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Scottish Sun
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside Scotland's last RAF base – from £3.5BN submarine hunters to Top Gun jets poised to intercept Russian attack
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RAF Lossiemouth is poised to play its part in the spiralling Israel-Iran conflict with RAF Typhoon fighter jets being sent to the Middle East. But it's just the latest war the brave men and women at the Scots military base in Moray have put their lives on the line for over the decades. 9 RAF Lossiemouth is poised to play its part in the spiralling conflict in the Middle East Credit: Northpix 9 RAF Lossiemouth is the home of the £3.5bn Poseidon submarine hunter project Credit: Northpix 9 Sun reporter Matt Bendoris explores behind the scenes at RAF Lossiemouth Credit: Northpix Today, we take you behind the scenes to show you how it ticks. Chief Features Writer MATT BENDORIS not only meets the Top Guns, but many of the backroom staff that help protect our country from the air in these increasingly uncertain times. Behind the scenes at RAF Lossiemouth THE sign above the entrance to 9 Bomber Squadron HQ reads: 'Welcome to Gotham'. I was expecting more Maverick from Top Gun rather than the Caped Crusader, but it turns out their badge is a green bat to highlight the unit's night-bombing exploits. And I would get to feel like Batman himself when I had to don 16kgs — that's two and a half stone — of a Typhoon fighter pilot's high-tech kit. Just getting into it was a work-out in itself, even with the help of survival equipment technician Corporal Claire Weston. Claire, 36, from Wiltshire says: 'You're wearing an anti-G (anti-gravity) jacket and trousers. 'When the pilots are in the aircraft they inflate so the blood remains in the right places and they don't pass out.' Lastly the 4kg — nearly 9lb — helmet was squeezed on, making me feel and look like a bobblehead toy with ear defenders that rendered me completely deaf. Real pilots sometimes have to wear this clobber for 16 hours at a time, which begs the question — what do they do when they need a number one up there? RAF pilots will get NUCLEAR bombers for first time in 30 years as Keir Starmer says UK must prepare for threat of war Flight Lieutenant Rob 'Cheese' Smith, 30, from Winchester, says: 'We have a contraption called Skydrate, which is basically a bag with a hose that makes having a wee pretty easy.' But less said about No2s the better, Rob adds: 'Yes, that would be bad, especially if you've got no option.' Now, fully kitted out, 'Bendy 1' was reporting for duty. Base commander Sarah Brewin, below, explains: 'Our mission at RAF Lossiemoith is really clear. 'We defend the skies of the United Kingdom. We defend the seas of the United Kingdom. And we deliver on global operations for the benefit of the country.' Of course not only do our forces have to keep an eye on what's going on with Mad Vladimir Putin in the East, since 9/11 our pilots also have to intercept any unidentified aircraft entering our airspace. Scrambling the jets is called a Quick Reaction Alert so when the alarm sounds I spring into action, legging it as fast as the restrictive clobber would allow to No2 hanger. Waiting for me was a Typhoon with the call sign F-MOG — which eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted in the current series of Top Guns. And it turns out the Channel 4 show has done probably more for recruitment than any slick RAF promo videos. 9 'Welcome to Gotham' - the sign welcoming visitors to 9 Bomber Squadron at Lossiemouth Credit: Northpix 9 Our reporter Matt Bendoris climbs into the cockpit of a high-tech Typhoon fighter Credit: Northpix 9 RAF Typhoon jets are scrambled to intercept aircraft during Quick Action Alerts Credit: Northpix 9 Wing Commander David Higgins in front of 'submarine hunter' Poseidon(P-8A) aircraft Credit: Northpix Wing Commander Dave Higgins - Squadron Leader of the neighbouring 120 Bomber Squadron - says:: 'Top Guns has seen a huge amount of interest in the RAF's operations. It allows people to see the important work being done at our bases.' After my mock QRA I return to the changing rooms where I have sweat dripping from, well everywhere, onto the floor, making me more of a Plop Gun. Even Corp Claire remarks: 'Our pilots don't sweat that much.' But when it comes to pilot's nicknames, apparently there is only one rule. Dave explains: 'You're not allowed to choose your own. 