RRH Portreath
Encyclopedia
RRH Portreath is a Remote Radar Head operated by the Royal Air Force
. It is situated at Nancekuke Common on the clifftops to the north of Portreath
beach and southwest of Porthtowan
in Cornwall
. Its radar (housed in a fibre glass or golf ball protective dome) provides long-range coverage of the south western approaches
to the UK
.
Called RAF Portreath, the base was built during 1940, opened in March 1941 and had a varied career during the Second World War, initially as a RAF Fighter Command
station, from October 1941 as a ferry stop-over for aircraft bound to/from North Africa
and the Middle East
, as a temporary stop-over for USAAF and RCAF
units, and then as a Coastal Command station. By the end of the war, it had run down and in May 1950 was handed back to the government by the RAF.
. Manufacture of the nerve agent Sarin
commenced there in the early 1950s, and Nancekuke became an important factory for stockpiling the UK's Chemical Defences during the Cold War
. Periodically, small amounts of VX
were also produced at Nancekuke. Production of VX was intended mainly for laboratory test purposes, but also to validate designs for possible mass-production of VX agent, which never took place. In the late 1950s, the chemical weapons production plant at Nancekuke was mothballed, but was maintained through the 1960s and 1970s in a state whereby production of chemical weapons could easily re-commence if required.
The CDE buildings were demolished in 1979-1980, and the RAF re-opened the site as a manned radar station in October 1980, a Control and Reporting Post (CRP
) for UK Air Surveillance. In 1986 an underground CRP
was built as part of the new UKADGE (United Kingdom Air Defence and Ground Environment) project. New mobile, Marconi Electronic Systems
manufactured, radar
systems, including an S723 Martello
(RAF Type 91), and telecommunication installations were added during the mid-1980s. In the late nineties, the installation became remote operation, and the primary Radar was replaced with the British Aerospace (BAe) Type 101. The surrounding area is occasionally used for rallying
. Portreath's parent station was RAF St. Mawgan
for administration but data was routed to RAF Neatishead
.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. It is situated at Nancekuke Common on the clifftops to the north of Portreath
Portreath
Portreath is a civil parish, village and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately three miles northwest of Redruth....
beach and southwest of Porthtowan
Porthtowan
Porthtowan is a small village in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom, and is a popular summer tourist destination which lies within the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, a World Heritage Site. Porthtowan lies on Cornwall's north Atlantic coast about west of St Agnes, north of...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. Its radar (housed in a fibre glass or golf ball protective dome) provides long-range coverage of the south western approaches
Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...
to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Called RAF Portreath, the base was built during 1940, opened in March 1941 and had a varied career during the Second World War, initially as a RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
station, from October 1941 as a ferry stop-over for aircraft bound to/from North Africa
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, as a temporary stop-over for USAAF and RCAF
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
units, and then as a Coastal Command station. By the end of the war, it had run down and in May 1950 was handed back to the government by the RAF.
Post Second World War
The base reverted to its local name Nancekuke and became an outstation of Chemical Defence Establishment (CDE) Porton DownPorton Down
Porton Down is a United Kingdom government and military science park. It is situated slightly northeast of Porton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. To the northwest lies the MoD Boscombe Down test range facility which is operated by QinetiQ...
. Manufacture of the nerve agent Sarin
Sarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
commenced there in the early 1950s, and Nancekuke became an important factory for stockpiling the UK's Chemical Defences during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Periodically, small amounts of VX
VX (nerve agent)
VX, IUPAC name O-ethyl S-[2-ethyl] methylphosphonothioate, is an extremely toxic substance whose only application is in chemical warfare as a nerve agent. As a chemical weapon, it is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations in UN Resolution 687...
were also produced at Nancekuke. Production of VX was intended mainly for laboratory test purposes, but also to validate designs for possible mass-production of VX agent, which never took place. In the late 1950s, the chemical weapons production plant at Nancekuke was mothballed, but was maintained through the 1960s and 1970s in a state whereby production of chemical weapons could easily re-commence if required.
The CDE buildings were demolished in 1979-1980, and the RAF re-opened the site as a manned radar station in October 1980, a Control and Reporting Post (CRP
CRP
-Biochemistry and medicine:* C-reactive protein , an acute phase protein produced by the liver* cAMP receptor protein is a regulatory protein in bacteria* Collagen-related peptides...
) for UK Air Surveillance. In 1986 an underground CRP
CRP
-Biochemistry and medicine:* C-reactive protein , an acute phase protein produced by the liver* cAMP receptor protein is a regulatory protein in bacteria* Collagen-related peptides...
was built as part of the new UKADGE (United Kingdom Air Defence and Ground Environment) project. New mobile, Marconi Electronic Systems
Marconi Electronic Systems
Marconi Electronic Systems , or GEC-Marconi as it was until 1998, was the defence arm of The General Electric Company . It was demerged from GEC and acquired by British Aerospace on November 30, 1999 to form BAE Systems...
manufactured, radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
systems, including an S723 Martello
Martello
Martello can refer these people:* Cesar Martello, politician in Ontario* Alfonse Martello D'Amato, New York politician* Charles Martel d'Anjou, 13th century titular king of Hungary* Leo Martello, paganMartello can also refer to:...
(RAF Type 91), and telecommunication installations were added during the mid-1980s. In the late nineties, the installation became remote operation, and the primary Radar was replaced with the British Aerospace (BAe) Type 101. The surrounding area is occasionally used for rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
. Portreath's parent station was RAF St. Mawgan
RAF St. Mawgan
RAF St Mawgan is a Royal Air Force station near St Mawgan and Newquay in Cornwall. In 2008 the runway part of the site was handed over to Newquay Airport. The remainder of the station still continues to operate under the command of the RAF...
for administration but data was routed to RAF Neatishead
RAF Neatishead
RRH Neatishead, is a Royal Air Force military radar station in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, and was established during the Second World War. It consists of the main technical site, and a number of remote, and sometimes unmanned sites....
.