OREANDA-NEWS. February 02, 2016. Work commenced on the £23 million project in October 2014 and was completed ahead of schedule in just 14 months.

The project involved creating a new headquarters building, refurbishing nine hardened aircraft shelters and a parking area for 8 aircraft, providing new floodlights, and renovating dining facilities.

The work has delivered first class facilities which are vital to enable II(Army Cooperation) Squadron’s role to provide personnel and aircraft to carry out quick reaction alert (Interceptor) north operations as well as supporting global operations. The major refurbishment of the aircraft storage facilities was completed seven months early, allowing the squadron to operate independently.

The new headquarters provides the state of the art secure facilities required by a fast jet squadron. It accommodates engineering and logistics facilities and the Survival Equipment Section, which maintains all of the high tech equipment worn by Typhoon pilots during flight; classroom facilities and executive and administrative offices.

Jim Ellistone, Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s (DIO’s) project manager said:

The facility was delivered almost a month early and significantly under budget. By any standards, this has been a superb team effort. Collaboration by all parties has been outstanding and we have had the full support of the Royal Air Force throughout.

Officer Commanding II(Army Cooperation) Squadron, Wing Commander Roger Elliott, said:

I cannot thank enough all those who were involved in the design, development and delivery of the Squadron’s new facilities. I am delighted to take possession of the new building, and the renovated associated infrastructure around the southern hardened aircraft shelters site at RAF Lossiemouth.

This is a 21st century facility for a 21st century fighter squadron; the combination is second to none.

Sustainability has been a key driver throughout the project and it has achieved the highest MOD sustainability standard. The new headquarters building is highly energy efficient, built robustly for long, low cost use, and has climate change resilience built in. The design and build used the existing concrete floor of a hangar which was built at the start of WW 2. Initially the slab was used to accommodate contractor cabins but now forms the foundation of the car park, fire fighting water tanks and pumps.

The project was delivered in partnership with DIO’s Total Facilities Management Team, the RAF, Watson Burnett Architects, and MOD contractors Turners and Balfour Beatty.