Milestone for runway works at RAF Lossiemouth as aircraft return
Work to resurface the runways at RAF Lossiemouth has reached a major milestone with the return of aircraft to the Moray station.
Oct 14, The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) awarded a £75-million contract for the airfield operating surfaces project to VolkerFitzpatrick in August 2019.
For most of the work, which started in May, aircraft continued to operate from RAF Lossiemouth. However, a short period of relocation was needed while the intersection between the station’s two runways was resurfaced. This started in August and saw the RAF’s new P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft being delivered to nearby Kinloss Barracks and operating from there. RAF Lossiemouth’s Typhoons also operated from Kinloss Barracks as well as Leuchars Station.
Works continued night and day, seven days a week to allow the aircraft and their crews to return to RAF Lossiemouth as soon as possible. As a defence critical project, work also continued despite the difficulties presented by a coronavirus, with various safety measures taken to make the site COVID secure.
The first aircraft to land and use the newly-resurfaced intersection was a Typhoon returning from a training sortie on Exercise JOINT WARRIOR, having taken off from Leuchars Station. The return of the Typhoons will shortly be followed by the P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The RAF currently has two P-8As with a further seven on order from manufacturer Boeing. They are submarine hunters who locate and track potentially hostile submarines.
Home to four fast-jet squadrons flying the Typhoon, it has been some time since RAF Lossiemouth has regularly operated a larger aircraft such as the P-8A Poseidon. Resurfacing works are one of many improvements being made, future-proofing the Moray base for years to come. Other improvements include accommodation for personnel, a new Air Traffic Control Tower, upgrades to drainage and electrical supplies, and upgraded facilities for IX (Bomber) Squadron
Russ Liddington, DIO’s Project Manager for the resurfacing works, said:
It is great to see the aircraft return to Lossiemouth and to see the arrival of P-8As is particularly pleasing as it represents a new era in operations from this Station. This significant investment in Scotland introduces a new UK Defence capability and has definitely focused minds and efforts.
With this important milestone achieved we can now look to complete the remainder of the project works to enable full use of the airfield for future aircraft operations.
