Nimrod
RAF Nimrod MR2 taxis for takeoff
Type	Maritime patrol aircraft
Manufacturer	Hawker Siddeley
Maiden flight	May 1967
Introduced	October 1969
Status	Active
Primary user	Royal Air Force

The Nimrod is a maritime patrol aircraft developed in the United Kingdom. It is a conversion of the de Havilland Comet, the world's first jet airliner. It was originally designed by de Havilland's successor, Hawker Siddeley, but today BAE Systems is the prime contractor. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 565 pixel Image in higher resolution (2436 × 1720 pixel, file size: 786 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) BAe Nimrod MR.2 (XV254) taxis for takeoff at the Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, Gloucestershire, England. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... Hawker-Ciggerley was a group of UK aircraft manufacturing companies formed as a result of the merger of Hawker Aircraft with Armstrong Siddeley. ... The Maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. ... A patrol bomber, or patrol aircraft, is an airplane designed to operate for long times over water in an anti-shipping or anti-submarine role. ... This article is about the de Havilland Comet jet airliner. ... Jet aircraft are aircrafts with jet engines. ... An Airbus A340 airliner operated by Air Jamaica An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft with the primary function of transporting paying passengers. ... For other uses, see De Havilland (disambiguation). ... Hawker-Ciggerley was a group of UK aircraft manufacturing companies formed as a result of the merger of Hawker Aircraft with Armstrong Siddeley. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... A defense contractor (sometimes called a military contractor) is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a defense department of a government. ...

It has been the Royal Air Force's primary maritime patrol bomber since the early 1970s, when it replaced the Avro Shackleton. The RAF uses two variants: the R1 variant in a reconnaissance and electronic intelligence gathering capacity (ELINT), and the MR2 variant in the Maritime Reconnaissance role. The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Shackleton was a Royal Air Force long-range patrol bomber developed from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage. ... ELINT stands for ELectronic INTelligence, and refers to intelligence-gathering by use of electronic sensors. ...

The Nimrod was the first jet-powered patrol aircraft. Earlier designs used piston or turboprop engines to improve fuel economy and allow for lengthy patrols. Jet engines are thirstiest at low altitudes — but the Nimrod's huge fuel capacity compensated for this. The aircraft can shut down two outboard engines at low altitude to extend endurance. It can also dash to its targets at a speed unmatched by propeller aircraft. Since the UK introduction of the Nimrod, most other new patrol designs have been jet powered, including the US Navy's S-3 Viking and future P-8. The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... An S-3B Viking launches from the catapult aboard USS Abraham Lincoln The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a United States Navy jet aircraft used to hunt and destroy enemy submarines and provide surveillance of surface shipping. ... Artists rendering of the MMA The P-8A Multimission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) is intended to search for and destroy submarines, conduct shipping interdiction, and also possibly engage in an electronic intelligence (ELINT) role. ...

Development

MR1

Nimrod MR1

Nimrod development began in 1964 as a project to replace the elderly Avro Shackleton. Like many other successful maritime patrol aircraft, it was based on a civil airliner which had reached the end of its market life — in this case, the Comet 4. The first two RAF aircraft were unfinished Comet 4 airliners. The Comet's turbojet engines were replaced with Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans (for better fuel efficiency, particularly at the low altitudes required for maritime patrol). Major fuselage changes were made, including an internal weapons bay, an extended nose for radar, a new tail with electronic warfare (ESM) sensors mounted in a bulky fairing, and a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) boom. After a first flight in May 1967 the RAF ordered 46 Nimrod MR1s. The first example entered service in October 1969. Five squadrons were eventually equipped with the MR1. Image File history File links BAE Nimrod von hinten, von http://sxc. ... Image File history File links BAE Nimrod von hinten, von http://sxc. ... The Shackleton was a Royal Air Force long-range patrol bomber developed from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage. ... Turbojets are the simplest and oldest kind of general purpose jet engine. ... The Spey is a low-bypass turbofan engine from Rolls-Royce that has been in widespread service for over 30 years. ... Schematic diagram of high-bypass turbofan engine CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ... Fuel efficiency sometimes means the same as thermal efficiency, that is, the efficiency of converting energy contained in a carrier fuel to kinetic energy or work. ... Electronic warfare (EW) has three main components: Electronic Attack (EA) This is the active use of the electromagnetic spectrum to deny its use by an adversary. ... A RNZAF P-3K Orion; the magnetic anomaly dectector protrudes from the tail to minimise interference from the aircrafts avionics. ...

