Celebrations have been held to mark the official opening of a new IX(B) Squadron building at RAF
Lossiemouth on Friday 22nd September. Air Chief Marshall The Lord Stuart Peach GBE KCB DL, former OC IX(B) Squadron and the IX(B) Squadron Association were in attendance to mark the occasion. The guests enjoyed a Typhoon flypast and a
ceremonial parade of IX(B) Squadron personnel.
The new building comes as part of a large program of development and investment in infrastructure at RAF
Lossiemouth and provides the squadron with a state-of-the-art facility. Honouring the squadron crest which features a bat, the new facility has been affectionately named ‘Gotham’.
Representatives from IX(B) Squadron Association, including veterans, attended the celebrations. The
association is the largest and most active squadron specific association in the RAF. Squadron Associations
are just one of the many ways that veterans can continue to be involved with military life after leaving the
service.
Speaking about the event the Project Officer said:
“It was great to be able host the IX(B) Association at RAF Lossiemouth and show them the role that IX(B)
Sqn has in the RAF today. IX(B) Sqn has a long and illustrious history and being able to hear about this first
hand from previous serving members really brought it to life across the series of events that took place over
the weekend”.
IX(B) Squadron Wing Commander Rich Leask added:
“It was an absolute honour to parade IX(B) Sqn and celebrate the opening of IX(B) Sqn’s new home Gotham
in front of Air Chief Marshall The Lord Stuart Peach GBE KCB DL; a former OC IX(B) Sqn as well as Chief
of the Defence Staff and Chairman of the Military Committee of NATO. Gotham will provide IX(B) Sqn with a
state-of-the-art technical facility to allow the final stage of the Sqn’s growth in becoming Multi Role next
year.”
IX(B) Squadron are one of four Typhoon Squadron’s based at RAF Lossiemouth. They provide specialist
adversary or aggressor training to other UK frontline units. The Squadron completed a deployment to
Estonia earlier in the year where they undertook NATO Air Policing duties in the Baltic region for Operation
AZOTIZE.
IX(B) Squadron is the oldest dedicated Bomber Squadron in the RAF formed as the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) unit at St Omer, France on 8 December 1914 by renaming the Wireless Flight of the RFC Headquarters. Want to find out more? History – IX(B) Squadron Association (9sqn.co.uk) is a good place to start.
