Editing RAF Kinloss

{{Short description|Former Royal Air Force station in Moray, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = RAF Kinloss
| ensign =File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
| ensign_size = 
| native_name = 
| partof = <!-- for elements within a larger site -->
| location = [[Kinloss, Scotland|Kinloss]], [[Moray]]
| nearest_town = <!-- used in military test site infobox -->
| country = Scotland
| image = The mighty hunters - geograph.org.uk - 396662.jpg
| alt = Nimrod aircraft parked at RAF Kinloss.
| caption = [[Hawker Siddeley Nimrod|Nimrod]] aircraft parked at RAF Kinloss.
| image2 = RAF Kinloss badge.jpg
| image2_size = 100px
| alt2 = RAF Kinloss badge
| caption2 = ''Power to the Hunter''<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pine|first1=L.G.|title=A dictionary of mottoes|date=1983|publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul|location=London|isbn=0-7100-9339-X|page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofmott00tion/page/177 177]|edition=1|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofmott00tion/page/177}}</ref>
| type = [[List of former Royal Air Force stations|Royal Air Force station]]
| coordinates = {{coord|57|38|58|N|003|33|38|W|type:airport_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| gridref = 
| pushpin_map = Scotland Moray
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Moray
| pushpin_label = RAF Kinloss
| pushpin_label_position = top
| ownership = [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]
| operator = [[Royal Air Force]]
| controlledby = [[RAF Strike Command]]<br />* [[No. 18 Group RAF]]<br />[[RAF Air Command]]<br />* [[No. 1 Group RAF]]
| open_to_public = <!-- for out of use sites/sites with museums etc -->
| site_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| site_other = <!-- for other sorts of facilities - radar types etc -->
| site_area = 666 hectares<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/33240/DEDP09_annex_a.pdf|title=Defence Estates Development Plan (DEDP) 2009 - Annex A|date=3 July 2009|website=GOV.UK|publisher=Ministry of Defence|page=2|access-date=19 November 2017}}</ref>
| code = <!--facility/installation code, applies to US -->
| built = {{Start date|1938}}
| used = 1939–{{End date|2012}}
| builder = 
| materials = 
| height = <!-- height of tallest part, not above sea level -->
| length = <!-- for border fences or other DMZs -->
| fate = 
* Transferred to [[British Army]] to become [[Kinloss Barracks]]. 
* Airfield maintained as a Relief Landing Ground.
| condition = Closed
| battles = 
| events = 
| past_commanders = [[Group Captain]] James Johnston (final station commander)
| garrison = <!-- such as the 25th Bombardment Group -->
| occupants = <!-- squadrons only -->
<!-- begin airfield information  -->
| IATA = FSS
| ICAO = EGQK
| GPS = 
| WMO = 03066
| elevation = {{Convert|6.7|m|0}}
| r1-number = 07/25
| r1-length = {{Convert|2375|m|0}}
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
| h1-number = 
| h1-length = <!-- {{Convert| |m|0}} -->
| h1-surface = 
| airfield_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| airfield_other = <!-- for other sorts of airfield facilities -->
<!--  end airfield information   -->
| website = 
| footnotes = <!-- catchall in case it's needed to preserve something in infobox that doesn't work in new code -->
}}
'''Royal Air Force Kinloss''', or more simply '''RAF Kinloss''', is a former [[Royal Air Force]] [[List of former Royal Air Force stations|station]] located near the village of [[Kinloss, Scotland|Kinloss]], on the [[Moray Firth]] in the north east of [[Scotland]], UK. 

The RAF station opened on 1 April 1939 and served as a training establishment during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. After the war it was handed over to [[RAF Coastal Command|Coastal Command]] to monitor [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] ships and submarines in the [[Norwegian Sea]]. Until 2010 it was the main base for the RAF's fleet of [[Hawker Siddeley Nimrod]] MR.2 [[maritime patrol aircraft]]. It was intended that the MR2 would be replaced by the [[BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4|Nimrod MRA.4]], but the MRA4 was cancelled in the [[Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010|Strategic Defence and Security Review of October 2010]]. As a result, Kinloss became surplus to RAF requirements and regular flying operations ceased on 31 July 2011. 

