RAF Brawdy Pembrokeshire
roberts
airbase is still in use, now the RAF and the USN have pulled out?
M.J.Powell
<pa...@computerwiz.free-online.co.uk> writes
>Does anyone know if the US navy (NAVAC)?? underground centre at the Brawdy
>airbase is still in use, now the RAF and the USN have pulled out?
Last I heard some 3 years ago was that it was being use for listening to
whale noises.
Mike
--
M.J.Powell
Dom J
state. I seem to remember seeing a sign by the front gate saying that the '
9th signals Regiment' ( i could be wrong on this) were based here. As the
the NAVAC bit, I think this moved to RAF St Mawgan.
Dom J#
"roberts" <pa...@computerwiz.free-online.co.uk> wrote in message
news:9p9eu3$gfc0j$1...@ID-48233.news.dfncis.de...
DMan102092
part is still working but connected to another station possibly St Mawgan as
suggested.The building was just outside RAF Brawdy and never officially
existed! usual thing!!
Ben Soffa
I visited the Navfac, which is now the 'Brawdy Business Park', earlier
in the summer. Several of the administration buildings and the
generator house are currently in use by small businesses but the main
structure (the Terminal building) has been left largely intact since
the US Navy moved out in 1995. Small areas have been used for storage
and by a company manufacturing tinned food.
The plan when I visited (may have changed in the current economic
climate) was to develop the Terminal building as 'Phase II' of the
park early in the new year. Currently the building is nearly empty,
with only small amounts of furniture, signage and the telephone
exchange remaining.
The lower 'deck' contains a large operations room with controllers
platform, several smaller but similar rooms as well as two independent
large air conditioning plant rooms, offices, rest rooms,
garage/service area and a guard room with bullet proof glass, which
has been tested several times!
The upper deck (much smaller) has a series of training suites, the RAF
liaison office, security office etc. There is a guard turret on the
roof.
The whole opearational area has a metre deep under-floor cable space,
a similar one above the ceiling and special wall panelling (purpose
unknown (TEMPEST, sound-proofing?)).
The only area which seems to have been destroyed since the US Navy
moved out is a large central heating plant room, which is part of, but
external to the main area of the building.
The former RAF station, which is several hundred yards away, is now in
army hands and the 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) are
stationed there. They say they have no role in submarine surveillance,
and seemed generally unaware of the former US base, which closed
before they arrived.
There was absolutely no evidence of sizeable underground structures
other than oil/water lines, their service areas and the link down to
the sea.
I'll be putting a couple of dozen photos of the place up on my website
sometime soon.
Ben
roberts
"Ben Soffa" <b...@soffa.co.uk> wrote in message
news:902777ba.01100...@posting.google.com...
> dman1...@cs.com (DMan102092) wrote:
>
> > The building was offered for sale some years ago but I believe the
interesting
> > part is still working but connected to another station possibly St
Mawgan as
> > suggested.The building was just outside RAF Brawdy and never officially
> > existed! usual thing!!
>
as an RAF Fireman. I recall getting a callout there, and on arrival there
was smoke poring out of the vent shafts. The crew I was on were already
kitted out in breathing app sets when we arrived, but were stopped by two US
marines armed with M16 rifles (which were 'made ready' and aimed at us). We
were politely told to withdraw from the area, as, we were on US soil and
they would deal with the situation!.
That was one of the few times we were allowed onto their soil. The only
other times I had periodic access was to check fire extingushers, they were
all brought in batches to the reception area in the main facility (8x12)
room with no windows, where we checked them under armed guard. Each time the
door opened, the guards would cover the gap so you couldn't see inside.
I always wanted to get inside when it was operational ( Just curiousity).
Do you know if the Army have maintained the airfield side of the site since
moving in? It was a damn fine airfield in its day.
Cheers
Paul
Ex RAF Fire service
Ben Soffa
> My reason for starting this thread, was that I was stationed there (78/80)
> as an RAF Fireman. I recall getting a callout there, and on arrival there
> was smoke poring out of the vent shafts. The crew I was on were already
> kitted out in breathing app sets when we arrived, but were stopped by two US
> marines armed with M16 rifles (which were 'made ready' and aimed at us).
This was one of the stories told to us whilst at Brawdy, I don't know
if it's something that happened multiple times, but it's great to find
out it was true, unlike all the usual urban legend type things that
build up.
> We were politely told to withdraw from the area, as, we were on US soil and
> they would deal with the situation!
I wasn't particularly looking, but don't remember seeing sprinklers
etc in the non-operational spaces. There were fire alarms, and the
control box and zone map were still next to the entrance. What they
did have was a certain amount of compartmentalising within the
building. One of the smaller data processing type areas was divided
from the main space with double heavy metal doors, seemingly intended
for security as well as fire protection, it having an entry code box.
The double decker area was effectively a separate structure, possibly
built later, as there was a utility space, with external cladding in
between the two sections, which only linked at two points.
> The only other times I had periodic access was to check fire extinguishers,
> they were all brought in batches to the reception area in the main facility
> (8x12) room with no windows, where we checked them under armed guard. Each
> time the door opened, the guards would cover the gap so you couldn't see
> inside.
There were three set of doors before you saw the main operational
floor-space: the external doors allowing you in to the reception with
guard post window, another set at the far end which takes you in to a
corridor running left/right and then a further set through which you'd
see the main area of the building.
