Luce Bay
{{Short description|Bay in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name = Luce Bay
|native_name =
|partof =
|nearest_town =
|country = Scotland
|image = Luce Bay.jpg
|alt = Aerial view of Luce Bay
|caption = Aerial view of Luce Bay. Looking across the eastern part of Loch Ryan and over Stranraer. In the distance can also be seen the Isle of Man
|type = Missile Range
|coordinates = {{coord|54.845|N|4.8687|W|GBtype:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
|pushpin_map = Scotland Dumfries and Galloway#United Kingdom
|pushpin_mapsize = 250
|pushpin_map_alt =
|pushpin_map_caption = Location of Luce Bay within Outer Hebrides
|pushpin_relief =
|pushpin_image =
|pushpin_label = Luce Bay
|pushpin_label_position = bottom
|pushpin_mark =
|pushpin_marksize =
|ownership = QinetiQ
|operator = Qinetiq
|controlledby = {{air force|UK}}
|site_other_label = Stations
|site_other =
|open_to_public =
|site_area =
|code =
|built = {{Start date|1930}}
|used =
|builder =
|materials =
|height =
|fate =
|condition =
|battles =
|events =
|current_commander =
|past_commanders =
|garrison =
|occupants =
|website =
|subcritical_tests =
|nuclear_tests =
|thermonuclear_tests =
|other_tests_label =
|other_tests =
|remediation =
|image3 =
|alt3 =
|caption3 =
|IATA =
|ICAO =
|FAA =
|TC =
|LID =
|GPS =
|WMO =
|elevation = {{Convert|2|m|0}}
|r1-number =
|r1-length =
|r1-surface =
|r2-number =
|r2-length =
|r2-surface =
|airfield_other_label =
|airfield_other =
|footnotes =
}}
Luce Bay is a large bay in Wigtownshire in southern Scotland. The bay is 20 miles wide at its mouth and is bounded by the Rhins of Galloway to the west and the Machars to the east. The Scares are rocky islets at the mouth of the bay.
Bombing range
From the 1930s to the 1990s, it was a bombing range used for training purposes by RAF aircraft (and later allied aircraft on a leasing basis) based at West Freugh. Discharged bombs were retrieved by a retired minesweeper based at Drummore. It is still a licensed Ministry of Defence range with byelaws{{cite web |title=Luce Bay Gunnery and Bombing Range |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/39441/luce_bay_gunnery_bombing_ranges.pdf |website=GOV.UK |accessdate=29 October 2020}} restricting access during test and evaluation activities conducted by QinetiQ{{Cite web |url=https://www.qinetiq.com/contact/pages/officedetails.aspx?siteid=46 |title=Office Location |access-date=5 October 2016 |archive-date=5 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005202716/https://www.qinetiq.com/contact/pages/officedetails.aspx?siteid=46 |url-status=dead }} on behalf of the MOD.
Once an important commercial fishery, Luce Bay is now seldom used for this purpose. It contains important marine and littoral life, and has been declared a Special Area of Conservation by Scottish Natural Heritage
Places on Luce Bay coastline
See also
- Deep Sea Range on the Outer Hebrides
- RAF Tain on the Moray Firth
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.qinetiq.com/contact/pages/officedetails.aspx?siteid=46 Qinetiq]
Category:History of Dumfries and Galloway
Category:Landforms of Dumfries and Galloway
Category:Military installations in Scotland
Category:Bays of the Irish Sea
{{DumfriesGalloway-geo-stub}}