benbecula missile range

s.parentNode.insertBefore(p, s); Some welcomed the military, while others worried they were now targets. If implemented the MoD plan would mean that one in six jobs in the southern isles would be lost as QuinetiQ the private contractor running Range Hebrides, move the command and control centre for missile firing to its base at Aberporth in south Wales in an effort to save 50m. This civilianisation programme managed to keep many of the jobs in the Uists, jobs that are again under threat. Catering contract company, Elior UK, has confirmed that it had reduced its staff. In 2012, an Iranian official . I think that the hon. Mr. Sandys: My hon. Is the Minister aware that fairly definite statements have appeared in the Press that this rocket range is to be abandoned, and can he say whether this information is correct or whether it is intelligent anticipation? The MoD through QinetiQ cannot walk away leaving chaos and a vacuum behind.". Original format: 16mm. He said: "If it is confirmed this week that there are to be major job losses in the defence sector in Uist, then the UK Government are dealing a very heavy blow to the islands. Object description The view from inside one of the missile hangars at the Suth Uist missile range, showing an erector backing in to the missile hangar to pick up the designated Corporal missile for that day's test. Would the right hon. West Camp - an Army base at Balivanich, Benbecula - would remain open but one accommodation block would close, reducing the need for domestic staff. United States Air Force at White Sands Missile Range; United States Navy at White Sands Missile Range; Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Center for Countermeasures (CCM) Department of Defense Frequency Coordinator; If so, is that not a very substantial reason why we should consider whether the Ministry of Supply is any longer of value? The Korean War which saw US and British troops in action against forces backed by Russia had been fought in the 1950s, while the period around the time of Rocket Range Benbecula was punctuated by major incidents. These buildings on the summit of Ruabhal on the Hebridean island of South Uist are the Range Control Unit for the South Uist Missile Range. Mr. Hector Hughes: The minister is due to meet a taskforce opposed to the plans on Thursday. RSPB warden Jamie Boyle said the machair was key to the survival of rare species such as corncrake. Now, apparently, the project is being virtually abandoned and the local people brushed aside, with no further help from his Ministry. Nel 1955 il governo britannico decise di includere Saint Kilda in un'area di test missilistici con base a Benbecula. MISSILEMAP is an interactive data visualization by Alex Wellerstein, an associate professor of Science and Technology Studies in the College of Arts and Letters at the Stevens Institute of Technology . The following Question stood upon the Order Paper: 101. He said UAVs have been flown at the range in the past, but more work could be done on the islands and close ties forged with aerospace research projects at Scottish universities. Gentleman says, I hope that there may be savings. Mr. Hughes: Is the Minister aware that opinion in Scotland was told that the original scheme was absolutely essential for national security? 4480 9059, 4498 1849. 50. "The opportunity to see the range, to talk to the workforce, meet local representatives and to hear their views has been invaluable. SSGT Served from 1966 - 1981 Served in Royal Artillery Ranges Benbecula. Is the work at a standstill or is it not? The job advert - which has been posted internally on QinetiQ's website - was met with an angry reaction from Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan on Monday. I was glad that when I was Minister of Supply I had the opportunity to bring the atomic scheme to Dounreay, in the very northernmost part of the Highlands. A few months ago these men were bundled off because the Ministry could not even wait for an inquiry. 12. Menu. Mr. Taylor: It earns the reputation of World's fastest cruise missile. - Hansard, March 19, 1957. [^Civil Defence (Hansard, 19 March 1957)^]. The Western Isles range, which employs about 200 staff in total, is operated on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by the contractor QinetiQ. Forthcoming Range Activity. Subsonic cruise missile flies at a speed lesser than . Gentleman is the Minister of Defence. Rueval has come to be referred to as the place where religion meets radar, as the radar station lies near a 9 metre (30 ft) high granite statue, by sculptor Hew Lorimer, of the Madonna and Child called Our Lady of the Isles, erected there in 1957, and standing at an elevation of 170 feet on the western side of the hill. This refers back to the 6th century when there was a monastery here and