In November 2011, the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] and 12 (Air Support) Engineer Group of the [[British Army]] announced that 930 personnel from [[39 Engineer Regiment (United Kingdom)|39 Engineer Regiment (Air Support)]] would move from [[Waterbeach Barracks]], near [[Cambridge]], to Kinloss in summer 2012. The first personnel of 39 Engineer Regiment arrived in June 2012, with the majority arriving in July 2012. The airfield is maintained as a relief landing site by [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] FGR.4s from nearby [[RAF Lossiemouth]].

On 26 July 2012 the [[RAF Ensign]] was lowered for the last time, and replaced by the flag of [[Royal Engineers|39 Engineer Regiment]], marking the establishment of [[Kinloss Barracks]].

==History==

===Construction===
The area around Kinloss was surveyed in 1937 for the purposes of identifying land to establish a new flying training school for the [[Royal Air Force]]. In January 1938, {{convert|151.9|ha|acre|abbr=on}} of agricultural land within the [[Barony of Muirton]] was [[Compulsory purchase order|compulsorily purchased]] at Kinloss Home Farm, Easter Langcot, Wester Langcot, Doon Park and Muirton. Contractor [[Mowlem]] began work in March 1938, with several farm buildings being demolished and land cleared. By August 1938, construction of three C-type hangars, support buildings and airmen's wooden hut accommodation was under-way, along with the laying out of three grass surfaced runways, each {{convert|1006|m|abbr=on|disp=flip}} long.{{sfn|Hughes|1995|pp=4-6}}

RAF Kinloss opened on 1 April 1939 as part of [[No. 21 Group RAF|No. 21 Group]], with [[Arthur Peck|Group Captain Arthur Peck]] being the first commander of the station. Initially, many personnel who were posted to Kinloss were previously unaware of the station and were surprised at how far north it was located.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafkinloss/aboutus/history.cfm|title=History|website=RAF Kinloss|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209045957/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafkinloss/aboutus/history.cfm|archive-date=9 December 2010}}</ref> The northerly [[latitude]] of the station later earned it the nickname within the RAF of "Ice Station Kilo", after the 1968 [[espionage]] film ''[[Ice Station Zebra]].''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12472051.RAF_flies_high_with_40_year_pledge_on_jobs_Jets_deal_for_Lossiemouth_and_Kinloss/|title=RAF flies high with 40-year pledge on jobs Jets deal for Lossiemouth and Kinloss|date=18 November 2005|website=The Herald|language=en|access-date=22 March 2018}}</ref>

[[No. 14 Flying Training School RAF|No. 14 Flying Training School]] (FTS) was soon established from [[No. 8 Flying Training School RAF|No. 8 FTS]] personnel based at [[RAF Montrose]]. It was initially equipped with thirty-eight [[Airspeed Oxford]]s and twenty-six [[Hawker Hart]]s and [[Hawker Audax|Audaxes]]. The first aircraft, an Oxford with serial ''N4584'', arrived on 9 May 1939, with the first student aircrews arriving on 13 May. In August 1939 [[North American Harvard]]s replaced the Harts. October 1939 saw the addition of ten [[Avro Anson]]s and six Harts from the recently disbanded No. 13 FTS which was based at [[RAF Drem]] in [[East Lothian]].{{sfn|Hughes|1995|p=|pp=6-7}}

=== Second World War ===
In late 1939, the station hosted detachments of [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]]s of [[No. 10 Squadron RAF|No. 10]], [[No. 51 Squadron RAF|No. 51]], [[No. 77 Squadron RAF|No. 77]] and [[No. 102 Squadron RAF|No. 102 Squadron]]. The aircraft were taking part in operations against German [[U-boat]]s operating in the [[Atlantic Ocean|north Atlantic]]. In December that year, [[Supermarine Spitfire]]s of [[No. 609 Squadron RAF|No. 609 Squadron]] were temporarily based at Kinloss whilst tasked with defending vessels of the [[Home Fleet]] moored in [[Loch Ewe]].{{sfn|Hughes|1995|p=8|pp=}}

[[No. 45 Maintenance Unit RAF|No. 45 Maintenance Unit]] was established on 15 April 1940, the role of which was to store, modify and fit-out new aircraft before they were forwarded to front-line squadrons. The unit's first aircraft, a Harvard, arrived on 31 May 1940.{{sfn|Hughes|1995|p=8|pp=}} A large number of aircraft types were stored at Kinloss during 1940 including, Hawker Audax, [[Hawker Hind]], Hawker Hart, [[De Havilland Tiger Moth]], [[Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow|Handley Page Harrow]], [[Miles Magister]], [[Airspeed Envoy]], [[Bristol Blenheim]], Airspeed Oxford, [[Hawker Hector]], [[Avro Tutor]], [[Westland Wallace]] and later Whitley, Spitfire [[Vickers Wellington]] and [[Handley Page Halifax]]. By October 1940 the unit had approximately 440 personnel.{{sfn|Hughes|1995|p=|pp=13–14}}

