The Defence Research Establishment Suffield was the name of the

military research Military science is the study of military processes, institutions, and behavior, along with the study of warfare, and the theory and application of organized coercive force. It is mainly focused on theory, method, and practice of producing mil ...

facility located north of

Suffield, Alberta Suffield is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within Cypress County. It is located on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) approximately northwest of Medicine Hat, and just south of CFB Suffield. History Established by the Canadian Pa ...

, from 1967 to its renaming to ''

DRDC Suffield DRDC Suffield is a major Canadian military research facility located north of Suffield, Alberta, and is one of eight centres making up Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC). History The research facility commenced operations on June 11, ...

'' in 2000.

History

After being renamed from the

Suffield Experimental Station The military research facility located north of Suffield, Alberta, operated under the name of the Suffield Experimental Station (SES) from 1950 to its renaming to the Defence Research Establishment Suffield in 1967. History Experimental Station ...

in July 1967, the Defence Research Establishment Suffield (DRES) continued to operate under the

Defence Research Board Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC; french: Recherche et développement pour la défense Canada, ''RDDC'') is a special operating agency of the Department of National Defence (DND), whose purpose is to provide the Canadian Armed Forces ...

. On August 3, 1971,

Agriculture Minister An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

H.A. (Bud) Olson announce "that a Canadian Forces Base will be established on the military reservation of the Defence Research Establishment at Suffield, near Medicine Hat" where more than 6,000 British troops will train between May and November 1972. A few weeks later, on August 25, 1971, the Canadian Government ratified a ten-year agreement with the British Government that allowed the United Kingdom Forces to use the Military Training Area (MTA) on the Suffield Block. The MTA occupies the northern three quarters of the military reserve and the remaining southern area was named the Experimental Proving Grounds (EPG). On December 1, 1971, the Canadian Forces Base Suffield (

CFB Suffield Canadian Forces Base Suffield (also CFB Suffield) is a Canadian Forces base, host to the largest military training area in Canada. It is located in southeastern Alberta, north-northwest of Suffield, northwest of the city of Medicine Hat and sou ...

) was officially created and allocated to Mobile Command. 162 staff members, over 90 buildings, over 80 vehicles, and the Crown Village of Ralston were transferred from DRES to

and

was co-located with the Research Establishment."Interim Memorandum of Agreement Between the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Chairman, Defence Research Board Relating to (A) the Establishment of the Canadian Forces Base, Suffield (B) the Provision of Services to the Defence Research Establishment Suffield and (C) the Provisions of Services to the Canadian Forces Base, Suffield", signed 27 October 1971 In 1974, the

evolved into the Research and Development Branch which was administered under th
Assistant Deputy Minister Materiel
of th
Canadian Department of National Defence
Another reorganization followed on April 1, 2000 when the Research and Development Branch was placed under the Assistant Deputy Minister Science & Technology and renamed to

Defence Research and Development Canada Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC; french: Recherche et développement pour la défense Canada, ''RDDC'') is a special operating agency of the Department of National Defence (DND), whose purpose is to provide the Canadian Armed Forces ...

(DRDC).

Large events

Large chemical training events * Exercise Vacuum was undertaken in the fall of 1968 with the objective "To test, under realistic battle conditions, new defensive doctrine, training agents, clothing and equipment designed as a result of shortcomings brought out in previous trials..." Almost 2000 men participated in Exercise Vacuum, which was held on the Suffield Block. Simulants (mainly based on the tear gas CS) were used in the experimental phase of Exercise Vacuum.C.H. Laforce, "The Use of Human Subjects in Chemical Warfare Agent Experiments: An Ethical Perspective", Canadian Forces College, May 2006 Large explosive events * Distant Plain 6 was a 100-ton detonation (spherical form) in 1967G.H.S. Jones, Crater and Ejecta Study, Defence Research Establishment Suffield, 1970 * The Prairie Flat 500-ton detonation (spherical form) on 9 August 1968 at the Watching Hill test site formed a 64-meter diameter craterNeville J. Price, Major impacts and plate tectonics, University College London, 2000 * The Dial Pack 500-ton detonationG.H.S. Jones, Complex Craters in Alluvium, Defence Research Board, 1977 on 23 July 1970.

References

External links

Official DRDC Website
{{authority control DRDC Suffield Military research installations of Canada Science and technology in Canada Science and technology in Alberta