RAF Kinloss

RAF Kinloss
Motto: Power to the Hunter
IATA: FSS – ICAO: EGQK – WMO: 03066
Summary
Airport type		Military
Operator		Royal Air Force
Location		Kinloss
Built		1938
In use		1939 - present
Commander		Group Captain 'JJ' Johnston RAF
Occupants		ARCC RAF Mountain Rescue
Elevation AMSL		22 ft / 7 m
Coordinates		57°38′58″N 003°33′38″W
Website		www.raf.mod.uk/rafkinloss
Map
EGQK Location in Moray
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
07/25	2,311	7,582	Asphalt

RAF Kinloss (IATA: FSS, ICAO: EGQK) is a Royal Air Force station near Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. It opened on 1 April 1939 and served as an RAF training establishment during the Second World War. After the war it was handed over to Coastal Command to watch over Russian ships and submarines in the Norwegian Sea. Until 2010 it was the main base for the RAF's fleet of Nimrod MR2 maritime patrol aircraft.

It was intended that the MR2 would be replaced by the Nimrod MRA4, but the MRA4 was cancelled in the Strategic Defence and Security Review of October 2010. This meant that Kinloss was no longer required by the RAF. Regular flying operations ceased on 31 July 2011.

In November 2011 the Ministry of Defence announced that 930 Service personnel from 39 Engineer Regiment (Air Support) will move from Waterbeach Barracks, near Cambridge, to Kinloss in the summer of 2012.

History

Second World War

Nimrod groundcrew at Kinloss

Construction work began in the spring of 1938 to establish RAF Kinloss as a pilot training school. Land was requisitioned from local farms Easter Langcot, Muirton and Kinloss as well as Kinloss House and on 1 April 1939 with 14 Flying Training School (FTS) on camp and 45 Maintenance Unit soon to follow, RAF Kinloss opened.

In 1939, 14 FTS moved south and were replaced by 19 Operational Training Unit (OTU) training bomber crews for the offensive.

The station defences were gradually established and by May 1940, Group Captain Jarman reported that the defence of Kinloss was in order.

Throughout the majority of the war 19 Operational Training Unit was the primary training unit. Between July 1940 and June 1941 it flew over 22,073 hours almost four times the rate achieved by 14 FTS the previous year.

Cold War

Not long after VE Day 19 OTU was disbanded and the arrival of 6 Coastal OTU saw the beginning of Kinloss's association with maritime operations, an association that continues to this day.

The wartime Avro Lancaster was adapted without great upheaval for anti-submarine and search and rescue duties and RAF Kinloss changed from a bomber training unit, to a Coastal Command base training maritime aircrew. Its personnel now also included National Servicemen.

19 (C)OTU was split into 236 Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) and the School of Maritime Reconnaissance in 1947 with 236 remaining at Kinloss. A further change in 1956 saw the units recombine as the Maritime Operational Training Unit (MOTU), which remained at Kinloss until 1965.

In July 1962, the station received one of its highest honours, the Civic Freedom of the Royal and Ancient Burgh of Forres, allowing Kinloss personnel the right to march through the burgh with swords drawn. This was the first time any military unit had been so honoured by Forres throughout the burgh's 1400 year history.

During the Cold War Kinloss squadrons carried out anti-submarine duties, locating and shadowing Russian naval units.

In 1972 and 1976 the new Hawker Siddeley Nimrod demonstrated its capabilities when it flew surveillance sorties over Iceland's disputed fishing limits, providing support for the Royal Navy and British trawlers in the Cod Wars.

In November 1980 two pilots, Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lieutenant Noel Anthony and RAF Flying Officer Stephen Belcher were killed when their aircraft struck birds on take off and crashed in woods to the east of Kinloss airfield. The remainder of the crew survived. Anthony was awarded the Air Force Cross and Belcher the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air.

After the Argentines invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982, Nimrod MR2's adapted for air to air refuelling, were deployed to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic.

Post-Cold War

In 1992 Nimrod aircraft deployed to the Persian Gulf as an integral component of the coalition forces to recapture Kuwait. Furthermore Nimrods have been actively involved in the Adriatic as part of the United Nations peace-keeping force. More recently in 2003, the Nimrod played a pivotal role in Op TELIC. The station's high level of involvement is operational activities led to RAF Kinloss being awarded the coveted Stainforth Trophy for the best operational performance in 2004.

In April 2005, 206 Squadron was disbanded as part of a Defence review the previous year. The base was used for the 2005 Edinburgh and South Scotland Wing Air Cadet Annual Summer Camp.

On 2 September 2006, 12 Nimrod crew members from 120 Squadron crew 3 and 2 observers were killed when their Nimrod, serial number XV230, exploded over Afghanistan.

No 325 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) was formed at the station on 1 April 2006. The wing encompasses most of the non-formed unit personnel on station. The EAW does not include the flying units at the station.

In December 2009, the MOD announced the premature retirement of the Nimrod MR2 by March 2010 and that the introduction of the Nimrod MRA4 would be delayed to 2012. The MRA4 was then cancelled in the Strategic Defence and Security Review of October 2010

Numbers 120 and 201 squadrons, plus 42(R) squadron (the Operational Conversion Unit), formerly equipped with the Nimrod MR2, were disbanded on 26 May 2011 following the cancellation of the Nimrod MRA4 programme.

Present day

The cancellation of the Nimrod MRA4 meant that Kinloss was no longer required by the RAF. Regular flying operations ceased on 31 July 2011.

The station is home to No. 325 Expeditionary Air Wing and the RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team. No 663 Volunteer Gliding School (VGS) operating the Vigilant T1 and the Moray Flying Club are also based at RAF Kinloss.

The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) is responsible for coordinating all rescue efforts within the UK and out into the Atlantic. This includes the receipt of signals from rescue beacons, and the dispatch and control of fixed-wing aircraft and search and rescue helicopters.

Transition to Army Barracks

In November 2011 the Ministry of Defence announced that the first unit from the British Army would be 39 Engineer Regiment (Air Support) who will move from Waterbeach Barracks, near Cambridge, to Kinloss in the summer of 2012. It is expected that 930 Service personnel and their families would move at this time.

The acting station commander, Wing Commander 'Teds' Edwards, said “Our plans will change from drawing down the Station to transitioning and we fully expect a smooth transition” to the Royal Engineers.

Operational units

• 325 Expeditionary Air Wing
• Combat Support 2 Group
  • Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre
  • Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service

External links

• Official Website
• Airport information for EGQK at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.