The [[Operation Weserübung|German invasion of Denmark and Norway]] in April 1940 led to an increase in operational activity at Kinloss and other Scottish airfields. As a result, No. 14 FTS moved south to [[Cranfield Airport|RAF Cranfield]] in Bedfordshire on 20 April 1940. A detachment of No. 77 and [[No. 109 Squadron RAF|No. 109 Squadron]] Whitleys from [[RAF Driffield]] returned the same month to undertake bombing missions in Norway, departing Kinloss in May.{{sfn|Hughes|1995|p=9|pp=}}

Kinloss was transferred to [[No. 4 Group RAF|No. 4 Group]] on 27 May 1940, at the time part of [[RAF Bomber Command]]. At the same time No. 19 Operational Training unit (No. 19 OTU) was formed and tasked with training aircrews on heavy-bomber aircraft before deployment onto operational squadrons. The unit was initially equipped with forty-eight Whitleys and sixteen Avro Ansons and the first training courses began in June 1940.{{Sfn|Hughes|1995|p=12}} By 1941 Kinloss was overcrowded with aircraft belonging to No. 45 MU and No. 19 OTU, therefore a satellite station was constructed at [[Balnageith]], to the south west of the nearby town of [[Forres]]. The satellite, known as RAF Forres, opened on 25 January 1941, with 'D' flight of No. 19 OTU and their Whitleys moving in on 27 April 1941 and 'C' flight following on 13 May 1941. Despite this, Kinloss continued to struggle to accommodate all No. 45 MU's aircraft. To relieve pressure on space, two [[List of Royal Air Force Satellite Landing Grounds|satellite landing grounds (SLG)]] were established to store aircraft off-site in August 1941. These were at RAF Dornoch (No. 40 SLG) near [[Dornoch]] and RAF Kirkton (No. 41 SLG) near [[Culloden, Highland|Golspie]], located 23 and 27 miles away across the [[Moray Firth]] respectively.{{Sfn|Hughes|1995|p=18–19}}

During the summer of 1942, Kinloss's grass runways were replaced with permanent paved runways, with the main runway extended to 1,828m (now runway 07/25) and two secondary runways constructed. This allowed a wide range of aircraft types to use Kinloss as a diversion airfield when their home stations further south were closed due to poor weather.{{Sfn|Hughes|1995|p=|pp=23–24}} By the end of 1943, around 350 aircraft were stored by No. 45 MU. Throughout the war a high number of aircraft from Kinloss crashed resulting in the loss of aircrews and it was not unusual to see the wreckage of aircraft in the countryside around the station.<ref name=":3" /> This was predominately because of the older aircraft that were used for training by No. 19 OTU, poor weather and inexperienced crews.{{Sfn|Hughes|1995|p=|pp=25–26}}

Towards the end of 1944, the requirement for trained bomber crews reduced, resulting in RAF Forres closing in October of that year. In November, No. 19 OTU's Whitleys were replaced with forty Wellington bombers.{{Sfn|Hughes|1995|p=28}} [[Victory in Europe Day|VE Day]] on 8 May 1945 marked the end of the war in Europe and shortly after on 20 May, No. 19 OTU was disbanded, with its aircraft being sent to various maintenance units around the UK. The runway was resurfaced in June 1945, whilst No. 45 MU prepared aircraft for the continuing war in the Far East. The unit was also soon deluged with surplus aircraft for sale or scrap.{{Sfn|Hughes|1995|p=30}}

===Cold War===
In October 1945 No. 6 Coastal OTU arrived and saw the beginning of Kinloss's association with [[Anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine]] and [[Maritime patrol aircraft|maritime patrol]] operations, an association that continued until the station's closure. The wartime [[Avro Lancaster]] was adapted 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 [[Conscription in the United Kingdom|National Servicemen]].[[File:Nimrod Groundcrew.jpg|thumb|Nimrod Aircrew at Kinloss|left]]

No. 19 (C)OTU was split into [[No. 236 Operational Conversion Unit RAF|No. 236 Operational Conversion Unit]] and the School of Maritime Reconnaissance in 1947 with No. 236 OCU remaining at Kinloss. A further change in 1956 saw the units re-combine as the Maritime Operational Training Unit (MOTU), which remained at Kinloss until 1965.

