Deep Sea Range
The Deep Sea Range is an RAF missile range in the Outer Hebrides. It has also been known as the Hebrides Guided Weapon Range and the South Uist Missile Range.
| Deep Sea Range | |
|---|---|
South Uist Missile Range, Hebrides Range | |
| Scotland | |
 | |
  Deep Sea Range Location of Deep Sea Range within Outer Hebrides  Deep Sea Range Deep Sea Range (the United Kingdom) | |
| Coordinates | 57°28′15.77″N 7°22′36.89″W |
| Type | Missile Range |
| Site information | |
| Owner | QinetiQ |
| Operator | Qinetiq |
| Controlled by |  Royal Air Force |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1957 |
| Built by | RAF 5004 Airfield Construction Squadron |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | Congreve House |
| Airfield information | |
| Elevation | 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) AMSL |
History
The range was operated by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), for evaluating new missiles. St Kilda became Scotland's first World Heritage Site in 1987.
The site was built in 1957 by the Ministry of Defence to test nuclear missiles.[1] Opposition to the construction of the range resulted in the novel Rockets Galore!, by Sir Compton Mackenzie, which was made into a film, filmed on the island of Barra.
Resistance to the building of the range also led to the construction of the religious monument Our Lady of the Isles.
Structure
It is situated in the Outer Hebrides on South Uist. The missiles are tracked from St Kilda, Scotland, a now uninhabited island, which is now leased by the Ministry of Defence. The site is run by QinetiQ, a privatised former division of the MoD.
Around 230 people work across all sites of the range.
See also
- List of rocket launch sites
- 1957 in Scotland
- BUTEC (British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre) at Raasay
- Luce Bay in Dumfries and Galloway
- RAF Tain on the Moray Firth