page_title: RAF Lossiemouth
section_title: Poseidon MRA1
hierarchical_section_title: RAF Lossiemouth / Future / Poseidon MRA1
caption_attribution_description: Boeing P-8A Poseidon 168763
context_page_description: Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth or Lossie is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.
  Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the Royal Air Force and known for its close proximity to flight training areas in Scotland and its favourable local flying conditions. Since the closure of RAF Leuchars in 2015, Lossiemouth is the only operational RAF station in Scotland and is one of two main operating bases for the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 in the United Kingdom. It is home to four front-line fast jet units which operate the Typhoon: 1 Squadron, II Squadron, 6 Squadron and IX Squadron. All four Squadrons contribute to the Quick Reaction Alert North capability which provides continuous protection of UK airspace. It is also home to CXX Squadron, the first of two units flying the Poseidon MRA Mk. 1. The second, 201 Squadron will formally stand up in 2021. There are a number of non-flying units at RAF Lossiemouth including No. 5 Force Protection Wing and a team from the RAF Mountain Rescue Service.
context_section_description: On 23 November 2015, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced that the RAF would buy nine new Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (to be known as the Poseidon MRA1 in RAF service) as part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. The aircraft and 400 extra personnel are to be based at Lossiemouth and at least three aircraft would be operational by April 2020. At the Farnborough Air Show on 11 July 2016, the Ministry of Defence and Boeing confirmed the a deal had been agreed and that they intend to work jointly to build a new £100m Poseidon operational support and training base at Lossiemouth, creating more than 100 new jobs.
  In June 2017, it was announced that No. 120 Squadron would be the first Poseidon squadron. It reformed in early 2018 and by February 2019 air and ground crews from the unit and the Poseidon Line Squadron had commenced training with US Navy squadron VP-30 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida.
  No. 201 Squadron will later reform as the second unit in 2021. Both No. 120 and 201 Squadrons had operated Nimrod MR2 maritime patrol aircraft at RAF Kinloss and between them will comprise eighteen aircrews.
  Poseidon MRA Mk. 1 aircraft will operate from Kinloss Barracks (former RAF Kinloss) while runway resurfacing continues at their permanent home of RAF Lossiemouth.
caption: A P-8A Poseidon of the US Navy taking off from Lossiemouth during 2016. The RAF's Poseidon fleet will be based at the station from 2021.
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