'So your friends and colleagues decide on one at the appropriate moment and that might stay with you for life.' Of course the real Top Guns not only have to be superfit, but extremely skilled too, as they pilot these £120million aircraft with a top speed of over 1,500mph. But Lossiemouth is also home to the £3.5billion Poseidon project — a maritime patrol aircraft that monitors the UK's waters, equipped with sensors and weapons systems for anti-submarine warfare. And if the aircraft shape looks familiar that's because they are a version of a Boeing 737, albeit with longer, reinforced wings to cope with the extreme turbulence while flying at 200ft above the sea. Squadron leader Dave, 44, from Warrington, Cheshire, says: 'Anyone who's flown with Ryanair will be familiar with the 737. 'Although the type of flying we do can be very low-level over the sea, dropping sensors that listen to submarines or torpedoes. That can get rough and leave even experienced air crew feeling queasy. 'But unlike the Typhoons, we do have a toilet, because some of our sortees can be nine hours long — even longer if we get some air to air refuelling.' 'The moral component' of fighting power REVEREND Wing Commander Adrian Dyer revealed how he gives RAF Lossiemouth personnel the 'moral component' to fight. The 58-year-old Welshman has been on the frontline with the RAF in Afghanistan while he's also served in the Middle East and Falkland Islands. He explains: 'The reason we're still in uniform as chaplains is because we contribute to the moral component of fighting power. 'It's quite a technical term, but it's about people's willingness to fight and their understanding of why they're doing what they're doing. 'In an ordinary job most people do it as a calling or there's a monetary incentive. That's never going to get you through a conflict situation. 'So part of what we do is help them to come to terms with what they're sometimes called upon to do in the armed forces.' And the padre believes that staff are more willing to open up to RAF chaplains rather than civilian ones. He explains: 'You go through the same sort of training and you have to be able to pass the officer course before you're commissioned. 'You're living alongside people and you're with them. So when they go on deployment, you go on deployment as well. 'But under international law you go as a non-combatant. You're there as a support function around the armed forces to help them to do the job they need to do.' It's not just about the dashing pilots on a base this size — and Lossiemouth covers 1,400 acres. There are over 3,000 staff including 2,000 military personnel, 1,000 contractors and 250 civil servants. And there's plenty to do in their down time with their own rugby team and extensive gym facilities, while its latest addition is an e-sports arena where RAF personnel can play Call Of Duty — talk about a busman's holiday. Chief technician Tom Gregson, 39, from London helped put the state-of-the-art centre together with the help of the NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) fund. He says: 'We wanted to build somewhere all ranks and all trades can socialise and come together. 'So right now the PCs are set up for multi-player Call of Duty Black Ops. But because the PCs are high spec we can run any game requested.' 9 The RAF even has it's own eSports league Credit: Northpix 9 The state-of-the-art centre was created so "all ranks" could socialise together Credit: Northpix Lossiemouth has also recently undergone £700million worth of improvements including a new housing blocks where everyone is seemingly oblivious to the constant roar of aircraft. Boss Sarah says: 'We are the noisy neighbours in the area. 'But the local authority in Moray has given us their unwavering support, even for some of our antisocial flying activities. 'The amount of fuel that we draw each year is phenomenal — we're probably one of the biggest users of fuel in Scotland.' And Sarah, who joined the RAF 20 years ago aged 22, insists each one of her staff are as important as the high-flying air crew. She says: 'I actually originally joined as air crew, but embarrassingly, I was too light for the ejection seat. Despite my best efforts at eating pies and chips, I couldn't keep the weight on. 'But it doesn't really matter what your functional area is in the Royal Air Force. Whether you're on the frontline or behind the scenes we're all part of the same team.'
