Saxa Vord to close

[ORAC]

BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4701933.stm) Another of the old ADGE sites goes.

I thought NATO had insisted the radar sites on the periphery of the alliance had to stay open? What´s the situation with the Danes and Polestar? Not much point in one without the other....

[southside]

Seems sensible to me. Saxa has been a complete waste of money for some years.

[Maple 01]

yep, Cold War's over, Russians NOTAM activity these days!

Bet the ASACS guys are over the moon, first Buchan, then Saxa

[huge forkbender]

Bet the ASACS guys are over the moon, first Buchan, then Saxa

and Neatishead, Boulmer................

[Pontius Navigator]

Yeah, with QRA in Lithuania who needs Saxa?

[Mad_Mark]

Not too sure, but I was under the impression the radar head would be staying, just remotely operated with a skeleton maintenance staff on hand.

MadMark!!! :mad:

[An Teallach]

Sad to see Sexual Void closing, but inevitable. It has lived an expensive, pointless existance for the last 15 years. It'll be a real blow to Unst, I just hope the Island can survive the loss.

[egbt]

Bet the ASACS guys are over the moon, first Buchan, then Saxa

and Neatishead, Boulmer................

and Bishops Court, Troodos, Patrington, Wyton ......

A strange feeling when you see the bees knees of 60’s and 70’s technology (T84 radar) on TV a year or two ago as an example of industrial / cold war archaeology. Pity the T85 head had gone from the R12 building by then, much more impressive.

As would have been the T80 at Saxa before its little accident.

Hardly recognised Staxton Wold when I flew by last year. :(

Ex Linesman guy - many many years ago.

[Impiger]

I believe the Danes also intend to close Polestar - if they haven't already.

Saxa was originally planned for one of the ACCS radars but I don't think it will get one - but the plinth and the wiring will be there. As one wag put it Unst will be 'fitted for but not with ...' now where have I heard that before?

In all honesty with no real threat who needs a radar at Saxa?

[Jordan D]

Sorry for the gross ignorance - but has Buchan closed? Went there on a RAF Camp few years back and really had a great time ('twas the people) ....

Jordan

[Tigs2]

The money we spent at Saxa is totally insignificant compared to the money spent running the Falklands, where there is no threat at all. We would save a lot of money and see a hugh boost in morale if we closed that white elephant down.

[The Rocket]

Tigs,

Agree and disagree.

Yes, it is a complete arse being sent down to that cr4phole for 5 weeks a year, more so for the boys and girls doing 4/6 months there. And yes it is an enormous sap on morale to recieve that dreaded signal telling you that you are going on a 4 month holiday there.

However, it is still British territory, with enough British subjects living there who, at the last time of asking at least, do not wish to be anything other than British citizens, to warrant a deterrent force there. There is more happening there than you may think whilst you are sat in the comfort of your rotating chair in your English study.



Plus, the flying rocks!!!

:E :E :E

[Tigs2]

Rocket
Thank you. Agree and disagree. I have spent enough time there to know exactly what is happening, and i spend that much time away from home in hot and sunny places, that i rarely have time to sit on my rotating chair in my english study!!

Yes they are British citizens, and they should remain so, however there is no political, military or economic threat from anyone else in those parts to those islands anymore. The cost is staggering. The locals want us to stay because their economy now depends on it. Tough! The economy of Saxa depends heavily on the existance of the RRH, but we are still going to pull out and leave them to it. There is no political or public desire in Argentina to invade the Falklands again.

[ZH875]

There is no political or public desire in Argentina to invade the Falklands again.Only time will tell.

In 1982, it was believed that the Argentinians would not invade.

In 2002 Tony B-Liar believed that WMDs existed in EyeRack

In 2005 it was believed that suicide bombers were not capable of attacks in London.

[Maple 01]

ZH875

Point 1 - In 1982 the Foreign Office chose to ignore the indications - under a Tory administration that had just instigated one of the biggest post-war military cuts

Point 2 - So no chemical weapons found in Iraq?

So the mustard gas and sarin shells must have been a CIA plant :rolleyes:


Point 3 - Who said that? No-one I know in the Int world

[Tigs2]

ZH875
i am sorry but i think your last post appeared to be that of a very ill informed person. In 1982 the political situation in Argentina was TOTALLY different to today. It had the military might, desire and public backing to go for the Falklands. Furthermore it had a very strong economic base. Today the country has recently been at the verge of financial collapse, its military has been cut back massively, the military leaders who lead the country into the war were ridiculed and ousted. Today the government is totally different, they ARE NOT interested, and more importantly neither are the people.
Military presence is about risk assessment, there is no risk, and it costs tens if not 100's of millions per year to keep our military presence in the Falklands. If the Argies wanted it back its not something that would be decided overnight. They know its not possible.

