DIO hands over technical support accommodation at RAF Lossiemouth
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has handed over a new airside annexe as part of a project to support the relocation of 3 squadrons of Typhoon aircraft from RAF Leuchars to RAF Lossiemouth.
A Typhoon in one of the hangars in RAF Lossiemouth. Crown Copyright. Photo: SAC Conner Payne.
The new annexe to Hangar 3 houses operations briefing rooms, mission planning, changing rooms, aircrew lockers, equipment servicing space and the aircraft line operations. It is also home to the engineering ground crew and support trades.
Since 2012, DIO has provided around £87 million of work at RAF Lossiemouth, including refurbishing Hangar 1, and refurbishing and extending the annexe accommodation for 6 Squadron, refurbishing Hangar 3 and providing interim accommodation for 1 (Fighter) Squadron and building a high quality Quick Reaction Alert.
By using a staged approach, the works package was able to provide both interim and permanent operational and engineering support facilities for both 6 Squadron and 1 (Fighter) Squadron on their arrivals at RAF Lossiemouth in March 2014 and September 2014.
Duncan Taylor, the DIO Project Manager, said:
This is a great example of DIO investing in the infrastructure our armed forces need to live, train and deploy. It was a real team effort and our contractor Turners worked closely with us to ensure a very high quality of work. The pace of construction and quality of the end product reflected excellent project management, and stakeholder and contractor communications.
Wing Commander Chantal Baker, Officer Commanding Base Support Wing, said:
The programme of infrastructure works at RAF Lossiemouth has been essential to the transition of the station from a Tornado to Typhoon main operating base delivering Quick Reaction Alert. DIO has provided essential facilities for the frontline Typhoon personnel of 1 (Fighter) Squadron to operate. This phase of infrastructure investment continues to support the RAF Lossiemouth mission of protecting the UK’s skies and preparing for global operations.
In addition to the programme of hangar and annexe refurbishments, extensions and new builds, DIO has delivered Quick Reaction Alert (North) infrastructure, aircraft simulator facilities, IT support systems, Typhoon availability service workshops/storage and runway de-icer storage facilities. Work is going well on the remaining Typhoon project at Lossiemouth: a new squadron facility for II (Army Cooperation) Squadron on the southern side of the airfield.