During the [[Cold War]], Kinloss squadrons carried out anti-submarine duties, locating and shadowing [[Soviet Navy|Soviet naval units]]. In 1951, [[No. 217 Squadron RAF|No. 217 Squadron]] was resurrected with [[Lockheed Neptune|Lockheed Neptune MR.1]] aircraft to cover the maritime reconnaissance and search and rescue roles pending the further development of the [[Avro Shackleton]] aircraft. It was also prominent in Operation Snowdrop, supplying food to cut off villages and livestock fodder to isolated crofts in Scotland, during the winter of 1954 and 1955.<ref>Scottish Daily Express 19 January 1955</ref> The squadron was upgraded with MR.2 versions of the Neptune in 1956, only to be disbanded again in July 1956.

In July 1962, the station received one of its highest honours, the Civic Freedom of the [[Royal burgh|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 1,400-year history.

In 1972 and 1976, the new [[Hawker Siddeley Nimrod|Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.1]] 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]]. For much of the period [[No. 120 Squadron RAF|No.120 Squadron]], [[No. 201 Squadron RAF|No. 201 Squadron]], and [[No. 206 Squadron RAF|No. 206 Squadron]] were the main Nimrod units.

In November 1980 two pilots, [[Royal Australian Air Force]] [[Flight Lieutenant]] Noel Anthony and RAF [[Flying Officer]] Stephen Belcher were killed when their Nimrod aircraft [[Bird strike|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 (United Kingdom)|Air Force Cross]] and Belcher the [[Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air]].<ref>[http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/49003/supplements/7569/page.pdf Second Supplement] to the [[London Gazette]]</ref>

After the [[1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands|Argentines invaded]] the [[Falkland Islands]] in 1982, Nimrod MR2's adapted for [[Aerial refueling|air-to-air refuelling]], were deployed to [[Ascension Island]] in the South Atlantic to support the [[Falklands War]] effort.

===Post-Cold War===
[[File:The mighty hunters - geograph.org.uk - 396662.jpg|thumb|left|Nimrod MR2 aircraft at RAF Kinloss in 1999]]
In 1991, Nimrods deployed to the [[Persian Gulf]] as an integral component of the [[Coalition of the Gulf War|coalition forces]] to recapture [[Kuwait]] during the [[Gulf War]]. Furthermore, Nimrods were deployed to the [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] as part of the [[United Nations]] [[Peacekeeping|peace-keeping]] force in the 1990s [[Yugoslav Wars]]. More recently in 2003, the Nimrod played a pivotal role in [[Operation Telic]]. The station's high level of involvement in operational activities led to RAF Kinloss being awarded the coveted [[George Stainforth#The Stainforth Trophy|Stainforth Trophy]] for the best operational performance in 2004.

In April 2005, No. 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 Organisation|Air Cadet]] Annual Summer Camp.{{Citation needed|date=August 2014}}

On 2 September 2006, twelve Nimrod crew members from No. 120 Squadron's crew 3 and two observers were killed when their Nimrod, serial number [[Royal Air Force Nimrod XV230|''XV230'']], exploded over Afghanistan.

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

== Closure of RAF Station ==
[[File:Nimrod - geograph.org.uk - 2298255.jpg|thumb|A retired Nimrod MR2 aircraft close to the perimeter fence in March 2011]]
[[File:Hawker Siddeley Nimrod at RAF Kinloss.jpg|alt=|thumb|XV244 Nimrod Aircraft behind the fence.]]
In December 2009, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced the retirement of the Nimrod MR2 by March 2010, twelve months earlier than originally planned. It was also announced that the in-service date of its replacement, the [[BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4]], would be delayed until Autumn 2012, with the aircraft expected to start arriving at Kinloss in February 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://stv.tv/news/scotland/144567-raf-kinloss-expected-to-bear-brunt-of-defence-cuts/|title=RAF Kinloss will bear the brunt of defence cuts|date=15 December 2009|website=STV News|access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref> This was delayed again in June 2010 when it was announced that the MRA4 would arrive at the end of 2010.

