Northern Ireland Aviation Enthusiast's Forum

Military Aviation => Modern Military Aircraft => Topic started by: Angry Turnip on January 28, 2011, 11:15:15 AM

Title: Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A
Post by: Angry Turnip on January 28, 2011, 11:15:15 AM

Saw this was going to be on the news,but I couldn`t watch it-such a disgrace for the iconic Comet design to end up in a pile of scrap.
 
The reason for canceling the MR4A project was given as saving money, when £4 Billion had been spent on the project and it was almost ready to begin entering the final stages of the testing programme.
At least 2 of the MR4A`s made several passes at Aldergrove,a few years ago as part of the flight testing programme.
 
So if it was to save money;then how much is it costing to lease the 6 or 7 RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft and train crews on them?
 
The MOD claim that C-130`s and Merlin heli`s will fill the gap left by the cancelation of the Nimrod-if that`s true why are the need for the RC-135`s?
 
Clearly the C-130 and helicopters cannot come anywhere close to the capabilities of the Nimrod.
 
As far as I am concerned the MOD have made a huge mistake yet again forced upon them by the pen pushers in Government.

Title: Re: Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A
Post by: Merlin on January 28, 2011, 11:49:36 AM

I'm assuming that the RC-135 will replace the Nimrod in a surveillance capacity.

However the Nimrod also did ASW work and I haven't heard what will take on that role. Helicopters don't have the range, endurance or payload to cover the same area as the Nimrod.

I read on the BBC website yesterday that some idiot claimed NATO no longer needed aircraft that could do long range ASW in the Atlantic.  ::)

Don't these people know anything?

I suggest they read up on a conflict called 'World War 2' with special attention to the section marked 'War in the Atlantic'  >:(

Title: Re: Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A
Post by: Angry Turnip on January 28, 2011, 01:34:08 PM

The Nimrod has a much greater capability than the RC-135,and I think the US may have put pressure on the UK government to scrap the MR4A project.
 
This has happened before;remember the TSR2?
 
I also have my doubts about the the UK`s involvement in the F-35 Lightning II.
BAe Systems are involved in the project,but I think the UK have been bulllied into scrapping the Harrier and buying F-35`s,although the UK aren`t getting the VTOL version as originally planned.

Title: Re: Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A
Post by: Angry Turnip on January 29, 2011, 11:53:01 PM

Its a real shame that maybe NATO could have operated the MR4A like they do with the E3 Sentry.
Aircraft could be shared between the larger nations,to spread the operating costs. :-\