Fifth RAF Poseidon touches down at Lossiemouth
RAF MPA fleet is now over halfway to full strength.
The fifth P-8A Poseidon MPA for the UK RAF arrived at its Lossiemouth base on 2 February.
The RAF ordered nine aircraft (designated Poseidon MRA Mk1); the first arrived in the UK in early February 2020 and all nine are expected to have been delivered to the UK by the end of 2021, according to Shephard Defence Insight.
The latest delivery (pictured) was the first to be made directly from the Boeing factory in Seattle without making a stop en route to RAF Lossiemouth.
The UK government has invested £470 million ($640 million) in Poseidon facilities at RAF Lossiemouth to support an expansion of MPA operations.
Purpose-built facilities include a new £100 million hangar and upgraded runway.
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