WITH PRAISE STILL ringing in their ears from the Secretary of State for Defence, the men and women of RAF Lossiemouth’s 6 Squadron have returned home from the Baltic region.
A four month deployment to the Amari Airbase helping to protect NATO’s Eastern European airspace turned out to be a busy one, with the squadron scrambled 17 times and intercepting 36 aircraft.
Before their return to Moray the Estonian Minister of Defence gave his own thanks to the RAF crews, saying: “Estonia is grateful for the British contribution to our security – we have had close co-operation and we hope it will continue.”
After the detachment returned to Lossiemouth on Tuesday to a champagne welcome by squadron colleagues and station personnel, the OC 6 Squadron, Wing Commander Jim Walls, said: “I am immensely proud of the Squadron’s achievement over the last 4 months.
“We deployed only one month after returning from exercise in North America and have flawlessly delivered expeditionary air power in the Baltic.
“We have also continued our contribution to UK and Falkland Islands Quick Reaction Alert duties throughout the period. Now, as ever, whatever the next challenge may be we are ready.”
For the time being 6 Squadron will resume their routine operation from RAF Lossiemouth which includes the defence of UK airspace.