Scottish Sun
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Chilling maps show terrifying apocalyptic power of Britain's new air-launched NUKES joining RAF's doomsday arsenal
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHILLING maps show the apocalyptic power of air launched nuclear weapons returning to Britain's doomsday arsenal. RAF Top Guns are set to fly with tactical nuclear weapons for the first time in 30 years. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Trident 2 missiles can carry up to eight nuclear warheads Credit: PA 3 F-35 bombers will be based in RAF Marham in Norfolk 3 It comes after the government ordered a dozen nuclear bombers that can carry American bombs. The F-35A bombers – to be based RAF Marham in Norfolk – are certified to carry American B-61 free fall nukes. The bombs are designed to give governments options in a spiralling state-on-state conflict. They are less destructive than doomsday weapons carried in the UK's nuclear deterrent submarines. But even the smallest H-Bomb – known as the B-61 Mod 3 – can engulf a whole city block in a thermo-nuclear fireball. It's payload is the equivalent of 300 tons of TNT explosives. If the bomb was dropped on a city, anyone inside an eight block radius would suffer horrific third degree burns as temperatures from the nuclear explosion can reach tens of millions of degrees celsius. The radioactive fall out would wipe an area the size of 200 football pitches. And if the bomb was primed to explode in the air – a split second before impact – the total blast area would cover an area of 800 football pitches. Larger versions of the B-61with have more than 1000 times more explosive power. Britain to test fire nuke missile in major show-of-force with sub launching 44ft Trident 2 for first time since 2016 But even they are dwarfed by the devastating power of warheads on Britain's Trident 2 missiles. Each Trident 2 missile can carry up to eight nuclear warheads. And the destructive power of each warhead ranges from 90 to 475 kilotons – or the equivalent of 475,000 tons of TNT. The blast radius of an single airburst warhead would flatten homes across an area the size of 12,000 football pitches. The total blast radius would be even bigger. But they warheads are designed to scatter as they plummet to earth from the edge of space – which means a single missile could render a capital totally uninhabitable. A former defence chief told The Sun: 'At the moment Britain has a gap in its arsenal. 'We have Tomahawk cruise missiles and Storm Shadows. 'Both of those can take out a hardened building or a bunker. 'But after that the only thing bigger is Trident.' Vladimir Putin threatened to drop a tactical nuke in 2022 as a terrifying 'show of force' in Ukraine. His troops had been forced to retreat on three fronts – in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson – and he was furious at western support for Ukraine. It triggered a frantic diplomatic effort that saw China and India helping to to convince the tyrant to abort. We have Tomahawk cruise missiles and Storm Shadows. Both of those can take out a hardened building or a bunker Former defence chief The UK scrapped its air-launched nukes in 1998. Before that the WE-177 bomb – known by pilots as 'the shape' – was carried on Tornado jets. The new F-35As will be able to carry conventional and nuclear weapons, like the Tornados before them. Pilots sent on a nuclear raids risk being annihilated the blasts caused by their own weapons. An RAF source: 'These are gravity bombs, so it is not like a Storm Shadow that you can fire 200km from a target. 'It will depend on the size of the blast.' Before the Tornado's Britain's air launched nukes were carried on 'V Bombers' including the Avro Vulcan, which served until 1984. Modern nuclear jets are designed to withstand the deadly electro-magnetic pulse caused by nuclear explosions, which can fry electronics and causing aircraft to crash. Weapons were less precise in the 80s. So the best way to destroy a bridge would have been with a tactical nuke A Top Gun who trained to drop WE-177s During the Cold War the UK's tactical nukes were designed take out Russian infrastructure, including bridges. A Top Gun who trained to drop WE-177s said: 'This was before smart bombs, and guided bombs. 'Weapons were less precise in the 80s. So the best way to destroy a bridge would have been with a tactical nuke.' Britain still makes its own nuclear warheads for the Trident 2 missiles on submarines, at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston. But it is not expected to manufacture sovereign nukes for the fleet of F-35As. The RAF said the F-35As will be 'available to fly Nato's nuclear mission in a crisis'. They said it would, 'boost Britain's contribution to 'nuclear burden-sharing and deter those who would do the UK and our allies harm.' The RAF added: 'It reintroduces a nuclear role for the RAF for the first time since the UK retired its sovereign air-launched nuclear weapons following the end of the Cold War.' The US already has deals with a number of Nato nations to host and fly its nuclear bombs. The US Air Force has recently upgraded its nuclear storage bunkers at RAF Lakenheath in Norfolk, where its own F-35As are based.
