The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has awarded a
contract worth £20-million to Galliford Try for work which
will house Number IX (Bomber) Squadron in facilities that
are fit for purpose, enabling them to deliver in their role
as a Typhoon Aggressor Squadron. Their re-role from Tornado
to Typhoon, and move from RAF Marham
to RAF Lossiemouth, was
announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review
2015.
The work will start later this summer and is expected to
take around two years. It will involve the refurbishment of
an existing hangar and construction of new technical and
storage facilities. It forms part of a wider redevelopment
of RAF Lossiemouth which also
includes a refurbished runway, facilities for
the RAF’s fleet
of Poseidon MRA Mk. 1 sub-hunters, new and improved
accommodation, and much more.
RAF Lossiemouth
is now home to four Squadrons of Typhoons which hold the
Quick Reaction Alert role, Securing the Skies of the United
Kingdom every minute of every day. Aircraft could be
launched at a moment’s notice to intercept unidentified
aircraft, or aircraft which may pose a
threat. RAFLossiemouth covers the north of
the UK including Scotland, while RAFConingsby covers the south. The
Typhoon is an extremely versatile multi-role combat
aircraft involved in operations around the world, including
Lithuania where 6 Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth are deployed
on NATO Baltic
Air Policing.
Once fully established in their new facilities, IX(B)
Squadron will be the RAF’s dedicated fourth-generation
Aggressors. This involves simulating the tactics, threats,
and procedures of our adversaries to create the best
training environment for Royal Air Force pilots. While
providing this essential training, the Squadron will also
be involved in Quick Reaction Alert duties alongside 1(F)
Squadron, II(AC) Squadron, and 6 Squadron.
Margaret Jesson, DIO’s Project Manager, said:
It’s exciting to have reached this stage of the project
and we are looking forward to continuing to work with our
colleagues at RAF Lossiemouth and
Galliford Try to provide some fantastic facilities for
these Typhoon pilots and ground crew.
Group Captain Chris Layden, Station
Commander RAF Lossiemouth, said:
This is great news for the Station, for Moray, and for
the RAF.
Defence’s sustained investment in RAF Lossiemouth continues
to transform us into a next-generation fighter and
maritime patrol base, ready to secure the UK’s skies and
seas for many years to come.
Keith Yarham, Defence Director at Galliford Try, said:
We are delighted to be working once again with DIO to
deliver much needed infrastructure for
the RAF.
Together with our previous experience
at RAF Marham
and RAF Valley we are building
a strong track record in the air station sector, and look
forward to providing the personnel at Lossiemouth with
the high-quality facilities they depend on.