the ruins of Columba's Church can be found just south of the village. "That is a very strong plank in the argument we are putting forward. Defence minister Quentin Davies said: "I know that this will be very disappointing news for the staff at our ranges and I do not under-estimate the impact these proposals and job losses will have on the Hebrides community, especially in the current recession. I would certainly not have been able to take an informed decision without it.". Pitlochry South Uist Rocket Range List of Indian Missiles with Range (Cruise Type) : Brahmos. Downsizing of staff numbers are part of plans aimed at saving about 50m. Twenty jobs linked to an underwater range near Raasay, off Skye, are also expected to go, along with two at a site on the Clyde. Explore Lochmaddy Ferry Terminal in Lochmaddy, United Kingdom as it appears on Google Maps as well as pictures, stories and other notable nearby locations on VirtualGlobetrotting.com. We are very concerned by the possibility that the base on Hirta would no longer be manned. Save up to 70% with our image packs Gentleman realise that some of the advantages may be that if South Uist is bombed by rockets with nuclear warheads some of those bombs may drop on Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh? Where croftersand I think that this is the main issue herehave suffered loss as a result of the scheme, even though they may have suffered loss in connection with some area of land which will not now be required, they will be entitled to put in their claims for compensation to the Scottish Land Court which, as the hon. Before leaving the Western Isles following a two-day visit, Mr Davies said: "I was pleased to be able to visit the Hebrides range. Benbecula is small, flat, low-lying and dotted with lochs and lochans and is linked by causeway to the neighbouring Uists. He added: "QinetiQ is the largest private sector employer in the Western Isles and HIE will be pressing for very clear explanations on what forces are at work within the international defence industry which could have prompted this proposal. Mr. Malcolm MacMillan: "Children don't want their parents to lose their jobs or their community destroyed. About MISSILEMAP. Russia's longest-range operational missile is the inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) R-36, which is capable of hitting targets from up . BBC News, June 15, 2009, Loss of 125 jobs at RA Range a major blow to Uist economy | Frontpage, Job cuts planned at rocket range. Mr. Ward: The Ministry of Defence and contractor QinetiQ plan to make job cuts as part of a proposed 50m in savings. Range Operations; Range Operations - IM; Survivability, Vulnerability & Assessment; Resource Management; Team White Sands Organizations. Fiction: non-fiction. Mr. MacMillan: Chairman William Roe said: "This decision is testimony to the speed and determination shown by the community and its public agencies in putting together a number of compelling arguments which challenged the narrow perspective offered on current and future use of the range.". The range's command and control centre on South Uist was to close and rocket tests run remotely from South Wales. I would refer the hon. What kind of defence planning is this? Planned cuts to missile test ranges staff on the Western Isles could have a knock-on effect on wildlife habitat, RSPB Scotland have said. Angus Campbell, leader of Western Isles council, welcomed the decision. The community landowner controls large parts of Benbecula, Eriskay and South Uist. I would remind the hon. benbecula has a long military history an airfield to the north, built during world war ii, became the control centre for the hebrides rocket range, established during the cold war and is now benbecula airport, an army base was established here in 1958 and is one of the main employers on the island as it is the headquarters for those who service In 2004, the MoD instructed an environmental survey to be carried out to assess any potential risk from cobalt-60, a radioactive material used to help gauge the performance of the weapons. BBC NEWS | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Rocket range fate to be announced, BBC NEWS | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Islands rocket range jobs 'saved', BBC NEWS | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Call to open up range to drones, BBC News - Marketing campaign for Uist range, BBC News - Torpedo site job cuts withdrawn, BBC News - Hebrides Range 'ideal' for testing civilian drones, BBC News - Future of UK's largest missile range secure says MoD, BBC News - Defence minister Peter Luff visits Hebrides Range, Future of Scots missile range secured by 1bn MoD deal, Millions to be invested in Hebrides weapons range - BBC News, Rocket fired from Scottish isle destroyed in space - BBC News, Jobs