R1

Hawker Siddeley (now BAE Systems) Nimrod R1

Three Nimrod aircraft were adapted to the SIGINT role, replacing the Comet C2s and Canberras of No. 51 Squadron in May 1974. The R1 is distinguished from the MR2 by the lack of a MAD boom. Only since the end of the Cold War has the role of the aircraft been officially acknowledged. Officially these were once described as "radar calibration aircraft". The R1s have not suffered the same rate of fatigue and corrosion of the MR2s and will continue in service long after the MR2 is replaced by the MRA4. New Bombardier Sentinel R1 (ASTOR) aircraft due for delivery from mid 2004 may take on some duties performed by the R1. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1840x1164, 166 KB) Summary from http://pao. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1840x1164, 166 KB) Summary from http://pao. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... SIGINT stands for SIGnals INTelligence, which is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether by radio interception or other means. ... A RNZAF P-3K Orion; the magnetic anomaly dectector protrudes from the tail to minimise interference from the aircrafts avionics. ... Raytheon Production aircraft first flight The Raytheon Sentinel is under development as the RAFs ASTOR (Airborne STand-Off Radar) aircraft. ...

The Nimrod R1 is based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, England and flown by 51 Sqn. Waddington-based Hawker-Siddeley (now BAE Systems) Nimrod R.1 RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire England. ... Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... No. ...

MR2

Starting in 1975, 32 aircraft were upgraded to MR2 standard, including modernisation of the electronic suite and (as the MR2P) provision for inflight refueling and additional ESM pods on the wingtips. The inflight refueling capability was introduced during the Falklands War, as well as hardpoints to allow the Nimrod to carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile (giving rise to the aircraft being called "the largest fighter in the world"). Eventually all MR2s gained refueling probes and the "P" designation was dropped. Aerial refueling, also called in-flight refueling (IFR) or air-to-air refueling (AAR), is the practice of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight. ... Combatants United Kingdom Argentina Commanders Sir John Fieldhouse Sir John Woodward Margaret Thatcher Leopoldo Galtieri Mario Menéndez Ernesto Crespo Casualties 258 killed[1] 777 wounded 59 taken prisoner 649 killed 1,068 wounded 11,313 taken prisoner The Falklands War (Spanish: ) was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the... The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. ...

The Nimrod MR2 carries out three main roles. Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Unit Warfare (ASUW) and Search and Rescue (SAR). Its extended range enables the crew to monitor maritime areas far to the north of Iceland and up to 4,000 km out into the Western Atlantic. With Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR), range and endurance is greatly extended. The MR2 is a submarine killer carrying up to date sensors and data processing equipment linked to the weapon systems. In addition to weapons and sonobuoys, a searchlight can be mounted in the starboard wing pod for Search and rescue (SAR) operations. Sonarbuoy loaded on aircraft A sonobuoy (a portmanteau of sonar and buoy) is a relatively small (typically 4 7/8 inches, or ~124 mm, in diameter and 36 inches, or ~914 mm, long) expendable sonar system that is dropped/ejected from aircraft or ships conducting anti-submarine warfare or underwater... Search and Rescue (acronym SAR) is an operation mounted by emergency services, often well-trained volunteers, to find someone believed to be in distress, lost, sick or injured either in a remote or difficult to access area, such as mountains, desert or forest (Wilderness search and rescue), or at sea...

The crew is comprised of two pilots and one flight engineer, two navigators (one tactical navigator and a routine navigator), one Air Electronics Officer (AEO), the sonobuoy sensor team of two Weapon System Operators (WSOp ACO) and four Weapon System Operators (WSOp EW) to manage passive and active electronic warfare systems. Two of the WSOps will be used as observers positioned at the port and starboard beam lookout windows when flying in dense air traffic. The MR2 has the longest bomb bay of any NATO aircraft. A bomb bay is an openable hatch in the floor of a bomber aircraft, that the bombs are dropped through. ...

On the 17 November, 1980, a Nimrod MR2 crashed near RAF Kinloss after three engines failed following multiple birdstrikes, killing both pilots. The remaining crew survived.^[1] 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1980: Events January January 8 - a Mooney 231 lands in San Francisco, after flying coast to coast non-stop, setting a record by completing the flight in 8 hours and 4 minutes. ... RAF Kinloss is an Royal Air Force station on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. ...

On the 2 September 1995, a Nimrod MR2 crashed into Lake Ontario while participating in the Canadian International Air Show, killing the 7 crew members.^[2][3] September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lake Ontario, bounded on the north by Ontario and on the south by Ontarios Niagara Peninsula and by New York State, is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. ... The Canadian International Airshow is an annual air show taking place in Toronto at the end of the Canadian National Exhibition since 1949. ...