Who said suicide bombers could not get to London? Where did you hear that?

[ZH875]

Point 1 - In 1982 the Foreign Office chose to ignore the indications - under a Tory administration that had just instigated one of the biggest post-war military cutsVery similar to the cuts dictated by Mr Brown's purse and carried out by Uncle Tony

Point 2 - So no chemical weapons found in Iraq?

So the mustard gas and sarin shells must have been a CIA plantNothing is unbelievable these days

Point 3 - Who said that? No-one I know in the Int worldApologies, I believed what I read in a newspaper. Darned Journo's, knew I shouldn't have believed it.

Today the government is totally different, they ARE NOT interested,....there is no riskSkint government and billions of dollars worty of who knows what under the sea in that area and the antartic ice shelf. Probably worth a bit of a bite. and who says that they are NOT INTERESTED in the Islas Malvinas?.

[Maple 01]

Very similar to the cuts dictated by Mr Brown's purse and carried out by Uncle Tony

Except the Cold War was at it's height during the 1980s - what a great time to cut back! Remember Fisheads going South with redundancy notices in their pockets? Perpetrate the myth of the Tories being the party of defence if you must, but don't forget the Nott cuts/Frontline First/Options For Change etc

IMO (for what it's worth, about 24 centavos) Argentina of 2005 bears no resemblance to that of 1982. They are a democracy (all be it a bit shaky I'll grant you) The primacy of the parliament has been re-enforced by the sacking of huge numbers of generals (almost all those holding command roles before Nestor Kirchner came to power)
A few extremists drag up the traditional Peronist claim to the FI periodically but just how important is it to the average man on the La Boca omnibus?

[tailchase]

Progress is progress but I will recall one of my happiest tours in the RAF at SV alebit a few years ago. It seemed looking back as if the station enjoyed what is often missing in todays age in that it had a community who all relied on each other and who worked and played as such - many a happy 'longest day' celebration up at Loch of Cliff and the need to read the newspaper at midnight just because you could as it was still light enough.

[M609]

On Natos very left flank, we actually install more radars, both maritime and air.

(Which brings us from crappy to bad coverage, damm mountains.........)

Not many manned sites left though, only 2 CRCs (And 2 container CRC thingys, one of which is back from one year stuck in Kaunas, Lithuania)

[16 blades]

There is no political or public desire in Argentina to invade the Falklands again.

...there may will be when the oil starts flowing. It'd be just what their in-the-toilet economy would need...

16B

[Blacksheep]

Five months in the Falklands is tough is it? Not a patch on a one-year stretch in Masirah or Salalah I reckon. Worst of all possibly, three years in El Adam - old Ghaddafi did us a huge favour kicking us out of there.

Then - oh God, the horror of it! Eighteen months being eaten alive by wild creatures in the steaming jungles of Borneo! Dollar fifty it was, two dollars if they took their teeth out... ;)

We had a Ground Radar Fitter in Changi who, when given his "choose where you want to go" chit three months before going tour-ex, declared that it was a load of bull**** and they would never send you where you asked for. For his three choices he put "Saxa Vord" "Saxa Vord" and "Saxa Vord". For his three negatives he put "Anywhere except Saxa Vord"

Guess where they sent him... :suspect:

Perhaps he's still there?

[Gainesy]

What year was it when Sexy Void's Type 80 aerial was blown over the cliff into the oggin? Understand the wind was recorded at something like 125kt before the anenometer also got airborne.

Masirah=Marham without grass.:)

[foldingwings]

Gainesy,

Your youth shines through!

El Adem was always Marham without grass (see Blacksheep's post above)! At least Masirah can have a sea breeze and you can go for a dip!

[Gainesy]

I spent three years roughing it (ahem) at AKR and never had the pleasure of a Gulf posting.

Not sure when El Adem closed but vaguely remember an Argosy crashing near there while doing a beat up and hitting some aerials so suppose it was still open 67-68ish?

Been a while since I've been described as youthful BTW, usually its "Grumpy Old Git".:)