With Nimrod MR2 operations having ended in March 2010, the [[Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010|Strategic Defence and Security Review]] in October 2010 revealed that the Nimrod MRA4 programme would in-fact be cancelled and that RAF Kinloss would close. Station commander Group Captain James Johnston said there had been disbelief when the announcement was made.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-11565829|title=RAF Kinloss to close as ministers cancel Nimrod order|date=19 October 2010|newspaper=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref> As a result, No. 120, No. 201 and [[No. 42 Squadron RAF|No. 42(R) Squadron]] (the [[Operational Conversion Unit]]) were disbanded on 26 May 2011 at a ceremony attended by the station's [[Honorary Air Commodore]], [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13545298|title=RAF Kinloss squadrons disbanded at final parade|date=26 May 2011|newspaper=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref> The RAF station ceased to be operational on 31 July 2011.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13518415|title=RAF Kinloss personnel stage Forres farewell march|date=24 May 2011|newspaper=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref>

==Post RAF use==
{{Main|Kinloss Barracks}}

=== Establishment of Army barracks ===
On 18 July 2011, the MOD announced that Kinloss would become a [[British Army]] barracks, with army units arriving in 2014 or 2015. A further announcement in November 2011 confirmed that [[39 Engineer Regiment (United Kingdom)|39 Engineer Regiment (Air Support)]] of the [[Royal Engineers]] would move from [[RAF Waterbeach|Waterbeach Barracks]], near [[Cambridge]], to [[Kinloss Barracks]] in July 2012. It was expected that 930 service personnel and their families would move at this time.<ref name="moduk">{{cite web|title=First tranche of Army unit moves confirmed|url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/FirstTrancheOfArmyUnitMovesConfirmed.htm|access-date=10 November 2011|publisher=Ministry of Defence}}</ref><ref name="wforward">{{cite web|title=Waterbeach Forward - March 2012|url=http://waterbeachforward.btck.co.uk/ClosureUpdates/March2012|access-date=24 March 2012}}</ref> The number of army personnel based at Kinloss would be 41% down on the number of personnel which were present during the RAF's tenure.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-15668827|title=Army unit moving to former air base at Kinloss|date=10 November 2011|newspaper=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref>

After 73 years as an RAF station, control of Kinloss transferred to the British Army at 12:00 on 26 July 2012. A ceremony was attended by eight former RAF Kinloss station commanders, the last station commander Group Captain James Johnston, the [[Lord Lieutenant of Moray]] and invited guests. The RAF [[Colours, standards and guidons|colours]] were lowered for the last time and British Army colours raised to mark the new chapter in Kinloss's history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive.cfm?storyid=6535A649-5056-A318-A817A954E9F03688|title=RAF Kinloss – The End of an Era|date=30 July 2012|website=Royal Air Force|publisher=Royal Air Force|access-date=19 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120150226/http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive.cfm?storyid=6535A649-5056-A318-A817A954E9F03688|archive-date=20 November 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Flag lowered">{{cite news|date=26 July 2012|title=RAF colours come down at Kinloss airfield|newspaper=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-18991618|access-date=26 July 2012}}</ref>

=== Flying activities ===
The airfield at Kinloss is maintained by the RAF as a relief landing ground for aircraft based at nearby RAF Lossiemouth and continues to be used by Moray Flying Club. It cannot be booked by other aircraft as a diversion airfield or for refuelling stops.<ref>{{Cite book|title=UK MIL AIP - EGQK|publisher=Ministry of Defence - No. 1 AIDU|year=2015|pages=1}}</ref> Until its disbandment in 2017, the RAF's [[Volunteer Gliding Squadron|No. 663 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]], operating the [[Grob G 109|Grob Vigilant T1]], also operated from the airfield. 

During 2020, regular flying temporarily returned to Kinloss when the first of the RAF's [[Boeing P-8 Poseidon|Poseidon MRA1]] fleet arrived in the UK from the United States in February 2020, initially operating from the barracks whilst work was carried out at RAF Lossiemouth to accommodate the new aircraft. Lossiemouth's airfield was closed between 10 August and 16 October 2020 whilst the intersection of its two runways was resurfaced. During the closure, routine [[Eurofighter Typhoon|Typhoon FGR4]] training operations were relocated to Kinloss.<ref>{{Cite web|date=29 July 2020|title=Next phase of runway resurfacing sees airfield closed at RAF Lossiemouth|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-lossiemouth/news/next-phase-of-runway-resurfacing-sees-airfield-closed-at-raf-lossiemouth/|access-date=19 October 2020|website=Royal Air Force|language=en-gb}}</ref> A second Poseidon arrived before they and the Typhoons departed for Lossiemouth on the re-opening of the Lossiemouth in October 2020.<ref name=":32">{{Cite web|date=13 October 2020|title=RAF Poseidon MRA1 arrives at RAF Lossiemouth for the first time|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-lossiemouth/news/raf-poseidon-mra1-arrives-at-raf-lossiemouth-for-the-first-time/|access-date=19 October 2020|website=Royal Air Force|language=en-gb}}</ref>

