RAF Buchan is a Royal Air Force station near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. It has been there since 1952, although the domestic site in Boddam is now closed. Until 2005 it was also home of one of the two Control and Reporting Centres for the United Kingdom in the form of an impressive two story underground bunker (R3). As such it was responsible for coordinating all aspects of air defence as part of The United Kingdom Air Surveillance and Control System (UK ASACS). The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Peterhead is a town in Scotland with a population of approximately 18,000. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The Type 92 radar, now operated remotely, is housed in a pressurized Radome. Until 1994 the based also operated a Type 80 radar and a Westinghouse TPS-43 amongst others. The TPS-43 was an Argentinian radar captured during the Falklands campaign in 1982. The Falkland Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic consisting of two main islands known as East Falkland and West Falkland and a number of smaller islands. ...

In 1979 operations moved into interim facilities above ground whilst the 'R3' underground operations block was refitted, this involved the excavation of one side of the 'R3' and another bunker of similar size was constructed alongside to provide secure facilities for stand by generators, power cleaning and air filtration.

Soviet aircraft transiting between Murmansk in northern Russia and Cuba were routinely intercepted and escorted by live armed fighter aircraft whenever they entered United Kingdom airspace. Following the collapse of the Warsaw Pact Buchan took on the executive control of air defence in the UK's northern airspace, reducing Saxa Vord and RRH Benbecula to Remote Radar Heads while Buchan became a Control Reporting Centre. Throughout the remainder of the station's lifetime its role was gradually sidelined in favour of the UK's other Control Reporting Centre at RAF Neatishead. Murmansk, Archangelsk, Dikson, Tiksi, on the Arctic Ocean Murmansk coin Murmansk (Russian: ) is a city in the extreme northwest of Russia (north of the Arctic circle) with a seaport on the Kola Gulf, 12 km from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement among airlines about financial liability. ... RRH Benbecula is a Remote Radar Head operated by the Royal Air Force. ... RAF Neatishead is a Royal Air Force radar station in Norfolk, England. ...

In 2003 it was announced that operations were to cease at RAF Buchan in 2005. At that time the Royal Air Force's now obsolete Integrated Command and Control System would be switched off, and air defence functions would be taken over by the Universal Command and Control System at RAF Boulmer and RAF Neatishead. Ultimately, however, Neatishead closed before Buchan following spending reviews. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... RAF Boulmer is a Royal Air Force station near Alnwick in Northumberland. ... RAF Neatishead is a Royal Air Force radar station in Norfolk, England. ...

Operations formally ceased at RAF Buchan on 26 November 2004 and the domestic site was officially downsized on 31 March 2005. November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Subterranea Britannica
• Gazetteer for RAF Buchan
• Official RAF website