RAF Spadeadam

RAF Spadeadam is a Royal Air Force station located in Cumbria, England, near the border with Northumberland. Established in 1955, it was initially built as a test centre for the Blue Streak intermediate-range ballistic missile project during the Cold War. The site included an administration and assembly block, a liquid oxygen fuel manufacturing compound, a component test area, an engine test area, and static firing stands capable of accommodating a full Blue Streak missile. The RAF took over the site in 1976, and it became Europe's first electronic warfare (EW) tactics range in 1977. Covering 9,000 acres (36 km²), it is the largest RAF base in the United Kingdom by area.

Currently, RAF Spadeadam's primary use is for EW training for the RAF and NATO allies. It also hosts other training activities, such as JFACTSU forward air controller training delivered from RAF Leeming and close air support (CAS) training. Since 2006, it has been the only mainland UK location where aircrews can drop practice bombs. In July 2021, the site was used for drone swarm trials for the British Armed Forces. In addition to its military functions, the site is used by DNV (formerly Advantica) for industrial hazard testing, including fire and pipeline destruction, leveraging the area's remote nature for these operations. The site's moorland landscape is also recognized for its visual quality and nature conservation, featuring peat bogs, newt populations, and habitat for red squirrels.