-firing stands for the [[Blue Streak missile]] at RAF Spadeadam]]
The site was first built in 1955 to be the test centre for the [[Blue Streak (missile)|Blue Streak]] [[intermediate-range ballistic missile]] project.<ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafspadeadam/aboutus/history.cfm |publisher=Royal Air Force}}</ref> The role of Spadeadam in Britain's [[Cold War]] nuclear weapons programme was made public in 2004 when tree felling uncovered remains of abandoned excavations for an experimental [[missile silo]]. Spadeadam was probably intended to be one of 60 launch sites planned for remote locations.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5vK4CgAAQBAJ&pg=PT13|title=Lost Britain: An A-Z of Forgotten Landmarks and Lost Traditions|first= David|last= Long|publisher=Michael O'Mara|year=2015|isbn=978-1782434399}}</ref>

The Rocket Establishment, as it was called, was divided into five areas: an administration and assembly block, a [[British Oxygen Company]] compound for on-site [[liquid oxygen]] fuel manufacture, a component test area, the engine test area and the static firing stands.<ref>{{NHLE|num= 1413245|desc=RAF Spadeadam: Blue Streak Rocket |accessdate = 5 July 2016}}</ref> The engine test area at Prior Lancy Rigg consisted of four concrete stands into which the engines could be mounted for test firing.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=RAF Spadeadam: Priorlancy Rigg, Engine Test Area|num=1413098|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref> Two rocket-firing stands themselves stood at Greymare Hills and were large enough to accommodate a full Blue Streak missile.<ref>{{PastScape|num=1580748|desc=RAF Spadeadam Greymare Hill Missile Test Area|accessdate=5 July 2016}}</ref>

The RAF took the site over in 1976 and it became Europe's first electronic warfare tactics range in 1977.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forgottenairfields.com/airfield-spadeadam-966.html|title=Spadeadam|publisher=Forgotten Airfields|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref>

===Post-Cold War===
The site continues to be used in training the Royal Air Force and NATO allied aircrew in electronic warfare. It also hosts other exercising forces such as [[Joint Forward Air Controller Training and Standards Unit|JFACTSU]] [[forward air controller]] training delivered from [[RAF Leeming]] in North Yorkshire. [[Close air support]] (CAS) training is carried out too. Since 2006, this has been the only mainland UK location where aircrews can drop practice bombs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Close Air Support|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafspadeadam/aboutus/closeairsupport.cfm |publisher=Royal Air Force|access-date=5 July 2016}}</ref>

[[DNV]] (previously Advantica) uses the site for industrial hazard testing including fire and the destruction of pipelines. The remoteness of the area is key to their operations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Explosives testing centre to open at Spadeadam|url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/business/Explosives-testing-centre-to-open-at-Spadeadam-bf5d181d-4d63-4d6d-bc18-114a55d11571-ds|access-date=5 July 2016|work=News and Star|date=30 June 2016}}</ref>

In July 2021, RAF Spadeadam was used to conduct [[drone swarm]] trials; a first for the [[British Armed Forces]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Ben |title=Commandos operate drone swarms in UK military first |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/commandos-lulworth-cove-cumbria-dorset-royal-marines-b946263.html |access-date=23 August 2021 |work=Evening Standard |date=17 July 2021}}</ref>