On the 2 September, 2006, a Nimrod MR2 crashed near Kandahar, Afghanistan, killing 12 airmen, one marine and one soldier — the largest single day loss of UK personnel since the Falklands War.^[4]. On 23 February 2007, the Ministry of Defence took the decision to ground all MR2 aircraft while investigations were carried out on fuel pumps. The MoD were quick to stress that this was not necessarily related to the crash in Afghanistan.^[5] September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 2006: // January 19 - Jet Airways announces its purchase of Air Sahara, creating the largest domestic airliner in India. ... The Royal Air Force Nimrod crash in Afghanistan occurred on September 2, 2006 , killing 14 military personnel in Britains worst single loss since the Falklands war. ... This article is about the city in Afghanistan. ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ...

The Nimrod MR2 is based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland and flown by 201, 120 and 42(R) Squadrons. First maintenance of the MR2 is carried out by the Nimrod Line Sqn. Software Support for the MR2 is carried out by the Nimrod Software Team also based at RAF Kinloss. RAF Kinloss is an Royal Air Force station on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. ... Motto: (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity(English) Wha daur meddle wi me? (Scots)[1] Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots[2] Government  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I... No. ... No. ... No. ... Nimrod Line Sqn Groundcrew Nimrod Line Squardon (NLS) are responsible for the day to day servicing and first line maintenance of the Nimrod MR2 based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland. ...

AEW3

Nimrod AEW3

In the mid-1970s the Nimrod's duties were expanded to include AEW — again as a replacement for the Lancaster-derived, piston-engined Shackleton which was still in service in that role. The aircraft were modified by BAe at the former Avro plant at Woodford, Greater Manchester to house the GEC Marconi radars in a bulbous nose and tail (see picture). From the start of the first flight trials in 1982 the Nimrod AEW3 project was plagued by cost over-runs and electronic difficulties. Eventually, the MoD realised that the cost of developing the radar system to achieve the required level of performance was prohibitive and the probability of success very uncertain, and in December 1986 the project was cancelled. The RAF eventually received seven Boeing Sentries (AWACS) instead, with proven radar performance, and electronic enhancements to the original USAF systems to address UK-specific requirements. Of the 11 RAF Nimrods that were selected for conversion to AEW3 standard, none returned to the maritime reconnaissance role: all were eventually reduced for spares to support the maritime Nimrod fleet. Nimrod AEW3 From www. ... Nimrod AEW3 From www. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... An Airborne Early Warning (AEW) system is a radar system carried by an aircraft which is designed to detect other aircraft. ... The Avro Lancaster was a British four-engine Second World War bomber aircraft made initially by Avro for the British Royal Air Force (RAF). ... The Shackleton was a Royal Air Force long-range patrol bomber developed from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage. ... British Aerospace (BAe) was a UK aircraft manufacturer, now part of BAE Systems. ... Woodford is situated in the south of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. ... The General Electric Company plc (GEC) is a British company that was renamed Marconi plc on November 30, 1999 after its defence unit Marconi Electronic Systems was divested and sold to British Aerospace. ... The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661 ) is an aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. ... The E-3 Sentry is a military airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft that provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, to the United States, NATO and other air defense forces. ... US Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft is prepared for flight in November 1997 Cockpit of RAF E-3 Sentry undergoing upgrades Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) is a radar-based electronic system designed to carry out airborne surveillance, and C3 (command, control and communications) functions for both...

MRA4

Nimrod MRA4

In 1992 the RAF started a Replacement Maritime Patrol Aircraft (RMPA) procurement programme to replace the Nimrod MR2 aircraft. To meet the requirement BAe proposed rebuilding each Nimrod MR2 with new engines and electronics which it called Nimrod 2000. The RAF considered bids from Lockheed with its P-3 Orion, Loral Corp. with rebuilt ex-US Navy Orions, and Dassault with the Atlantique 3, but in December 1996 awarded the contract to BAe for the Nimrod 2000 as the Nimrod MRA4. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 472 pixel Image in higher resolution (1751 × 1032 pixel, file size: 241 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) BAe Nimrod MRA4 Serial Number ZJ517 flying past at the Farnborough Air Show, England on July 18 2006. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 472 pixel Image in higher resolution (1751 × 1032 pixel, file size: 241 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) BAe Nimrod MRA4 Serial Number ZJ517 flying past at the Farnborough Air Show, England on July 18 2006. ... The Lockheed SR-71, remarkably advanced for its time and unsurpassed in many areas of performance The Lockheed U-2 first flew in 1955 providing much needed intelligence on Soviet bloc countries Lockheed Corporation was an aerospace company founded in 1912 which merged with Martin Marietta in 1995 to form... The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft of the United States military used primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. ... Loral Corporation was a small Bronx defense contractor on the verge of bankruptcy when in 1972 it was acquired by Bernard Schwartz, who over the course of the next two decades built it into a major player in the global aerospace and defense industry, acquiring sixteen other defense and aerospace... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets. ... The Breguet Atlantic (Breguet 1150 Atlantique) is a Long-distance Reconnaissance airplane, primarily designed for use over open Sea. ...