> Do you know if the Army have maintained the airfield side of the site since
> moving in? It was a damn fine airfield in its day.
Some of the (WWII RNAS?) hangers had 'Dangerous Structure' signs on
them, and there seemed to be a fair bit of unused space. The runway
etc. are still all intact, but with some additions, possibly for
training, round it. We didn't really look more than driving round some
of the perimeter though.
Regards,
Ben
Tim
fire extinguishers routinely, yet were NOT permitted anywhere close to
actually fight a fire at the facility.
roberts
"Tim" <nightw...@home.com> wrote in message
news:3BBC8375...@home.com...
> It's kinda curious that the fire agency had the authority to inspect
> fire extinguishers routinely, yet were NOT permitted anywhere close to
> actually fight a fire at the facility.
Not particularly, I think you will find the same authority in place where US
embassy's are concerned.
Its all down to the US territory (soil) which you stand on. The US think as
you are fighting the fire you (Just) might have enough time to scan the
computer files or records. They would rather let it burn down than
compromise security......
the US have always seemed paranoid with their facilities, (reds under the
bed syndrome).... I think someone forgot to tell them that we were on the
same side!!.
I Seem to recall being told that they had their own BA teams who would
effect rescue, if required and they would flood the complex with BCF agent
to suppress the fire.
The next day I recall (2) USN transports flying a lot of personnel out!
On a separate occasion I recall getting friendly with a petty officer from
harlem (IIRC), (motive was to get some cheap gear from their PX) He got
pulled for speeding in haverfordwest & was sent back stateside to avoid
publicity, in a matter of days.
Paul Roberts
Ex RAF Fire
( same person, different Email Addy)
SpamTrapSeeSig
<pa...@computerwiz.free-online.co.uk> writes
>Its all down to the US territory (soil) which you stand on.
The puzzling thing is that, whilst foreign embassies legally *are*
foreign soil, USAF bases in the UK have always been based nominally on
RAF stations, precisely so that the 'soil' remains clearly British.
No matter what the circumstances or who said you were on US soil, I
don't think it was true.
Regards,
Simonm.
--
simonm|at|muircom|dot|demon|.|c|oh|dot|u|kay
SIMON MUIR, UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY, BRISTOL www.ukip.org
EUROPEANS AGAINST THE EU www.members.aol.com/eurofaq
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roberts
"SpamTrapSeeSig" <no-...@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:2GWJtdB+...@muircom.demon.co.uk...
> In article <9pio8s$j3o04$1...@ID-48233.news.dfncis.de>, roberts
> <pa...@computerwiz.free-online.co.uk> writes
> >Its all down to the US territory (soil) which you stand on.
>
> The puzzling thing is that, whilst foreign embassies legally *are*
> foreign soil, USAF bases in the UK have always been based nominally on
> RAF stations, precisely so that the 'soil' remains clearly British.
>
> No matter what the circumstances or who said you were on US soil, I
> don't think it was true.
Let's put it another way...... we were not going to argue with a loaded M16
rifle pointed at our heads, what ever the legalities. Yes we were p*ssed off
that we could not assist, but they were in (control) of the situation.
A similar situation would arise with an RAF aircraft crashing on base into
some base accomodation units. RAF crash firefighters would control the
situation with local civi tenders attending to backup if necessary.
Obviously the USN had the situation under control, but it was the lack of
cooperation with us that we couldn't work out.
In your comment, you stated that the soil remains ours. Well in my
experience this is not so. the RAF bit of an USAF/USN base is just
political, in reality, it is classed as US soil.
Paul
or pounds and get dollars as change either way! The cans of Bud they were
selling at an airshow a few years ago had "Not for consumption outside the
USA" ( or something similar) printed on the side.
Now I've typed this I'm not really sure if its relevant!
--
Paul Charlton
G0UKL / VK6GBL
Ducati ST2
"SpamTrapSeeSig" <no-...@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:2GWJtdB+...@muircom.demon.co.uk...
Steve Barnett
US military closing a large area around the (now dismantled) SIGINT station
at Chicksands and preventing civilians from using what were public roads
during a security alert. I also seem to remember a case some years ago when
a British civilian was arrested in her home by the US Shore Patrol from
"RAF" Burtonwood over her involvement with a GI from the base.I suppose the
exception to this rule has been the lack of court action against trespassers
on the "RAF" Menwith Hill RSOC in Yorkshire. As trespass is a civil offence,
a private prosecution would have to be made and I don't think the NSA
fancied appearing in Court!
Steve Barnett
(now appearing on an ECHELON list near you)
"roberts" <pa...@computerwiz.free-online.co.uk> wrote in message
news:9pjr2m$j738d$1...@ID-48233.news.dfncis.de...
bg
tends to be because of criminal damage, though (cutting fences, etc). The
arrests are always made by MOD Police. They seem to be roughly once every
two months (as if there is a quota). There is one protester who is well
known to the police there.
"Steve Barnett" <ste...@hawke.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1002308531.14245....@news.demon.co.uk...
Louise Baxter
> Does anyone know if the US navy (NAVAC)?? underground centre at the Brawdy
> airbase is still in use, now the RAF and the USN have pulled out?
Brawdy is now the home of 14 Signals (Electronic Warfare)
Regiment British Army and before anyone says thats classified
they even have a bloody website explaining it all
:-)
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DMan102092
building was just outside the airbase and never admitted to!!