A Poseidon has flown in formation with the Red Arrows for the first time.
According to a news release from the Royal Air Force, flanked by Hawk jets of the RAF Aerobatic Team, the Poseidon MRA1 carried out the flypast over its base of RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland.
“As part of the joint flypast, the Poseidon flew over the impressive new £100 million P8 Strategic Facility – home to the UK’s Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The sortie marked the Red Arrows’ arrival at the Moray station ahead of its annual Friends and Family Day event later in the day.
RAF Lossiemouth is benefiting from a massive growth and multi-million pound investment programme. It is currently home to five Poseidon MRA1 aircraft with another four due to arrive by the end of 2021. The RAF’s new Wedgetail aircraft, successor to the current E3 Sentry airborne early warning and command and control fleet, will also be based at the Station.”
Group Captain Chris Layden, Station Commander RAF Lossiemouth, was quoted as saying:
“What an impressive entrance! RAF Lossiemouth is delighted to welcome back the Red Arrows who haven’t had opportunity to display here since 2019. Since then our runway has been resurfaced, we have grown a fourth operational Typhoon squadron, continued to deliver 24/7 quick reaction alert – securing the UK’s skies – and we now are home to the UK’s fleet of Poseidon MRA1 submarine-hunting aircraft.”
You can understand ACM comments about dispersal, we will be down to 6 ‘main’ operating bases soon 1: RAF Conningsby – Typhoon’s 2: RAF Marham – F-35’s 3: RAF Brize Norton – Transport 4: RAF Lossiemouth – Typhoons, P8, E-7 5: RAF Waddington – drones and EC-135 plus 2 SHF bases which in the terms of Russian threat won’t be considered one so 5 new Ruskkie hyper-sonic missiles no more effective RAF 🙁 with only what 10 Sqns worth (physical) aircraft will 1 Sqn per dispersed site which as was pointed out on another thread will we have enough GSE… Read more »
Hi Steve…..any idea what goes on at RAF Wittering??
RAF Wittering is home to 2MT and other logistics Sqn’s +flying training, like RAF Honnington is home to FP, RAF Regt & RAFP.
I am not undermining the importance of the other sites and the role the units play the RAF needs them all, but the bottom line is the RAF is about airplanes and from what i am reading we are down to 5 Front line bases plus SF which is mainly moving squaddies about. So 5 (6 if you include AKT) big bombs no RAF threat.
I agree, it is clear where the bulk of defence spending is being pushed, and it isn’t to the RAF or the Army.
The US spends a disproportionate amount on its navy as well. It’s just expensive.
When you read it, it makes you realise just how many precious assets are in to few bases!
Still bitter over the irrational cancellation of the nimrod.
Am I right in saying that a number of aircraft had been Accepted by the RAF and that training courses were days away from starting?
Is Poseidon so much better than Nimrod MRA4 might have been?
Heard the red arrows replacement will be decision will be taken in 2023 with contract awarded in 2025.