It is packed with state-of-the-art technology, scanning remote skies for threats to the United Kingdom.
But the Ministry of Defence's new, golf-ball-shaped radar at RAF Neatishead has made enemies rather closer to home... angry villagers furious that their mobile phone coverage has been wiped out by the distinctive landmark.
Locals in nearby Horning have been struggling to get decent phone reception for several weeks, complaining to their mobile providers and local MP, Duncan Baker.
Now, the precise reason for the poor coverage has been revealed - the MoD's recently-built radar dome on the village outskirts.
To allow the radar to operate properly, the MoD has had to remove a mobile phone mast from close to the new structure.
The village of Horning (Image: Denise Bradley)
But Mr Baker, who has taken up the cause, believes a solution may be close at hand.
"We are now very close to getting agreement for a temporary mast in situ next to the village hall in Horning," he said.
"I can’t thank the Horning Village Hall committee and Horning Parish Council for working at such speed to get agreements in place. We seem to be nearly there."
The MoD radar dome has had an eventful few years.
The facility was previously located eight miles away on the coast at Trimingham, but had to be relocated because defence chiefs were concerned that coastal erosion would see it fall into the sea and that offshore wind farms could interfere with it.
Neatishead, which was chosen as an inland base for the dome, previously operated as an air defence base during the Cold War, with a distinctive, green, revolving radar.
The dome was not the first suspect when it came to Horning's recent reception problems.
North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker (Image: Archant)
O2 initially told North Norfolk MP Mr Baker that the difficulties were caused by gulls nesting in a mast.
However, that turned out to be incorrect and the company apologised to him, after he raised the issue in parliament, blaming the gulls.
Mr Baker looked forward to the temporary mast restoring the area's coverage.
"It will give fantastic service to all of the surrounding areas and O2 are trying to turn round what normally takes 16 weeks into eight weeks, providing the district council can pull out all the stops to get it through the necessary processes," he added.
The Neatishead radar when it was under construction (Image: RAF Air Defence Radar Museum Neatishead)
He said it was still vital a long-term replacement for the decommissioned mast was found.
And he said he was pushing O2 for compensation for the Horning customers and businesses which have been affected.
READ MORE: Crumbling coast fear means Norfolk's 'golf ball' radar must be moved
The RAF Neatishead site (Image: Mike Page)
An O2 spokesman said: "We are actively working to improve services for residents in Horning.
"Work has been ongoing to find a suitable site for a new phone mast, and we have now confirmed the chosen site which, when operational, will boost coverage in the area.
The Trimingham radar dome was closed by the Ministry of Defence (Image: (C)Mike Page, All Rights Reserved)
"We will complete our work as soon as possible, and in the meantime, we apologise to any residents who may be experiencing intermittent issues with their services."
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