Sixth Poseidon MRA1 delivered to the RAF

The Royal Air Force (RAF) took delivery of its sixth Boeing P-8A Poseidon MRA1 on September 21. The aircraft - serial ZP806 'Guernsey's Reply' (c/n 66106/8680, ex N665DS), callsign ‘Poseidon 1’ - landed at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, at around 0840hrs following a transatlantic ferry flight.

It had made its maiden flight on June 7. With six aircraft (serials ZP801 to ZP806) now at the Scottish base, only three more remain to be delivered to complete the order for nine aircraft. The seventh, ZP807/N665DS (c/n 66107/8719), first flew on June 24, followed by the eighth, ZP808/N667DS (c/n 66108/8757) on July 22. The final example, ZP809 (c/n 66109/8872), took to the air for the first time on September 15. All first flights originated at Renton, Washington, but terminated at Boeing Field, Seattle, where the aircraft are outfitted with their mission systems.

Sixth RAF Poseidon delivered
RAF Poseidon MRA1 ZP806 ‘Guernsey’s Reply’ on the ramp at RAF Lossiemouth on September 21, shortly after arrival following its ferry flight from the US. It is the sixth of the nine aircraft on order to be delivered. MOD Crown Copyright/RAF Lossiemouth

All three of the remaining aircraft are expected to be delivered to Lossiemouth before the year-end. The aircraft are currently operated from Lossiemouth by No 120 Squadron. A second Poseidon unit, No 201 Squadron, will be reformed at the base later this year.

All nine aircraft are being given names relevant to the base or the units operating the type. To date, these comprise: ZP801 ‘Spirit of Moray’; ZP802 ‘City of Elgin’; ZP803 ‘Terrence Bulloch DSO DFC’; ZP804 ‘Spirit of Reykjavik’; ZP805 ‘Fulmar’ and ZP806 ‘Guernsey’s Reply’. Names for the final three aircraft have yet to be revealed.