under threat at missile test site in Western Isles - STV News, Job cuts at UK's largest missile range - BBC News, Geirinis Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland, Summary of Hansard proceedings from 1957, includes many South Uist items, BBC News, video. Can he give us an assurance that he will have a very careful review made of those Estimates, so that the House will not be asked, in a month or two, to vote considerable sums which later it will be told will not be needed in their entirety? MEMBERS: "Oh."] White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), our next-door neighbor, has had a historic past and an impressive mission for today's security. In addition, the economy of the Uists must be strengthened and diversified.". Harriett Baldwin, MP, minister for procurement, said: This new deal will ensure our Armed Forces get world-class training and testing facilities and services while making substantial efficiencies, ensuring excellent value for money for the taxpayer. "At this time we await further information from the MoD but we are mobilising support from all quarters to prevent this potential devastating economic blow to the Uist economy.". The MoD had planned to make the station and the Benbecula site automated, run from the QinetiQ site at Aberporth in north Wales, cutting off that service. Allen Woodrow. On the other hand, it has shown that it would now he feasible to carry out most of the necessary Service firings with air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles at the Ministry of Supply rocket establishment at Aberporth, and the balance at the Army gunnery range at Ty Croes, in Anglesey. South Uist Rocket Range The fact remains that since Labour came to power in 1997, more than 9,000 defence jobs have disappeared in Scotland. "I have already raised this with the UK Government and will do so again with the Commons select Committee on Defence. Gentleman will listen to the answer; he asked me a question. It will be operated remotely with staff only visiting for maintenance and servicing. In the period 2001/2002, the Benbecula Airport was reported to have benefited from a 500,000 upgrade, completed in readiness for its participation in the Eurofighter Typhoon test project. The range is operated for a number of clients, including the MoD and BAe Systems, by defence contractor QinetiQ, which took over from DERA (Defence Evaluation and Research Agency) after much of that agency was privatised in 2001. Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil said he hoped the visit would place further pressure on the UK government. Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP, Angus MacNeil, said the range was the largest employer in Uist and any job losses would have "a huge impact on the economy". Can he give an assurance that it was not any of the Ministers in the last Labour Government? Today, the site consists of Deep Range for complex weapons trials & in-service firings and an Inner Range for ground-based air defence campaigns. Group of buildings constructed between early 1970s and 1980s. Guided Weapons Range, The Hebrides The site is linked to the Radar tracking station on St Kilda ( NF19NW 63 ). I think the hon. Member a copy of my reply to these letters. Mr. Ward: Can the hon. "People are apprehensive, fearful. The MoD will now embark on a 30-day consultation on the proposals, although this comes with a coded warning that they are unlikely to accept any significant departure from their original plans. The decision, agreed yesterday at a cabinet meeting in London, followed an announcement in June by the defence minister Quentin Davies that the Ministry of Defence wanted to lay off 150 workers at several military testing bases in the Hebrides to save 50m. Following a meeting of the group, he said: "Today's meeting is the beginning of a determined campaign by all the agencies and community representatives present to challenge the proposals put forward by the Ministry of Defence and contractor QinetiQ last week. The taskforce set up to fight the cuts - part of plans aimed at saving about 50m - has already met Mr Murphy. asked the Minister of Defence if he is now able to make a statement about the proposed abandonment of, or reduction of expenditure upon, the guided missiles project in the Western Isles. Mr. de Freitas: " [^Future of Scots missile range secured by 1bn MoD deal Retrieved January 08, 2017.^] [^Millions to be invested in Hebrides weapons range - BBC News Retrieved January 08, 2017.