The Irish Sun
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Chilling maps show terrifying apocalyptic power of Britain's new air-launched NUKES joining RAF's doomsday arsenal
CHILLING maps show the apocalyptic power of air launched nuclear weapons returning to Britain's doomsday arsenal. RAF Top Guns are set to fly with tactical nuclear weapons for the Advertisement 3 Trident 2 missiles can carry up to eight nuclear warheads Credit: PA 3 F-35 bombers will be based in RAF Marham in Norfolk 3 It comes after the government ordered a dozen nuclear bombers that can carry American bombs. The F-35A bombers – to be based RAF Marham in Norfolk – are certified to carry American B-61 free fall nukes. The bombs are designed to give governments options in a spiralling state-on-state conflict. They are less destructive than doomsday weapons carried in the Advertisement But even the smallest H-Bomb – known as the B-61 Mod 3 – can engulf a whole city block in a thermo-nuclear fireball. It's payload is the equivalent of 300 tons of TNT explosives. If the bomb was dropped on a city, anyone inside an eight block radius would suffer The radioactive fall out would wipe an area the size of 200 football pitches. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Latest And if the bomb was primed to explode in the air – a split second before impact – the total blast area would cover an area of 800 football pitches. Larger versions of the B-61with have more than 1000 times more explosive power . Britain to test fire nuke missile in major show-of-force with sub launching 44ft Trident 2 for first time since 2016 But even they are dwarfed by the devastating power of warheads on Each Trident 2 missile can carry up to eight nuclear warheads. Advertisement And the destructive power of each warhead ranges from 90 to 475 kilotons – or the equivalent of 475,000 tons of TNT. The blast radius of an single airburst warhead would flatten homes across an area the size of 12,000 football pitches. The total blast radius would be even bigger. But they warheads are designed to scatter as they plummet to earth from the edge of space – which means a single missile could render a capital totally uninhabitable. Advertisement A former defence chief told The Sun: 'At the moment Britain has a gap in its arsenal . 'We have Tomahawk cruise missiles and Storm Shadows. 'Both of those can take out a hardened building or a bunker. 'But after that the only thing bigger is Trident.' Advertisement Vladimir Putin threatened to drop a tactical nuke in 2022 as a terrifying 'show of force' in Ukraine . His troops had been forced to retreat on three fronts – in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson – and he was furious at western support for Ukraine. It triggered a frantic diplomatic effort that saw China and India helping to to convince the tyrant to abort. We have Tomahawk cruise missiles and Storm Shadows. Both of those can take out a hardened building or a bunker Former defence chief The UK scrapped its air-launched nukes in 1998. Advertisement Before that the WE-177 bomb – known by pilots as 'the shape' – was carried on Tornado jets. The new F-35As will be able to carry conventional and nuclear weapons, like the Tornados before them. Pilots sent on a nuclear raids risk being annihilated the blasts caused by their own weapons. An RAF source: 'These are gravity bombs, so it is not like a Storm Shadow that you can fire 200km from a target . Advertisement 'It will depend on the size of the blast.' Before the Tornado's Britain's air launched nukes were carried on 'V Bombers' including the Avro Vulcan, which served until 1984. Weapons were less precise in the 80s. So the best way to destroy a bridge would have been with a tactical nuke A Top Gun who trained to drop WE-177s During the Cold War the UK's tactical nukes were designed take out Russian infrastructure, including bridges. Advertisement A Top Gun who trained to drop WE-177s said: 'This was before smart bombs, and guided bombs. 'Weapons were less precise in the 80s. So the best way to destroy a bridge would have been with a tactical nuke.' Britain still makes its own nuclear warheads for the Trident 2 missiles on submarines, at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston. But it is not expected to manufacture sovereign nukes for the fleet of F-35As. Advertisement The RAF said the F-35As will be 'available to fly Nato's nuclear mission in a crisis'. They said it would, 'boost Britain's contribution to 'nuclear burden-sharing and deter those who would do the UK and our allies harm.' The RAF added: 'It reintroduces a nuclear role for the RAF for the first time since the UK retired its sovereign air-launched nuclear weapons following the end of the Cold War.' Read more on the Irish Sun The US already has deals with a number of Nato nations to host and fly its nuclear bombs. Advertisement The US Air Force has recently upgraded its nuclear storage bunkers at RAF Lakenheath in Norfolk, where its own F-35As are based.
