First in fleet of new submarine-hunting planes arrives in Scotland
The aircraft was flown from Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida, to Kinloss Barracks in Moray.
The first of a fleet of submarine-hunting planes has touched down in Scotland after being flown from the US.
The Poseidon MRA Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) landed at Kinloss Barracks in Moray on Tuesday.
It is part of a fleet of nine aircraft being brought in through a £3 billion Ministry of Defence investment.
The state-of-the art planes will enhance the UK’s ability to track hostile maritime targets, protect the country’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent and play a central role in Nato missions across the North Atlantic.
Poseidon is designed to carry out extended surveillance missions at both high and low altitudes.
The aircraft is equipped with cutting-edge sensors which uses high-resolution area mapping to find both surface and sub-surface threats.
It will also be armed with Harpoon anti-surface ship missiles and Mk 54 torpedoes capable of attacking both surface and sub-surface targets.
“Part of the £3 billion Poseidon programme, Pride of Moray will bring around 470 additional service personnel to Moray and generate hundreds of millions of pounds of business for component makers in the UK supply chain.
“Additionally, we are investing £470 million in RAF Lossiemouth, including £132 million for a new strategic facility to support the new Poseidon fleet.
“Our nation has a proud military history and also a bright future in Scotland and across the rest of the UK.”