^]. The announcement was welcomed by Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MSP, Alasdair Allan, and Angus MacNeil, MP. Gentleman think that these are advantages for the Scottish population? RRH Benbecula operates a Type 92 long range surveillance radar, at Cleitreabhal a'Deas on North Uist.The radar, designed and built by Lockheed Martin is almost identical to the AN/FPS-117 radar used by the USA. HC Deb 04 December 1957 vol 579 c54W 54W. I congratulate the workforce on this positive news.. Almaty Kazakhstan The camp is linked to training with the Rapier air defence missile system which is used by the Royal Artillery and RAF. QinetiQ, a leading science and engineering company, the contractors operating the Hebrides Range on behalf of its owners the MoD, will invest approximately 60 million in modern tracking. Since the evacuation, St Kilda's only year-round residents have been military personnel at the radar station, built in 1957 as part of the Benbecula missile range. Nine positions have already been axed and another seven are believed to be at risk at the Hebrides Range on South Uist. Does not the right hon. The warden said the rare birds and wild plants on the machair had helped boost wildlife tourism on the islands over the last 10 years. After allowing for this, the overall effect will be to bring down the capital cost of the whole scheme from about 20 million to about 5 million. In the black and white film - clips of which are among the archives of Scottish Screen and BBC's Scotland on Film - islanders give mixed views. and learned Member to the statement made by my hon. On 9/11, I was not in a building that collapsed or on a plane that crashed and ultimately made my way home safely. [[!Cold War]] A Terrier Oriole rocket was launched from Benbecula in the Western Isles during NATO exercise Formidable Shield, and detected by new radar equipment on the Dutch warship HNLMS De Ruyter. Gentleman assure us that he has not purchased for South Uist the type of rocket that exploded last week in the United States of America? 575-572-7575. "This is prudent business practice and in no way pre-empts the outcome of the public consultation which has yet to be announced.". The Ministry of Defence (MoD) contractor QinetiQ is to cut 125 jobs across sites linked to the range. There is a good deal of local uncertainty and disturbance about the matter. One of the first priorities would be to ensure an extension of the 30-day consultation period on the proposals. ", He added: "We must continue to make the case for the range as a prime asset for the UK and one that could, and should, be developed. France's nuclear deterrent is split between two legs: its fleet of nuclear ballistic missile . An army base was established in the 1950s and remains one of the main island employers as it is the headquarters for those who service the South Uist missile testing range. He said: "The biggest constraint is the contract between QinetiQ and the MoD which only allows for savings and not for looking at other alternatives for expanding the facility for example and look at profits that could be generated. The radar station on Hirta - the largest island on St Kilda - tracks missiles test fired from ranges in the Western Isles. In 2001, Iran illicitly acquired six Soviet-made Kh-55 air-launched cruise missiles, which have a range of up to 2,500 km. Friend the Under-Secretary of State in the debate on the Vote on Account on 7th March. Missile testing will continue at Aberporth in Wales, led by QinetiQ. An official announcement yesterday confirmed that the MoD will reduce its work at South Uist missile range and remove all staff from a radar tracking station on St Kilda. HC Deb 03 April 1957 vol 568 cc369-71 369. This commitment means that facilities and equipment on the range which have become old or difficult to maintain can be addressed, and obsolete item replaced and upgraded as required to keep the range operational. 101. The campaign group includes public bodies such as local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Currently 215 people are employed at the base down from 500 in the 1980s but by the end of 2014 that number will be reduced to just 90, with most of the 125 jobs expected to go in 2013. DAVID ROSS, Highland Correspondent August 03 2009. "Both at a local and national level, the taskforce set up to push for alternative solutions is compiling strong evidence that this course of action is the wrong route to take.". . Mr. Emrys Hughes: The range has also been used to test high altitude meteorological research rockets, Skua and Petrel. In December 2016, news was released confirming the range would remain in service for at least the coming decade. Will the Minister's consideration take into account the fact that the lowest estimate for this scheme was 15 million, and that one was 20 million? People have been rendered homeless and landless and unemployed. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), a member of the taskforce, also welcomed the move not to change the running of missile tests. The airfield built during World War II became the control centre for the Hebrides rocket range, established during the Cold War and is now Benbecula Airport. 