RAF Saxa Vord is a radar station operated by the Royal Air Force. It is situated in the island of Unst, part of the Shetland Islands islands off Scotland. Its radar provides long-range coverage of the airspace to the North of Scotland.
Saxa Vord has been a radar station since 1957, and was a vital part of Britain's air defence during the Cold War. From around 2000 until 2 April2004 the station operated as RRH Saxa Vord, an unmanned Remote Radar Head operated from a parent station (RAF Buchan). On 2 April2004 RAF Saxa Vord was upgraded from a Remote Radar Head to a full manned station, taking over control of the radar defences in the area. RAF Buchan will be downgraded to a Remote Radar Head.
The station is named for Saxa Vord, the highest hill on Unst. The station holds the unofficial British record for wind speed, which in 1962 was recorded at 177mph: just before the measuring equipment blew away.
Amanda, 43 and single and a former Norwich High School girl, was posted to SaxaVord in May last year after a spell at RAF Coltishall and expects to be on the island until next August.
SaxaVord is set on the tip of Unst, the northernmost island of the Shetlands group, with a population of 700 including the RAF personnel and their families.
But despite the distance and remoteness, she’ll not be sad to return to SaxaVord in the depths of winter, to her seat and desk at the very top of Great Britain.
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