The work was required to prepare RAF Lossiemouth for the arrival
of an additional squadron of Typhoons, the RAF's
new P-8A
Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and a US Navy detachment.
New and upgraded facilities were needed for the extra aircraft
and the approx. 750 additional personnel who operate them. The
programme also modernised and upgraded aspects of the station's
infrastructure such as the drainage system.
RAF Lossiemouth is the RAF's only main operating base (MOB) in
Scotland and has served as the northern base for the nation's
Quick Reaction Alert since 2014. The station's Typhoon crews are
on 24/7 alert to rapidly respond to potential threats in the
northern portion of the UK's airspace.
The programme resulted in a newly-resurfaced runway, completed in
2021, as well as work to allow Kinloss Station to be home to the
station's aircraft while the Lossiemouth runway work was
completed. After the works, Kinloss airfield was permanently
closed and the entire site handed back to the Army. A new
facility for the station's firefighters was completed, allowing
them to respond within two minutes to an incident anywhere on the
airfield. An existing hangar was also refurbished and new working
space constructed for the Typhoons and personnel of IX(B)
Squadron.
Recently, seven new Single Living Accommodation (SLA) blocks were
handed over to accommodate the increase in personnel. Significant
drainage and electrical upgrades took place across much of the
site, including installation of a number of Electric Vehicle
Charging Points. Finally, an accommodation block and a large
enclosed wash facility for their own P8-A Poseidon aircraft were
completed for the US Navy.
The LDP facilities were delivered through the MOD's Defence
Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). DIO contracted TetraTech to
act as technical support provider to the programme, delivering
project management and technical advice. Contractors varied
depending on the project, with Balfour Beatty undertaking the
works at Kinloss airfield, VolkerFitzpatrick performing the
Lossiemouth Operating Surface project, Henry Brothers the US
facilities and Crash, Fire and Rescue Building, Lagan Aviation
and Infrastructure the drainage upgrade, FES the electrical
system upgrades and Robertson Construction North the SLA blocks.
As NATO allies of the UK, the US Navy presence - with their own
Maritime Patrol Aircraft - provides a boost to the defence of the
UK and Europe. Their new facilities were funded by the US Navy
and DIO, and the RAF worked closely with them to ensure the plans
fit their needs.
David Brewer, DIO Chief Operating Officer, said:
This is the conclusion of years of hard work and collaboration
between DIO, the RAF, TetraTech and our various contractors and
subcontractors. The end result is that RAF Lossiemouth's
additional Typhoon squadron, the new airframe in the Poseidon,
and our allies in the United States Navy, are all operating from
fantastic new or upgraded infrastructure.
Gp Capt Pete Beckett, Lossiemouth Development Programme lead,
said:
The completion of LDP is a huge milestone in the ongoing
development of the RAF's only MOB in Scotland. While we have
successfully completed a number of technical upgrades, the main
focus has been trying to make the base a better place to both
live and work, and to attract more people to this fantastic part
of the country. The SLA and associated campus area is a perfect
example of this, moving away from the purely functional approach
towards the provision of accommodation to a more welcoming and
relaxing place to live. There is no doubt we have made RAF
Lossiemouth a better place for our people under LDP, and
hopefully there is still more to come.
Gp Capt Jim Lee, RAF Lossiemouth Station Commander, said:
The delivery of LDP has transformed RAF Lossiemouth into the
operationally-focused, vibrant station that we see today. With
brand new accommodation and upgraded facilities across the
estate, we are now ready to secure our skies and seas for decades
to come.
On behalf of everyone at RAF Lossiemouth, I offer my sincere
thanks to the entire LDP team for their many years of hard work.
As a team made up made up of regulars, reservists and
contractors, they took the vision of a Poseidon and Typhoon air
power hub and made it a reality. Using that platform, we will now
continue to grow and improve our Station, and I am delighted that
many of original team will be remaining with us as part of the
newly-formed Lossiemouth Development Team.
Although the Lossiemouth Development Programme has been
completed, there is additional investment planned to further
improve and future-proof this vital RAF station. This includes
additional SLA, a new Air Traffic Control Tower, and a solar
array to contribute to the station's power needs.
