There was a topping out ceremony at the Poseidon P-8A Strategic Facility recently as the build reaches another milestone.
The founder of Robertson Group, Executive Chairman Bill Robertson, joined representatives from Boeing UK and Air Commodore Ian Gale of the P-8A Poseidon programme, to watch the final beam being lowered into place on the main structure of the building.
Image by: Paul Campbell Photography
The facility, which will house the RAF’s nine new Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol and attack aircraft, has been funded through a £100m joint investment between Boeing UK and the UK Government, and is due for completion in spring 2020.
The vast, predominantly steel, structure is 19 metres in height, 165 metres in length and 100 metres wide and will have capacity to hold three aircraft at any given time. The building will comprise Squadron accommodation, crew and maintainer training facilities, flight planning facilities, workshop areas and a three-bay aircraft hangar.
Key facts from the project include:
· 250,000T of excavation
· 7,000m of precast piles driven
· 100,000m2 of concrete slabs
· 100,000T of structural steel
· 25,000m2 of cladding
· 200 operatives on-site
· 150,000 hours worked to-date
Image by: Paul Campbell Photography
RAF Lossiemouth will be home to the UK’s fleet of nine Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol and attack aircraft. The Poseidon will contribute to the protection of the UK nuclear deterrent, locate and track potentially hostile submarines and surface ships, and enhance maritime Search and Rescue capability. The Poseidon is fitted with advanced, state-of-the-art, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) sensors which will provide global protection to UK, NATO and Allied submarines and warships.
