RAF Fylingdales

RAF Fylingdales sits high on the North York Moors with its large pyramid-shaped radar buildings scanning the skies and space around the clock, surrounded by green hills and quiet countryside that creates a calm but purposeful atmosphere.

The station was built in the early 1960s during the Cold War with three large dome-shaped radars that looked like golf balls, and over the years it has evolved into a modern facility with sleek systems that track satellites and watch for missile threats.

Staff here work together in long shifts watching thousands of objects orbiting Earth, and they describe their job as protecting communication networks and preventing space debris from causing damage, which makes them feel proud to be part of this quiet guardian mission.

The station is not open to visitors, but you can see the radar structures from nearby walking paths and the small village of Pickering offers cozy cafes and shops where locals often talk about living near this important defense site.

The radar here can detect objects thousands of miles away in space using tiny electronic parts that direct beams precisely, and during special occasions the Red Arrows fly overhead to celebrate the station's role in keeping the country safe from threats beyond the clouds.

Location: North Yorkshire

Operator: Royal Air Force

Part of: Ballistic Missile Early Warning System

Address: Pickering

Phone: +441751467217

Website: https://raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-fylingdales

GPS coordinates: 54.36160,-0.66970

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:59