Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and known for its close proximity to flight training areas in Scotland and its favourable local flying conditions.

All four Squadrons contribute to the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) North capability which provides continuous protection of UK airspace.

8 Squadron will operate the RAF's new fleet of three Boeing Wedgetail AEW1 airborne early warning and control aircraft, with aircrew training expected to commence in 2025.

The airfield opened in 1939 and was operated by the RAF, predominantly as part of Bomber Command, until 1946 when it transferred to the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) and became known as RNAS Lossiemouth or HMS Fulmar.

They arrived in November 1939 to take part in attack missions targeting the German cruiser Deutschland, which was operating between Iceland and the Shetland Isles.

766 Naval Air Squadron, arrived at Lossiemouth in August 1946 and operated Supermarine Seafires and Fairey Fireflies until its departure to RNAS Culdrose in 1953.

[20] In the late 1940s, to replace poor quality war-era facilities, seven hundred new married living-quarters were constructed in the nearby towns of Lossiemouth and Elgin, with the first opening in September 1949.

[27] On 28 March 1967, Buccaneers from Lossiemouth bombed the shipwrecked supertanker Torrey Canyon off the western coast of Cornwall, to ignite the oil and avoid an environmental disaster.

[25] The 1966 Defence White Paper saw the withdrawal of most British military forces stationed East of Suez during the 1970s, reducing the need for aircraft carriers and fixed-wing naval aviation such as the Buccaneer.

8 Squadron and their twelve Avro Shackleton AEW.2s, operating as airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, moved to Lossiemouth from nearby RAF Kinloss.

The Shackleton was an interim aircraft for the RAF AEW requirement, which saw the gradual replacement of Fleet Air Arm's Fairey Gannets, culminating in the disbandment of No.

[32] Following a short-notice decision to deploy to the Middle East, the first batch of six aircraft were brought to readiness in under 72 hours, including the adoption of desert-pink camouflage and additional war-time equipment.

[33] Hostilities ended in late February 1991, the Buccaneers having flown 218 sorties without loss, designating targets for other aircraft and later dropping 48 of their own Paveway II laser-guided bombs.

[34] The replacement for the ageing Shackleton AEW.2, the British Aerospace Nimrod AEW.3, suffered considerable development difficulties which culminated in the aircraft being cancelled during 1986, for an off-the-shelf purchase of the Boeing Sentry AEW1.

[40] The Ministry of Defence announced in November 2005 that Lossiemouth would be the main operating base for the RAF's new F-35 Lightning II fleet, which was expected to enter service in 2013.

[41] In 2010, the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) cast doubt on whether the F-35 would be based at Lossiemouth and raised fears in the local community that the station could close.

On 7 November 2010 up to 7,000 people took part in a march and rally in Lossiemouth in support of retaining the RAF station, including Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and other politicians.

[49] In 2012, a new combined mess for junior ranks and senior non-commission officers was completed, replacing separate buildings constructed in the 1960s, which were demolished.

Quick Reaction Alert facilities were built in the northern hardened aircraft shelter (HAS) complex and alterations were made to hangars 1 and 3 and new ground-support IT and communication systems.

[66] The unit re-equipped as an aggressor and air defence squadron operating Typhoon Tranche 1 on 1 April 2019, thereby continuing in unbroken service upon the Tornado's retirement at RAF Marham.

SAR helicopter operations in the north-east of Scotland ceased at Lossiemouth and moved to Inverness Airport, located 30 miles (48 km) to the west.

202 Squadron disbanded on 1 April 2015 and its Sea King HAR3s were stored at RAF Valley, Anglesey, bringing nearly 43 years of search and rescue operations at Lossiemouth to an end.

The Sea Kings had been a familiar sight in the skies above Scotland, having been involved in the Piper Alpha disaster, Lockerbie bombing and appearing in local and national media.

There was widespread criticism of the decision but the RAF considered that the event could contravene campaigning rules for the UK general election, as it could be perceived as being political.

[75] In March 2015, the UK government ruled out Lossiemouth as well as nearby RAF Kinloss as candidates for a new spaceport due to opposition from the Ministry of Defence, which cited over-riding operational factors.

[97] In October 2024, as part of a wider defence agreement between Germany and the UK, it was announced that German Navy Poesidons will periodically operate from Lossiemouth whilst conducting patrols of the North Atlantic.

[101][8] BAE Systems operates the Typhoon Training Facility (North), which is home to four Emulated Deployable Cockpit Trainer (EDCT) flight simulators.

[107] RAF Lossiemouth is the parent station of Tain Air Weapons Range which is located approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the north west.

QRA missions range from civilian airliners which have stopped responding to air traffic control, to intercepting Russian aircraft such as the Tupolev Tu-95 Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack.

The freedom was granted in recognition of the role RAF Lossiemouth has played in the defence of the nation and in particular, the greatly valued contribution which has been made by the station to the day-to-day life of Moray.