Royal Air Force’s new submarine-hunter aircraft has flown in formation with the Red Arrows for the first time. Flanked by the distinctive Hawk jets of the RAF Aerobatic Team, the Poseidon MRA1 (P-8A) 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 multi-role maritime patrol aircraft with another four due to arrive by the end of 2021. The RAF’s new Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, successor to the current E3 Sentry airborne early warning and command and control fleet, will also be based at the Station.
“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,” said Group Captain Chris Layden, Station Commander RAF Lossiemouth
The annual Friends and Family Day is an important opportunity to say thank you to all Station staff and their families for their support. It has been run as a drive-in air display for 2021, to ensure it is fully compliant with Scottish Government COVID-19 regulations for large events. As well as displaying at RAF Lossiemouth, the Red Arrows are performing a show at Peterhead as part of Scottish Week.
Flanked by the distinctive Hawk jets of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Poseidon MRA1 (P-8A) carried out the flypast over, Scotland. (Photo by Royal Air Force/UK Crown Copyright)
