RAF Tain - Defence Training Estates

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The station is the largest live weapons range in the Defence Training Estates. It was one of only three ranges in Europe where live 1,000-pound (450 kg) bombs may be dropped. The range has no live bombing as it is all done at the Cape Wrath range in the far northwest of Scotland at Durness. The weapons at Tain are 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) and 14 kilograms (31 lb) practice bombs and inert 1,000 lb concrete bombs. The Americans have in the past dropped BDU-39 and -50s and some inert 500-pound (230 kg) bombs. Trainee pilots of No. 15 Squadron OCU (Operational Conversion Unit from RAF Lossiemouth make use of the range, and it is available to aircrews from across the United Kingdom. The OCU use Tain to practice various types of attack from loft, dive and level from 250 feet (76 m) up to 15,000 feet (4,600 m). It is also an important range for UK Forward Air Controllers and there NATO counterparts to maintain their air weapons qualifications.