RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire provides a continuous ballistic missile early warning service to the UK and US Governments, ensuring a surprise missile attack cannot succeed.
The RADAR is capable of tracking objects including satellites and debris, 3000 miles into space.
Approximately 320 Service Personnel, Ministry of Defence Police, and civilian staff work on site.
RAF Fylingdales falls under UK Space Command.
Toby grew up in South Wales and studied Philosophy and International Relations before commissioning into the RAF in 2005. His early career focussed on global security liaison duties in challenging environments, including Iraq.
Toby's career in military space has included postings to the UK's Permanent Joint Head Quarters (PJHQ), National Space Institute and US Space Command. In his various roles he has worked closely with US Space Force and the US Army Missile and Defence Command.
The Ballistic Missile Early Warning System was a partnership between the United States of America and the United Kingdom to provide radar coverage to counter intercontinental ballistic missile attack.
The early 1960s saw two stations completed and become operational at Thule in Greenland and Clear in Alaska. To complete the radar coverage for the United States and to provide advanced warning it was decided to build a third station in England.
The site on the North York Moors was selected and construction work began in 1960. The construction of the iconic golf balls was completed and the site became operational in September 1963. However, with advances in technology the radar system was upgraded in 1990 and the Solid State Phased Array Radar was declared operational in October 1992.
1963 RAF Fylingdales was declared Operational with the iconic three golf balls on the Moors.
1992 The Solid State Phased Array Radar was declared operational to replace the golf balls.