The Irish Sun
24-06-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
RAF pilots will get NUCLEAR bombers for first time in 30 years as Keir Starmer says UK must prepare for threat of war
RAF Top Guns will get nuclear bombers for the first time in 30 years — after PM Sir Keir Starmer said we must prepare for possible war. The F-35As will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk, which housed Britain's air-launched nuclear weapons until 1998. 4 RAF Top Guns will get nuclear bombers for the first time in 30 years 4 PM Sir Keir Starmer said Britain must prepare for possible war Credit: PA That was the year then—PM Tony Blair scrapped Britain's air-launched bomb, the WE-177. The new B-61 bombs, made by US-firm Lockheed Martin, can take out small areas — unlike Trident 2 missiles on Britain's submarines which can obliterate whole cities. The F-35As can also carry conventional weapons. The announcement came as a new National Security Strategy warned: 'For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario.' READ MORE ON THE RAF The Government said the jets would support Nato's nuclear mission. Ahead of today's Nato summit in The Hague, The strategy highlighted Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the most pressing example. And it warned Most read in The Sun It added: 'Some adversaries are laying the foundations for future conflict, positioning themselves to move quickly to cause major disruption to our energy and/or supply chains, to deter us from standing up to their aggression.' The new plan focuses on three areas — protecting the UK at home, working with allies to strengthen global security, and rebuilding Britain's defence industries and technological capabilities. RAF planes SABOTAGED by protesters in 'grotesque' security breach at UK military base The F-35 deal supports more than 20,000 UK jobs, with British firms making 15 per cent of the supply chain. The UK is expected to buy 138 F-35s in total from the US government, with the A variant offering savings of up to 25 per cent per aircraft compared to the B models already in service. Nato chief The UK is also building 12 new nuclear submarines, and investing £15billion in Britain's sovereign nuclear warhead programme. Ministers yesterday also said they will send 350 air defence missiles to Ukraine using £70million from seized Russian assets. The ASRAAMs can be fired from UK- supplied Raven launchers. Sir Keir is facing pressure to explain how we will meet the Nato target of spending five per cent of GDP on national security by 2035. 4 Ahead of today's Nato summit, Keir said: 'In an era of radical uncertainty we can no longer take peace for granted, which is why my Government is investing in our national security' Credit: Getty 4 Nato chief Mark Rutte called the announcement 'yet another robust British contribution to Nato' Credit: Getty Prez praised By Martina Bet DONALD Trump was showered with praise by Nato boss Mark Rutte for the 'extraordinary' US raids on Iran, leaked messages reveal. Mr Rutte wrote: 'Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action. 'That was truly extraordinary and something no one else dared to do. It makes us all safer.' The former PM of the Netherlands also thanked the US President for forcing allies to promise to ramp up defence spending. He wrote: 'Europe is going to pay in a big way, as they should, and it will be your win.' The private text was shared by Mr Trump on his Truth Social platform.
