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Giant cargo aircraft delivers new Poseidon simulator to RAF Lossiemouth

14 Jun 2021

Two trucks carrying loads.
An Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft has delivered the second Operational Flight Trainer to RAF Lossiemouth, as part of a £470m UK Government investment to provide specialist training for RAF pilots who will be flying the Poseidon MRA Mk 1.  

A giant Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft touched down at Glasgow Prestwick Airport to deliver the second Operational Flight Trainer, based at RAF Lossiemouth, the home of the UK’s submarine-hunting Poseidon MRA Mk1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft fleet.

Weighing more than 9.5 tonnes, the simulator is one of two being installed in a £100-million strategic facility built by Boeing Defence UK and Scottish firm Robertson Construction.

Three trucks entering RAF Lossiemouth.

It was offloaded from the specially chartered Antonov AN-124, which took off from Tampa, Florida and is being transported by road to Lossiemouth, where it is due to arrive late on Friday evening.

The simulators and facility managed by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) are part of a £470m UK Government investment in the coastal RAF base in Moray, north-east Scotland.

Truck.

“The simulators will provide specialist training for RAF pilots who will be flying the Poseidon MRA Mk 1.  They are exact replicas of the aircraft cockpit and will incorporate very high-definition visual display systems to enhance the training benefit.  They are also designed to link up with the mission simulators used by the rear crew, allowing them to train together."

Mark Corden
Project Manager for Training in the Poseidon delivery team at DE&S

The Operational Flight Trainer simulator is provided by Boeing but originally manufactured by CAE. 

  • 7.26m long
  • 4.39m wide
  • 3.71m high
  • Weighing 9,591kg (9.5t)

RAF Lossiemouth sign and truck.

Two Operational Flight Trainers and two rear-crew simulators will be installed in the new strategic facility at RAF Lossiemouth; along with part-task mission crew trainers, virtual maintenance trainers and electronic classrooms.

It’s an essential part of making sure that the aircrew are fully prepared to operate the growing fleet of aircraft.  Although this is the second Poseidon simulator to be delivered to the UK, it is still very exciting to see it arrive in Prestwick on the Antonov.  Its size makes it too big to be transported by any RAF aircraft.  The Antonov is one of only a few aircraft in the world large enough to carry it.”

Mark Corden
Project Manager for Training in the Poseidon delivery team at DE&S