Royal Air Force Buchan or more simply RAF Buchan is a former Royal Air Force station near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Buchan opened in 1952 as a radar centre in the ROTOR radar network. It was soon upgraded with the installation of the powerful AMES Type 80 radar, and became a Master Radar Station, directing most air defence activities directly from its radar displays. During the upgrades to the Linesman/Mediator network it was planned to close, but its location and support for air traffic control kept it operational with its Type 80 through this era. In 1991, Buchan became one of two locations to host a Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) of the new Improved United Kingdom Air Defence Ground Environment that replaced Linesman. As part of this upgrade, it received an AMES Type 92 radar although its Type 80 continued operations for some time before finally shutting down in 1993 along with its associated Sperry TPS-34 height finders. The CRC was hosted in a double-storey underground bunker (R3A). As part of another modernization, the United Kingdom Air Surveillance and Control System (UKASCS) moved all control to RAF Boulmer and RAF Scampton, downgrading former radar sites to unattended operation. For this role it retains its Type 92 in a pressurised radome. Because it is now operated remotely, it is referred to as RRH Buchan, for "Remote Radar Head". History In 1979 operations moved into interim facilities above ground whilst the 'R3' underground operations block was refitted as an 'R3A', this involved the excavation of one side of the 'R3' and an auxiliary bunker was constructed alongside to provide secure facilities for stand by generators, power cleaning and air filtration. The Buchan Interim Fit (BIF) building housed the GL-161 computer system associated with the TPS-34 radar, both acquired from No 1ACC. Soviet aircraft transiting between Murmansk in northern Russia and Cuba were routinely intercepted and escorted by live armed fighter aircraft whenever they entered the United Kingdom "area of interest". Control and Reporting Centre Following the collapse of the Warsaw Pact in 1991, Buchan became a Control and Reporting Centre (CRC), part of the UK Air Surveillance and Control System (UKASACS). Buchan was responsible for UK airspace north of Newcastle, working closely with counterparts in Scandinavian countries. The southern CRC was located at RAF Neatishead in Norfolk. Around the same time, Buchan became parent station for RAF Saxa Vord in Shetland