Monument record ORF 174 - Circular concrete ring of R System Radar, Orford Ness

2007: Field survey of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment by Historic England (S1).
Structure H50: To the south of H1 are the remains of a large circular feature 25.37m (83ft 3ins)in diameter to centre of outer ring. At its centre is a large sawn-off 0.42m (1ft 4ins) square post set into concrete. The outer concrete foundation is 1.07m (3ft 6ins)wide and set into it are fixing bolts for a timber superstructure, a number of fragments of which remain along with ceramic insulators, within the circle are five large straining blocks for anchoring the guy wires and a number of smaller concrete blocks. There are three more straining blocks between this feature and the Bomb Ballistics Building.

To the northwest of the circle is a concrete slab 18.32m (60ft)x 6.1m (20ft)to its east is an electrical input box.

It was probabaly erected during the late 1950s or early 1960s, it is not known if it was part of a research facility, to gather intelligence information, or for use in position fixing for trials work (S1).

The Concrete ring forms part of an R System Radar built by the US Airforce in the early 1960s and supported a steerable helical transmitter but had been phased out by the end of the decade. It is belived only eight of these rings were constructed around the world (S2).