Endurance
CXX Squadron is based at RAF Lossiemouth, 120 Squadron is the RAF’s first operator of the Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA). 120 Squadron began its long association with anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol when it began operating the Liberator GR.Mk I from RAF Nutt’s Corner, County Antrim, in 1941. It was RAF Coastal Command’s highest-scoring anti-submarine warfare squadron in World War II and became the first Avro Shackleton operator. CXX Squadron flew the Nimrod from 1970.
1918 120 Squadron stood up 1 January as a Royal Flying Corps unit at RAF Cramlington, Northumberland. It disbanded in October 1919.
1941 Also known as CXX Squadron, the unit began flying the Consolidated Liberator in the Battle of the Atlantic.
1942 Deployed detachments to Reykjavik, Iceland and the Middle East, before relocating to Iceland in 1943.
1944 Returned to Ireland, stationed at Ballykelly.
1946 Re-equipped with the Avro Lancaster.
1951 First squadron to operate the Avro Shackleton MPA.
1970 Began operating the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod jet MPA. Disbanded, still on the Nimrod, in 2010.
2017 Announced as the first Poseidon MRA1 squadron, receiving the UK's initial example in 2019.
2020 Flew the first UK-based Poseidon to Kinloss Barracks while upgrade work at RAF Lossiemouth was completed.
1941–1945* Atlantic
1941–1944* Biscay
1942–1944* Arctic
1941–1944* Channel and North Sea
1982 South Atlantic
1991 Gulf
2003 Iraq
2003-2011 Iraq
Honours marked with an asterisk* are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard.
Please contact the home Station Media Communications team for more information or to contact the Squadron
Media enquiries details for RAF Lossiemouth 
