£75M contract to resurface runways at RAF Lossiemouth
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A £75 MILLION contract to resurface the runways at RAF Lossiemouth has been awarded.
VolkerFitzpatrick Ltd will do the work as part of the Station’s preparation for the arrival of nine P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
The Moray base is home to four fast-jet Typhoon squadrons but it has been some time since it regularly operated a larger aircraft such as the P-8A Poseidon.
Other improvements include accommodation for personnel, a new air traffic control tower, upgrades to drainage and electrical supplies, and upgraded facilities for IX (Bomber) Squadron which moved to RAF Lossiemouth this year.
Russ Liddington, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s project manager for the resurfacing works, said: “It’s exciting to be part of the start of a new era for RAF Lossiemouth.
“The improvements to the runways will make them suitable for use by the new maritime
patrol aircraft, and continue to enable Typhoon operations which are essential to the UK’s
defence capabilities.
“It represents a significant investment in Scotland and secures the future of RAF Lossiemouth status as a main operating base.”
Group Captain Simon Strasdin, director of the Lossiemouth Development Programme, said:
“Resurfacing our airfield operating surfaces represents the next stage towards operating
the fleet of P-8A Poseidon from RAF Lossiemouth, and I am glad to welcome
VolkerFitzpatrick Ltd onto the team which will help to deliver it.
“The Lossiemouth Development Programme is a complex series of projects which is set to
transform RAF Lossiemouth into a modern, high-tech Station, equipped to face a range of
evolving challenges. It represents an infrastructure investment of over £400m in Moray, the
creation of around 550 additional military posts, and employment opportunities for many
local contractors.”
Group Captain Jim Walls, Station Commander RAF Lossiemouth, said: “Already delivering on operations in the UK and around the world, RAF Lossiemouth is only
to get busier in the coming months and years.
"At this very moment, live-armed Typhoons are on standby as part of our Quick Reaction Alert commitment, ready to scramble against airborne threats the UK faces.
“The P-8A Poseidon aircraft and its crews will also be operating 24/7 to safeguard our seas.
Poseidon is world-class in its roles of maritime surveillance and submarine hunting, and
crews from our NATO allies including the United States and Norway will operate the
platform from Moray, strengthening the collective security of the Alliance.”
Richard Offord, managing director of VolkerFitzpatrick, added: “We are delighted to have been awarded this key contract at RAF Lossiemouth, which will benefit from our significant in-house airfield and infrastructure capabilities.
"We look forward to collaborating with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) on these important works, over the coming months.”
It is anticipated that the resurfacing work will be completed by Spring 2021. While these
improvements are underway, aircraft and crews will continue to operate from RAF Lossiemouth.
There will be a short period of relocation while the runway intersection is completed.
