« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A  (Read 2153 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Angry Turnip

  • Global Moderator
  • Marshal of the Air Force
  • *****
  • Posts: 13980
  • Gender: Male
  • Local Airport: BFS
  • Favourite Aircraft: Hawker Hunter/Harrier
  • Camera Used: NIKON D7200
  • A-P.net Photos: 1
Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A
« 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.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2011, 01:27:28 PM by Angry Turnip »
Logged

Offline Merlin

  • Global Moderator
  • Air Vice-Marshal
  • *****
  • Posts: 1708
  • Gender: Male
  • Cake or Death???
  • Local Airport: George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD/EGAC)
  • Favourite Aircraft: Merlin EH-101, Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey), Supermarine Spitfire
  • Camera Used: Nikon D5200, Sigma DG 150-500mm 1:5-6.3 APO HSM
  • Airliners.net Photos: 7
  • Jetphotos.net Photos: 45
  • A-P.net Photos: 10
Re: Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A
« Reply #1 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'  >:(
Logged
Dec
---
"The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage."

Click Here to view my aircraft photos at JetPhotos.Net!

Offline Angry Turnip

  • Global Moderator
  • Marshal of the Air Force
  • *****
  • Posts: 13980
  • Gender: Male
  • Local Airport: BFS
  • Favourite Aircraft: Hawker Hunter/Harrier
  • Camera Used: NIKON D7200
  • A-P.net Photos: 1
Re: Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A
« Reply #2 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.
Logged

Offline Angry Turnip

  • Global Moderator
  • Marshal of the Air Force
  • *****
  • Posts: 13980
  • Gender: Male
  • Local Airport: BFS
  • Favourite Aircraft: Hawker Hunter/Harrier
  • Camera Used: NIKON D7200
  • A-P.net Photos: 1
Re: Scrapping the Nimrod MR4A
« Reply #3 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. :-\
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »