The RAF “legend” who has taken command of a Moray air base revealed last night his air crews are on a “very high level of readiness” amid ongoing global tensions.
Group Captain Paul Godfrey was unveiled as the new man in charge at Lossiemouth just days after it was revealed it would become home to a new fleet of Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
He takes over from the departing Group Captain Mark Chappell.
The new officer in charge said the “unique” station was at a “very high level of readiness” to embark on future defence operations.
RAF Lossiemouth’s Typhoon fighter pilots have already won praise from Prime Minister David Cameron after being involved in a number of interceptions of Russian aircraft flying close to UK airspace.
Group Captain Godfrey – who enlisted in the air force 1991 and piloted Harrier jets during operations in the Balkans – was the first non-American pilot to fly the F-16 jet at the Shaw airbase in South Carolina.
He also completed detachments to Italy and Cyprus as part of UK military intervention missions.
He said: “It’s a huge privilege to be taking command of RAF Lossiemouth.
“Group Captain Chappell has left the station in outstanding shape, and at a very high level of readiness to conduct a wide range of operational activities.
“The wide variety of units and people at RAF Lossiemouth make it so unique.”
Grp Capt Chappell took over the base two years ago, and has overseen the establishment of its Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter squadrons.
Since being installed last year the fleet has been launched into action at a moment’s notice to intercept threats to UK airspace.
The departing commander said: “My time in the post has seen enormous changes in a relatively short space of time, not least with the adoption of Quick Reaction Alert and our continued support to global operations.”
Grp Capt Chappell is leaving RAF Lossiemouth for a position at the air force’s defence college at Shrivenham in the south of England.
The prime minister revealed this week that as part of the UK Government’s strategic defence review, nine P-8 Poseidon surveillance planes would be based at RAF Lossiemouth.
Building the aircraft and the infrastructure to accommodate them at the Moray base is expected to cost billions of pounds.
The move has also been hailed as a massive boost to Moray’s economy as it will bring 400 additional personnel to the region over the next decade.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that former RAF Lossiemouth station commander Ian Gale will play a key role in driving forward the introduction of the maritime patrol aircraft.
The government has said the Poseidons will plug gaps in the UK’s defence network which were left when Nimrod surveillance jets based at the former RAF Kinloss air base were scrapped in 2010 as part of a cost-cutting drive.