== Unit profiles ==

=== Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre ===
RAF Kinloss became home to the UK [[Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre]] (ARCC) in 1997 when the ARCC's located in [[Edinburgh]] and [[Plymouth]] were combined into one centre covering the whole UK Search and Rescue Region. The ARCC was responsible for tasking all UK search and rescue (SAR) assets such as RAF, Royal Navy and coastguard helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and mountain rescue teams. It coordinated a wide range of activities associated with SAR operations, including overland search planning, refuelling arrangements, airspace considerations, multi-agency communications, and co-ordination with other emergency services. The ARCC included the UK Mission Control Centre (UKMCC) which is the facility responsible for the detection and notification of [[Emergency position-indicating radiobeacon station|emergency distress beacon]] alerts through the [[International Cospas-Sarsat Programme]], which is able to detect beacon activations worldwide through a network of satellites.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RAF Search and Rescue (SARF) - ARCC|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafsearchandrescue/operations/arcc.cfm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204064723/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafsearchandrescue/operations/arcc.cfm|archive-date=4 February 2017|access-date=15 November 2016|website=Royal Air Force|publisher=Royal Air Force|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Despite the transfer of Kinloss from the RAF to the British Army in 2012, the ARCC remained at the station. However, in December 2014 the Ministry of Defence announced that the ARCC at Kinloss would close and be relocated to the [[Maritime and Coastguard Agency|Maritime and Coastguard Agency's]] National Maritime Operations Centre located in [[Fareham]], Hampshire. The Kinloss ARCC closed on 31 March 2016, with twenty-seven RAF personnel being redeployed to other RAF stations, or leaving the service, and ten civilian jobs being lost from Kinloss.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hendry|first=Ben|date=2 March 2016|title=Kinloss rescue centre closure imminent|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/849665/kinloss-rescue-centre-closure-imminent/|access-date=15 November 2016|website=Press and Journal|publisher=Aberdeen Journals}}</ref><ref name="Foote">{{Cite web|last=Foote|first=Chris|date=5 April 2016|title=Scots search and rescue centre relinquishes responsibilities|url=http://stv.tv/news/north/1348882-uks-rescue-coordination-centre-shuts-as-operations-move-south/|access-date=15 November 2016|website=STV News|publisher=STV}}</ref>

=== Mountain Rescue Team ===
The RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) was established in July 1944 as part of the [[Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service|RAF Mountain Rescue Service]]. Prior to that, [[mountain rescue]] had been carried out by a voluntary team.{{Sfn|Hughes|1995|p=28}} With the closure of Kinloss as an RAF base in July 2012, the RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) was renamed the RAF Lossiemouth MRT. The team continued to operate from their existing purpose built base at Kinloss for over two years, until they moved into the former 'D' Flight [[No. 202 Squadron RAF|No. 202 Squadron]] hangar at Lossiemouth in February 2015.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|date=8 July 2012|title=RAF Kinloss mountain rescue team 'to relocate'|language=en-GB|newspaper=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-18752720|access-date=16 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=21 February 2015|title=We follow in the footsteps of giants – RAF Lossiemouth MRT are now based at RAF Lossiemouth at last.|url=https://heavywhalley.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/we-follow-in-the-footsteps-of-giants-raf-lossiemouth-mrt-are-now-based-at-raf-lossiemouth-at-last/|access-date=16 November 2016|website=heavywhalley}}</ref>

