MOD West Freugh

MOD West Freugh, located in Wigtownshire, Scotland, is a former Royal Air Force station that now operates as a research establishment and weapons range. The site was originally established as RNAS Luce Bay during the First World War for naval airships. It opened as RAF West Freugh in 1937 as an armament training camp. During the Second World War, its role expanded to include training facilities for observers, navigators, and bomb aimers, and it served as a base for the Bombing Trials Unit. Various RAF squadrons and units were stationed there throughout its active period. The airfield ceased all RAF operations and was closed in 2001. Since then, operations have been taken over by defence contractor QinetiQ on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. The site continues to be used as a test range for bombs and air-to-ground missiles, with ranges extending over Luce Bay and Torrs Warren. Although the airfield is no longer licensed or active, it remains available for military exercises. A satellite earth station is also located at West Freugh, used for receiving and distributing data from European Space Agency's ERS radar satellites and certified for Canadian RADARSAT imagery.