Gallery No 22 - BAe Nimrod

Aircraft - 2 Images

My thanks to Roger Dunn, (Wikepedia for text) and the MOD for supplying these images.

The Nimrod MR2, based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland, is a maritime patrol aircraft used primarily in the roles of maritime surface surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue. Carrying a crew of 13, the aircraft is fitted with radar, magnetic and acoustic detection equipment. The Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft can also assist in search and rescue (SAR) operations by searching for survivors, giving guidance to rescue craft at the scene, and dropping survival equipment if needed.

The MR2 fleet will be replaced by Nimrod 2000 in a refurbishment programme managed by British Aerospace. The Replacement Maritime Patrol Aircraft (RMPA) competition was won by BAe with their Nimrod 2000 proposal. The RAF has formerly declared that the aircraft will be known as Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance & Attack (MRA) Mark 4. The contract for the delivery of 21 Nimrod MRA4 aircraft training systems and initial support was signed with BAe in December 1996. The refurbished aircraft, to be delivered between 2001 and 2006, will have new wings, BMW/Rolls Royce fuel efficient engines, modern control systems, 'glass' cockpit instrumentation, and a comprehensive suite of the latest sensor, computer and communications equipment.

As of March 1999 the estimated cost of procurement of Nimrod MRA4 was #2.4 billion (at September 1998 economic conditions), an increase of 0.5% since the contract was placed in December 1996. When the contract was placed, BAe undertook to meet an ISD of April 2003. Resource and technical difficulties with the early phases of the program at BAe mean that the company did not expect the aircraft to enter service with the RAF before early 2005. The precise slippage was the subject of negotiations between MoD and BAe."

Powerplant: Four Rolls-Royce RB168-20 Spey 250 turbofans of 12,140lb st.

Span: 114ft 10in (35.00m)

Length: 126ft 9in (38.63m)

Max Speed: 575mph (926km/h)

Accommodation: Crew of 12

Armament: Internal bay for up to nine torpedoes, bombs and depth charges; Sidewinder AAMs can be carried on underwing pylons for self-defence.

Recognition: Resembles the DH Comet, from which it derived. Long 'double bubble' fuselage with the cockpit built into the steeply raked nose. The fuselage tailcone extends well beyond the fin and rudder to house a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) unit. The low-set wings are slightly swept on the forward edge. The four turbofans are buried in the inboard section of the wings. Bullet-shaped wing fairings project from the leading edges towards the wingtips. The Nimrod's fin, which has a large dorsal section extending well forward, is surmounted by an elliptical-shaped fairing. An in-flight refuelling probe projects from the fuselage above the cockpit.

RAF Units
120 Squadron, RAF Kinloss - 8 Nimrod MR2
201 Squadron, RAF Kinloss - 8 Nimrod MR2
206 Squadron, RAF Kinloss - 7 Nimrod MR2
42 (Reserve) Squadron, RAF Kinloss - 3 Nimrod MR2

Some aircraft may appear identical but there are differences which will not be discernible from the image.

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51 Squadron
42R Squadron

 

 

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