=== Nimrod Major Servicing Unit ===
The Nimrod Major Servicing Unit (NMSU) was established on 1 March 1971 to provide dedicated [[Aircraft maintenance|maintenance]] to the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod fleet. The unit provided servicing for both the maritime reconnaissance (MR1 and MR2) and reconnaissance (R1) variants of the Nimrod, from three hangars (No. 11, 12 and 13) on the north side of the airfield. The NMSU was manned by RAF personnel until June 1995 when the function was privatised. A [[joint venture]] of [[Cobham (company)|Flight Refuelling Aviation]] (FRA) and [[Serco]] took on the role, with the contract being renewed in 1998 when FRA became the primary contractor. [[BAE Systems]] took on the contract in 2000, with FRA still provided maintenance services and the organisation becoming known as the Nimrod Support Group (NSG). The NSG continued operating until the Nimrod's withdrawal from service in March 2010.<ref>{{Citation|title=RAF Kinloss 1971 – 2010|type=Museum exhibit|place=Moravia Aviation Museum, Kinloss}}</ref>

== Previous units and aircraft ==
List of flying units and major non-flying units permanently based at Kinloss.

'''Source:''' Unless otherwise indicated details sourced are from: Hughes, Jim. (1995), ''Power to the Hunter. A History of Royal Air Force Kinloss'', British Aerospace. pp.&nbsp;95–97.
{| class="wikitable"
!Service
!Unit
!Aircraft / role
!From
!Date from
!Date to
!To
|-
|-
|RAF
|No. 14 Flying Training School
|
* [[Airspeed Oxford]]
* [[Hawker Hart]]
* [[Hawker Hart|Hawker Audax]]
* [[North American T-6 Texan variants|North American Harvard Mk I]]
* [[Avro Anson|Avro Anson Mk I]]
|Formed
|1 April 1939
|20 April 1940
|[[Cranfield Airport|RAF Cranfield]]
|-
|RAF
|No. 45 Maintenance Unit
|Various
|Formed
|6 April 1940
|15 January 1957
|Disbanded
|-
|RAF
|[[List of Royal Air Force Operational Training Units|No. 19 Operational Training Unit]]
|
* [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]]
* Avro Anson Mk I
* [[Westland Lysander]],
* [[Boulton Paul Defiant|Boulton Paul Defiant Mk III]]
* [[Miles Martinet|Miles Martinet Mk I]]
* [[Curtiss P-40 Warhawk|Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk]]
* Airspeed Oxford
* [[Hawker Hurricane|Hawker Hurricane Mk II]]
* [[Vickers Wellington|Vickers Wellington Mk X]]
* [[Miles Master]]
|Formed
|27 May 1940
|26 May 1945
|Disbanded
|-
|RAF
|RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team
|Mountain rescue
|Formed from voluntary team
|cJuly 1944 {{Sfn|Hughes|1995|p=28}}
|July 2012<ref name=":1" />
|Became the RAF Lossiemouth MRT (remained at Kinloss until February 2015)<ref name=":2" />
|-
|RAF
|No. 6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit
|
* [[Vickers Wellington|Vickers Wellington Mk X and Mk XIV]]
* [[Vickers Warwick|Vickers Warick Mk I and Mk II]]
* [[De Havilland Mosquito|de Havilland Mosquito Mk FB VI and Mk T III]]
* [[Bristol Buckmaster|Bristol Buckmaster Mk I]]
* [[Bristol Beaufighter|Bristol Beaufighter Mk X]]
* [[Avro Lancaster|Avro Lancaster Mk GR.3]]
|[[RAF Silloth]]
|19 July 1945
|31 July 1946
|Reformed as No. 236 OCU.
|-
|RAF
|No. 236 Operational Conversion Unit (OCU)
|
* Bristol Beaufighter Mk X
* Bristol Buckmaster Mk I
* Avro Lancaster GR.3
* [[Avro Shackleton|Avro Shackleton MR.1]]
* [[Avro Anson|Avro Anson Mk XI]]
* Lockheed Neptune MR.1
|Formed
|1 August 1947
|30 September 1956
|Reformed as the MOTU.
|-
|RAF
|[[No. 1453 Flight RAF|No. 1453 (Vanguard) Flight]]
|[[Lockheed P-2 Neptune|Lockheed Neptune MR.1]]
|Formed
|1 November 1952
|5 June 1953
|Disbanded
|-
|RAF
|Maritime Operational Training Unit (MOTU)
|[[Avro Shackleton|Avro Shackleton MR.1 and T.4]]
|Former No. 236 OCU
|1 October 1956
|2 July 1965
|[[RAF St Mawgan|RAF St. Mawgan]]
|-
|RAF
|[[No. 120 Squadron RAF|No. 120 Squadron]]
|
* [[Avro Shackleton|Avro Shackleton MR.3]]
* [[Hawker Siddeley Nimrod|Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.1]]
* [[Hawker Siddeley Nimrod|Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2]]
|[[Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove|RAF Aldergrove]]
|1 April 1959
|26 May 2011<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13545298|title=RAF Kinloss squadrons disbanded at final parade|date=26 May 2011|work=BBC News|access-date=23 July 2017|language=en-GB}}</ref>
|Disbanded
|-
|RAF
|[[No. 201 Squadron RAF|No. 201 Squadron]]
|
* Avro Shackleton MR.3
* Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.1
* Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2
|RAF St. Mawgan
|14 March 1965
|26 May 2011<ref name=":0" />
|Disbanded
|-
|RAF
|[[No. 206 Squadron RAF|No. 206 Squadron]]
|
* Avro Shackleton MR.3
* Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.1
* Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2
|RAF St. Mawgan
|7 July 1965
|1 April 2005<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4399221.stm|title=Nimrod squadron disbanded in cuts|date=1 April 2005|website=BBC News|access-date=23 July 2017}}</ref>
|Disbanded
|-
|RAF
|Nimrod Major Servicing Unit (NMSU)
|Nimrod heavy maintenance
|Formed
|March 1970
|1995
|Privatised.
|-
|RAF
|[[No. 8 Squadron RAF|No. 8 Squadron]]
|
* [[Avro Shackleton|Avro Shackleton MR.2]]
* [[Avro Shackleton|Avro Shackleton AEW.2]]
|Reformed
|January 1972
|17 August 1973
|[[RAF Lossiemouth]]
|-
|RAF
|No. 236 Operational Conversion Unit
|Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2
|Reformed
|April 1982
|October 1983
|RAF St. Mawgan
|-
|RAF
|[[No. 42 Squadron RAF|No. 42 (Reserve) Squadron]]
|Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2
|RAF St. Mawgan
|July 1992
|26 May 2011<ref name=":0" />
|Disbanded
|-
|RAF
|[[Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre|Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC)]]
|Rescue Coordination
|Edinburgh ARCC and Plymouth ARCC
|1997
|31 March 2016<ref name="Foote"/>
|National Maritime Operations Centre, [[Fareham]].
|}

