Vidsel Test Range is a
Swedish strategic national test and evaluation asset operated by the
Swedish Defence Materiel Administration
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ( sv, Försvarets materielverk, FMV) is a Swedish government agency that reports to the Ministry of Defence. The agency is responsible for the supply of materiel to the Swedish defence organisation. It ...
(FMV), a part of the Swedish Ministry of Defence, near
Vidsel.
Physical attributes
Vidsel Test Range is located in the north of
Sweden, in a region with an extremely low population and little air-traffic.
Restricted airspace
Vidsel Test Range has a permanently
restricted airspace
Restricted airspace is an area of airspace typically used by the military in which the local controlling authorities have determined that air traffic must be restricted or prohibited for safety or security concerns. It is one of many types of s ...
, called R02 in the Swedish system.
It covers the suspended ground space and is 7,200 km² in size, with GND/UNL altitude restriction.
Suspended ground-space
Vidsel Test Range has a 3,300 km² large ground area, that is prohibited to enter for non-authorized personnel.
1,600 km² is the original test area established 1958, and is suspended year-around.
1,700 km² (divided in one 1600 km² and one 100 km² part) is only used and suspended when special demands calls for a larger area. The ''extended range'' can be used Sept-Jun.
Local impacts
There are uncertainties and critique regarding negative impacts for the local environment and population, including the indigenous population of
Sámi
The Sámi ( ; also spelled Sami or Saami) are a Finno-Ugric-speaking people inhabiting the region of Sápmi (formerly known as Lapland), which today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and of the Murmansk Oblast, R ...
people and their herding of reindeers.
See also
*
Vidsel Air Base
*
North European Aerospace Test range North European Aerospace Test range (NEAT) in Sweden is Europe's largest overland test range for aerospace systems.
It is a co-operation Press releasSwedish Defence Material Administration and SSC in major joint investment in Vidsel Test Range 200 ...
References
"Vidsel Range Order", ed 1.1,
Swedish Defence Materiel Administration
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ( sv, Försvarets materielverk, FMV) is a Swedish government agency that reports to the Ministry of Defence. The agency is responsible for the supply of materiel to the Swedish defence organisation. It ...
(FMV), 2009
"When the Land Became a Testing Range", Uppsala University
External links
Vidsel Test Range web siteVidsel Test Range
on the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ( sv, Försvarets materielverk, FMV) is a Swedish government agency that reports to the Ministry of Defence. The agency is responsible for the supply of materiel to the Swedish defence organisation. It ...
website
Weapons test sites
Proving grounds
Military installations of Sweden
1958 establishments in Sweden
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