UPI
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Movie review: 'F1' captures thrilling races, Brad Pitt bravado
LOS ANGELES, June 17 (UPI) -- F1, in theaters June 27, crafts a rousing Hollywood blockbuster out of Formula 1 racing. Though it contains all the requisite cliches, it does the job of showcasing visceral racing. Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver who retired after a crash. Now driving the midnight shift for a 24 hour Daytona race team, Sonny receives an offer from Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) to join his F1 team, APXGP. APXGP's star, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), doesn't appreciate a veteran with no wins stealing his spotlight. The script by Ehren Kruger and director Joseph Kosinski sets up APXGP to be underdogs. The odds could not be more stacked against them. Not only has APXGP never won an F1 race, but their opponents like Ferrari and Aston Martin already have the fastest vehicles. Since APXGP can't win with speed, Sonny devises other strategies. He asks technical director Kate (Kerry Condon) to modify their cars for turning so they'll have the advantage when opponents have to slow down for turns. Sonny also manipulates the safety regulations of F1 to buy himself and Joshua time or extra pit stops. Through these strategies, the film teaches the rules of F1 to neophyte viewers. Between commentators explaining protocols for hazards and the pit crew arguing with Sonny over his headset, the viewer learns what's at stake and which rules Sonny is bending. Sonny plays chicken with his pit crew, refusing to race until they put on the tires he requests. The film does a good job explaining the differences in tires, which becomes a major factor in other races. An early pit stop is said to be too long at seven seconds, so when a later stop is completed in 2.9, the audience understands it is a success. Some of Sonny's plans fail with serious consequences, though it doesn't exactly humble him. He has the bravado of the pilots in Top Gun, which is good for a movie, so luckily this film is not real life. Kosinski directed Top Gun: Maverick and Jerry Bruckheimer produced F1 and both Top Guns. The races are what F1 viewers come to see and Kosinski delivers them as summer movie set pieces. The entire film fills the IMAX screen, not just the race scenes. With the grandeur of IMAX, one wishes Kosinski would allow shots to linger so viewers can take in the scope. The editing is sound, however, cutting between shots from inside the cars to exteriors capturing the lay of the track, giving a sense of the speed within the race. The film posits Sonny as a mysterious stranger who never talks about his past, like a Man with No Name of racing. Exposition is given through press conferences, questions which Sonny dismisses, or news footage. Videos of Sonny's 1993 racing accident with a de-aged Pitt are fortunately brief, but a Photoshopped magazine cover with young Pitt and Bardem's headshots is more egregious. Pitt certainly has the charisma to make the ambiguity charming. His physical routines, involving playing cards and tennis balls, show more about his character than dialogue. Specifics shared in dialogue merely amount to daddy issues, for both Sonny and Joshua. The clashing mentor/student theme plays out by the book, too. Kosinski and Kruger give Pitt cocky lines to say that he relishes, such as "You're just worried I'm quicker" or accusing Joshua of winning participation trophies. There is a relevant heart to the Sonny/Joshua dynamic. Sonny is teaching Joshua to shut out the noise and distractions to focus on his craft and skill at racing. The sniping between them can be superficial because Joshua's learning is inevitable. When Joshua refuses to apologize to Sonny because he sees it as a sign of weakness, the blatant expression of his immaturity never really pays off. Sonny certainly never sets an example of humility, but Joshua earns his respect by the third race, which is how men show affection in movies like this, and often in life. Sonny flirts with Kate, mainly because a Brad Pitt movie has to have a love interest. Though both characters respect each other professionally, Pitt and Condon have undeniable chemistry because they too are pros who can charm anyone, let alone each other. At least the female mechanic, Jodie (Callie Cooke), gets to be solely a professional, and even scolds Sonny for white knighting her. To her, fortunately, Sonny respectfully defers. F1 is practically mathematically constructed to make mass audiences root for Sonny, and Joshua too as long as no one roots for him more. The team involved from the performers to the filmmakers are all experts at this, so they execute the winning formula in a new milieu. Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment. Brad Pitt turns 61: a look back
