Third RAF P-8A Aircraft to Land in Lossiemouth After Revamp

The U.K. Royal Air Force will receive its third P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft today.

“ZP803 clear for take-off. The 3rd P-8A for Royal Air Force is en route from the U.S. Flight time is approximately 7 hours, call sign POSIDN1,” Boeing tweeted today.

The aircraft will land at RAF Lossiemouth at ETA 17.20. The military airfield is located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.

The aircraft is the third of a new £3 billion programme, including the purchase of 9 Poseidon jets. All nine UK Poseidons will be delivered to the RAF by the end of 2021 and achieve full operational capability from RAF Lossiemouth in 2024. The aircraft will be flown initially by 120 Squadron, the leading anti-submarine warfare squadron in World War 2, with 201 Squadron joining the programme in due course.

RAF Lossiemouth Revamp

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) awarded a £75 million for the airfield operating surfaces project to VolkerFitzpatrick in August 2019. RAF’s first two P-8A MPA were delivered to nearby Kinloss Barracks and operated from there.

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 planes.

The first P-8 Poseidon to land at RAF Lossiemouth, City of Eglin, arrived at the fleet's new and permanent home on October 13.