54. Gentleman should await the full statement which I hope to make. Some of those employed on Benbecula and South Uist also run crofts and farm fertile grasslands, known as machair, using traditional methods. Alasdair Allan MSP: "If this is supposed to be consultation with the community by the UK Government and its contractor, why did the workforce here have to rely on the local media to learn of their fate? Mr Campbell added: "Mr Murphy also stated that one of the options at the end of the consultation period would be to defer the matter to allow further consideration of alternative options. The young people are going to have their point of view on the matter heard. google_ad_client = 'pub-9912973797081854'; Mr. Hughes: The event was held as part of National Science and Engineering Week - an annual event celebrating science, engineering and technology - and to give manufacturers the chance to show off some of their creations. "We did not need it all; in fact, we need only 5 million worth"? Mr. Emrys Hughes: India BBC NEWS CHANNEL News Front Page. Cape Verde Accommodation Donald Booth, managing director of Dunfermline-based Economic Development and Defence, said it could be opened up for the testing of both commercial and military vehicles. Will not the advantages which are likely to be brought to the islands mean that this part of Western Scotland is far more likely to be bombed, in the same way as we bombed the German rocket ranges during the last war? Colin Chance. The preparatory works which have been carried out, or are in hand, amount to something under 500,000. That argument was accepted yesterday by Murphy. Mr. Shinwell: The camp is linked to training on the Rapier air defence missile system which is used by the Royal Artillery and RAF. Potatoes, lamb flesh and rabbit meat were tested. Mr. Emrys Hughes: The events inspired the book Rockets Galore (1957) by author and nationalist Compton Mackenzie (Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie, January 17, 1883 November 30,1972), as a sequel to his earlier success, Whisky Galore (1947), also inspired by a true event (the grounding of the SS Politician, and the subsequent raid on its consignment of 24,000 cases of whisky), both of which became successful films. "When Jim Murphy and I met with the local taskforce in London in July, I undertook to visit the Hebrides range and St Kilda during the consultation period. Defence minister Quentin Davies is due to announce his decision on downsizing the range's workforce this month. Mr. Emrys Hughes: An advert for a project manager to "downgrade " the Benbecula missile . June 18, 2009, Range job cuts may affect birds. A reduction in expenditure which would otherwise have been incurred I regard as being a saving[Interruption.] However, this number declined in 2008 by 8% to 1,140. I am particularly excited that this programme also enables us to plan and begin implementation of further enhancements to the UKs T&E capabilities to address current and emerging threats through the next decade and beyond.. The MoD has spent about 60 million modernising facilities at the Hebrides Range. This should appreciably reduce the disturbance caused to the islanders; and arrangements are being made to explain the position to them as soon as possible. The UK government announced on Tuesday it had abandoned proposals to cut jobs and the running of the range at South Uist and associated sites. This revised plan will require rather less land in the Hebrides than was originally proposed, and will enable the construction programme there to be greatly curtailed. p.src = '//rum-static.pingdom.net/prum.min.js'; May I try, once again, to bring the Minister to his feet on one issue which is of more than ordinary importance to the local people? L/BDR Served from 1969 - 1984 Served in Royal Artillery Ranges Benbecula. What is the big change? Jobs axed at island missile range. He said: "There has been a lot of speculation about the facility for quite a long time. Mr MacMillan had hoped the meeting between Mr Davies and those campaigning to save the threatened jobs would convince the minister to abandon the plan, or allow more time to consider the cuts. The range is the largest private sector employer on the islands, which already suffer from net migration, a weak economy and heavy dependence on the public sector. Oban Cape Verde Jim Egan. Local councillor Peter Carlin, who runs a laundry business near the base, said: "Forty to sixty per cent of our business comes from the MoD so it will affect my own business in a big way. - Jobs under threat at missile test site in Western Isles. The MoD gave assurances that the future of the site was safe and last year announced plans to invest in the range.

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