RAF Lossiemouth

Infobox Airport
name = RAF Lossiemouth
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =


image-width =
caption =
IATA = LMO
ICAO = EGQS
type = Military
owner =
operator = Royal Air Force
city-served = Lossiemouth
location =
elevation-f = 42
elevation-m = 13
coordinates = Coord|57|42|19|N|003|20|21|W|type:airport
website = http://www.raf.mod.uk/raflossiemouth/
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 05/23
r1-length-f = 9,019
r1-length-m = 2,749
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 10/28
r2-length-f = 6,066
r2-length-m = 1,849
r2-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes =

RAF Lossiemouth Airport codes|LMO|EGQS is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It is one of the RAF's biggest bases and currently Britain's main base for Tornado GR4s.

Existing squadrons

It houses three operational Tornado GR4 squadrons, and the Tornado GR4 Operational Conversion Unit. The station is also home to No. 140 Expeditionary Air Wing. It is the RAF's busiest fast jet base with 77 fast jets based there. Also, two Sea King helicopters are based there in a search and rescue role. Additionally, an extensive range of operational, logistic and administrative support functions are carried out.

Current structure

The RAF Lossiemouth structure as of April 2008: [Air Forces Monthly, April 2008 issue, pp. 44]

*140 Expeditionary Air Wing
*Air Combat 1 Group
**No. 12 Squadron RAF
**No. 14 Squadron RAF
**No. XV Squadron RAF
**No. 617 Squadron RAF - "The Dambusters"
*Air Combat 2 Group
**No. 202 Squadron RAF - 'D' Flight - Sea King Search and Rescue helicopters.

Future aircraft

In November 2005, it was announced that Lossiemouth would be the main base for the RAF's fleet of F-35 Lightning IIs (designated the Joint Combat Aircraft by the Ministry of Defence). [cite news | title = RAF bases receive aircraft boost | publisher = BBC News | date = 2005-11-17 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4444352.stm | accessdate = 2006-10-11 ]

The President of Virgin Galactic, Will Whitehorn stated in an interview with Space.co.uk on 29th April 2008 that the company was considering flying from RAF Lossiemouth during the summer months only.cite web | url=http://www.space.co.uk/DataBank/VideoGallery/VideoPlayer/tabid/384/VideoId/37/Will-Whitehorn-Virgin-Galactic-And-Heather-MacRae-Venture-Thinking-At-The-RAeS.aspx | publisher = space.co.uk | title=Will Whitehorn (Virgin Galactic) and Heather MacRae (Venture Thinking) at the RAeS | accessdate=2008-07-26]

History

Originally established as an RAF station, after the second world war the airfield was handed over to the Royal Navy and the station was renamed "HMS Fulmar". The Royal Naval air station was returned to the Royal Air Force on 28 September 1972. As noted, the base is currently home to a number of Tornado squadrons including the famous 617 'Dambuster' Squadron. Coincidentally, 29 modified Lancaster bombers from No. 617 Squadron and No. 9 Squadron, left RAF Lossiemouth for Norway on 12 November 1944 to bomb the German battleship "Tirpitz". Each of the aircraft was loaded with a single Tallboy bomb. The "Tirpitz" was located at a range of twenty miles and opened fire on the squadrons when the aircraft were thirteen miles away. One of the Lancasters was shot down. All of the remaining aircraft managed to get their bombs away – three of which hit their target. Within 10 minutes of the first hit, the "Tirpitz" had capsized.

No. 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) was formed at Lossiemouth on 1 April 2006 encompassing most of the non-formed unit personnel on station. The EAW does "not" include any of the flying squadrons. The station commander is dual-hatted as the commander of the wing.

ee also

*List of RAF stations

References

External links

* [http://www.raf.mod.uk/raflossiemouth/ Official Website]
*WAD|EGQS