== Suspected postwar radioactive contamination ==
After the Second World War, Kinloss was used to break-up surplus RAF aircraft and recover what was recyclable. Kinloss was chosen due to its remote location, and hence easy access to potential landfill sites which would be largely undisturbed by the public. The aircraft broken up included various components which had carried [[chemical weapon]]s (including [[sulphur mustard]]), and were painted with [[Luminous paint|fluorescent paint]] containing [[radium]] to allow the planes to be more easily operated at night. On removal, these contaminated items were buried in landfill sites either on the base or close to it.<ref name=BBC18136765/>

In 2004, with the development of a new water pipeline, a land quality assessment warned that sulphur mustard may be present within landfill and waste areas accessible to the public. The report stated that RAF believed there was a potential for chemical weapons agents and [[Radiation|radiological]] contamination to be present in the ground:<ref name=BBC18136765/>
{{cquote|Any personnel involved in the ground investigation have the potential to be at risk from these contaminants. There are a number of anomalies present on the investigation area the have not been investigated, and in some areas it was not possible to conduct the geophysical survey due to heavy gorse cover}}
However, no trace of chemical weapons agents was found during the land quality assessment, although material contaminated with radium was removed from land near the base in 2004.<ref name=BBC18136765/>

After the 2004 documents became public in May 2012, it emerged that the [[Scottish Environment Protection Agency]] (SEPA) was investigating radioactive contamination at the site linked to the use of "glow in the dark paint" in Second World War aircraft.<ref name=BBC18136765>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-18136765|title=Chemical weapon 'risk' at RAF Kinloss in Moray|author=David Miller|publisher=[[BBC Scotland]]|date=20 May 2012|access-date=20 May 2012}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[List of former Royal Air Force stations]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Hughes|1995}}|reference=Hughes, Jim (1995). ''Power to the Hunter. A History of Royal Air Force Kinloss'' British Aerospace}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|RAF Kinloss}}

* {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20110630183358/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafkinloss/|name=Official website (archived June 2011)}}
{{Airports in Scotland}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinloss}}
[[Category:Royal Air Force stations in Scotland]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Moray]]
[[Category:Moray]]
[[Category:Military airbases established in 1939]]