THE £350 million programme to upgrade RAF Lossiemouth has been completed following six years of work.
The project came ahead of 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 required for the extra aircraft and the approximately 750 additional personnel who operate them, with Robertson Construction North completing the £60 million build of seven new single living accommodation (SLA) blocks in April.
The programme also modernised and upgraded aspects of the station’s infrastructure, with the delivery of a resurfaced runway and ‘significant’ drainage and electrical upgrades being undertaken across much of the site – including the installation of a number of electric vehicle charging points.
A new facility for the station’s firefighters was also built, which will allow for a response within two minutes to incidents anywhere on the airfield. An existing hangar was also refurbished and a new working space constructed for the Typhoons and personnel of IX(B) Squadron.
An accommodation block was delivered for the US Navy, as well as a wash facility for its own P8-A Poseidon aircraft. The RAF worked closely with the US Navy to ensure the plans fitted their needs.
Work was also undertaken at the nearby Kinloss Station to act as a temporary home to RAF Lossiemouth’s aircraft during some of the works. Following completion, Kinloss airfield was permanently closed and the entire site was handed back to the army.
The Lossiemouth development project 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 single living accommodation blocks.
RAF Lossiemouth is the RAF’s only main operating base 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.
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, added, “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.”
Although the Lossiemouth development programme has been completed, the MOD said there is additional investment planned to further improve and future-proof the station – which includes the build of a new air traffic control tower and a solar array.
