RAF Spadeadam

The Royal Air Force (RAF) operates a low level land-based Electronic Warfare (EW) Tactics Range at RAF Spadeadam, straddling the border between England and Scotland. The role of the Range is to provide an environment which enables aircrews from all NATO countries to develop, evaluate and practice the EW tactics necessary to defeat ground based anti-aircraft systems.

Business Issues

The RAF needed a system to support operations at RAF Spadeadam and one which would help maximise the training value of missions flown at the range. The requirement was for a system which would:

  • Ensure that the resources needed to fulfil the aircrew training requirements were available and in place when the aircrew arrived
  • Co-ordinate the threats on the range to ensure that the training requirements of the aircrew were met
  • Provide timely and accurate feedback to the aircrew
  • The system would also have to be flexible enough to cope with the ever changing threat scenarios that aircrew were likely to come up against when they were deployed to hostile territories.

CAS solution

Working closely with the RAF, CAS developed the Mission Critical Spadeadam Integrated C3 System (SPICCCS). SPICCCS is a key element in the provision of the EW training environment necessary to allow aircrew to develop, and refine, the tactics which are essential to mission success and survival in a hostile electromagnetic environment.

To complement the SPICCCS system, CAS provides a Post Mission Debrief System (EGPMR) which allows missions to be replayed and the effectiveness of the tactics analysed.

Benefits

CAS has created a powerful, ultra-realistic and cost-effective training environment which, through timeous feedback to participating aircrew, helps maximise the benefit of each flying hour.

"During my ten years working closely with CAS, I have nothing but praise for their professionalism and work ethic. The company was always flexible and responsive to the fluid, and at times rapid changes, that our operational needs dictated. Given the "moving goal-post syndrome" that such fluid situations result in, it was most refreshing to work with a company that worked within the spirit of a contract and not to the letter. Their innovative and professional attitude to the Service's requests has always resulted in robust, flexible and cost-effective solutions."

John Gilbert, Squadron Leader - Officer Commanding Operations at RAF Spadeadam 1989 to 1999.