ASWE Building on Portsdown Hill | |
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1959 |
| Preceding Department | |
| Dissolved | 1984 |
| Superseding Department | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of the United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | Fort Southwick Portsdown Hill,England |
| Parent Department | Admiralty Ministry of Defence, Navy Department |
TheAdmiralty Surface Weapons Establishment (ASWE) and later known as theAdmiralty Research Establishment (ARE) was a department of theBritish Admiralty and laterNavy Department (Ministry of Defence) responsible forresearch and development, into the design and testing of devices, equipment, and techniques in-regard to naval communications, electronic counter-measures, radar missile control and other related fields it was based atPortsdown Hill,Hampshire,England[1] from 1959 to 1984.[2]
In 1959 theAdmiralty Gunnery Establishment (AGE) andAdmiralty Signals and Radar Establishment (ASRE) were merged to form Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment (ASWE),[2][3] this was due to advances in missile technologies research. It was responsible for research and development in relation to naval communications, missile control systems by use of radar, and electronic counter-measures.[2] In 1971 as the ASWE was expanding its work it assumed responsibility for navigational compass development, this resulted in theAdmiralty Compass Observatory becoming its Navigation Division within this department.[2] In 1984 as part of a further centralisation ofR & D work being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence, it was merged with two other departments theAdmiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment (AUWE) andAdmiralty Marine Technology Establishment (AMTE) to form theAdmiralty Research Establishment (ARE).[2]
The AWSE building on Portsdown Hill was demolished 2010-2011.[4]