RAF Lossiemouth station commander says base is "here for decades"
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NEARLY 15 years after a community campaign to save RAF Lossiemouth from closure, the Moray station is now the key strategic frontline base in the Royal Air Force and its connection to the town of Lossiemouth and Moray is growing even stronger.
And Group Captain Jim Lee, the current station commander, is adamant the base will be "here for decades".
He was speaking at an event hosted by Moray Chamber of Commerce in the officers' mess.
Part of an 'Audience with' series, Group Captain Lee welcomed members of the local business community to the base on Thursday, February 22.
The Northern Scot was one of several key players in the campaign to save RAF Lossiemouth from UK Government defence cuts in 2009, which saw neighbouring RAF Kinloss and RAF Leuchars in Fife axed.
The Moray base is now a key strategic asset in the RAF, providing a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) ready to deploy at a moment's notice to assist with any emergency - in the current climate mostly intercepting Russian aircraft which have strayed close to UK airspace.
It also has the Poseidon maritime surveillance fleet of nine aircraft and is soon to welcome the Wedgetail.
The E-7 Wedgetail is the "most capable and effective airborne early warning and control platform in operation today", according to the RAF, which has purchased three aircraft which are in various stages of modification by STS Aviation at Birmingham Airport. The handover of the first aircraft to the RAF is expected in late 2024 and the Wedgetail AEW1 fleet will be based at RAF Lossiemouth.
RAF Lossie is also home to the Typhoon fighter aircraft and squadrons are deployed all over the world, and in recent years have continued to fly missions in Syria and eastern Europe in particular with the war between Russia and Ukraine, now in its third year.
Gp Cpt Lee is in his third tour at RAF Lossie and first arrived 10 years ago as one of the first Typhoon pilots.
He has seen the base grow and evolve in that time.
"Since then it has continued to grow and change. We have a longstanding link to the community," he said.
Gp Cpt Lee said the Covid pandemic forced the base to be a bit more inward-looking for a period, however, in the last couple of years his team has been focussed on "re-energising the connection" with the town of Lossiemouth and wider Moray community.
That was one of the reasons why he agreed for the base to feature in a six-part documentary, 'Top Guns: Inside the RAF' on Channel 4 last year which proved really popular and showed all aspects of life on a busy RAF station.
Gp Cpt Lee said he had been briefed on the approach from Channel 4 the first week he arrived in Moray and admitted his initial reaction was 'Oh God, no', however, he began to see the benefit of sharing the good work done at the base.
"It was clear they (TV crew) to catch us out and wanted to tell our story. The air force hasn't really had a great time in the press the last couple of years.
"We are a diverse organisation, professional and committed to keeping the people of this nation safe. I was passionate about telling that story."
Looking back to the period when the base faced closure, Gp Cpt Lee added: "This is a different base than it was and we are here for decades now. I am heartened I have been able to lead the station in its current guise."
While the station commander's time at RAF Lossiemouth will come to an end in July after two years at the helm, he says the base, which employs more than 2,500 personnel, RAF and civilian, will continue to grow and play its part in the defence of the country.
