Santa Rosa Island Range Complex, Military testing complex on Santa Rosa Island, Fort Walton Beach, United States.
Santa Rosa Island Range Complex is a military testing site off the coast of Fort Walton Beach featuring multiple operational zones positioned over water. The facility supported aircraft tests and missile launches, keeping dangerous experiments safely away from populated areas.
The facility started in 1944 to study German V-1 flying bombs and support American missile weapon development. It served as a crucial Cold War testing location for aircraft and rocket programs over the following decades.
The site maintains significant military heritage through its preserved launch ramps and structural remains, earning recognition in the National Register of Historic Places.
The site is not open to the public since it remains an active military facility. Nearby aviation museums in the Fort Walton Beach area offer exhibits about its history and significance.
Around 150 BOMARC air defense missiles were launched from this location between 1959 and 1963. The site also supported NASA rocket programs that studied Earth's upper atmosphere and contributed to early space research.
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