The MRA4 is essentially a new aircraft, with current-generation Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, a new larger wing, and fully refurbished fuselage. Much larger air intakes are required because the airflow of the BR710 engine is significantly higher than that of the original Spey 250. The rebuilt aircraft borrows heavily from Airbus technology; the wings are designed and manufactured by BAE Systems (a former Airbus partner) and the glass cockpit is derived from that of the Airbus A340. Rolls-Royce plc is a British aircraft engine maker; the second-largest in the world, behind General Electric Aviation. ... This article is about the airliner manufacturer. ... A Glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic instrument displays. ... The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engined widebody commercial passenger airliner manufactured by Airbus S.A.S. a subsidiary of EADS. It is similar in design to the twin-engined A330. ...

Development has taken longer than anticipated and the first of 12 MRA4s have not yet entered service. The contract was initially for the supply of 21 rebuilt Nimrods, but due to technical problems the project was halted. Early in the contract BAE discovered that none of the Nimrod airframes supplied by the RAF for refurbishing were to a common standard. This considerably complicated the refurbishment process.

The British House of Commons Defence Committee, in July 2004, reported a forecast cost of £3.5 billion compared to £2.8 billion approved at Main Gate ^[6]. They noted that the in-service date had slipped to 2009, compared to the date of 2003 approved at "Main Gate". The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The Defence Select Committee is one of the Committees of the House of Commons established 1979. ...

Following public recriminations between the Ministry of Defence and BAE the development contract was renegotiated for the revised number of 18 aircraft. Officially this is attributed to increased capability and availability MRA4 will provide, but it has been suggested that this is in effect compensation to BAE, who had to absorb the cost increases. Announcing plans for the future of the British military on 21 July 2004, the Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon detailed plans to reduce the upgrade programme to cover only 16 aircraft and suggested that an eventual fleet of twelve might suffice. On 18 July 2006 BAE received a production contract worth £1.1 billion for 12 MRA4s. This involves the completion of 3 development aircraft and conversion of 9 more. In response to the news of the production contract, Mike Turner, Chief Executive of BAE Systems, said: "The new NIMROD MRA4 is a world leader in terms of maritime patrol platforms and it will give the UK at least 30 years of adaptable capability in maritime reconnaissance and attack operations." The NIMROD MRA4 mission systems enable the crews to gather, process and display up to 20 times more technical and strategic data than in the current aircraft, the MR2. The SEARCHWATER 2000 RADAR is capable over land as well as water: it can sweep the area the size of the UK every 10 seconds. Delivery of the first production order aircraft to the RAF is planned for 2009 ^[7] The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. ... Geoff Hoon (right) at Pentagon briefing Geoffrey William Geoff Hoon (born December 6, 1953) is a British politician. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Operators

• United Kingdom
  • Royal Air Force

As of late 2006, 15 Nimrod MR2 and 3 Nimrod R1 remain in operation ^[8]. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Ensign_of_the_Royal_Air_Force. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Accidents and incidents

Five Nimrods have been lost in accidents ^[9]:

17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Suenos Stone in Forres The Royal Burgh of Forres (Gaelic: Farrais), an ancient burgh, is situated in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast. ... Kinloss is a village in Moray, Scotland. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lands End shown within UK Lands End, the most westerly point in England The wreck of the RMS Mülheim at Lands End, 2003 This article relates to the location at the western tip of Cornwall; for other uses, see Lands End (disambiguation) Lands End... May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (137th in leap years). ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lossiemouth, is a burgh in Moray, Scotland. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... This article is about the city in Afghanistan. ...

Specifications (MR2/R1)

General characteristics

• Crew: 12
• Capacity: 26 POB (Persons On Board)
• Length: 38.63 m (126 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 35.00 m (114 ft 10 in)
• Height: 9.45 m (31 ft)
• Wing area: 197.05 m² (2,121 sq ft)
• Max takeoff weight: 87,090 kg (192,000 lb)
• Powerplant: 4× Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans, 5,515 kg (12,160 lb) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 925 km/h (575 mph)
• Cruise speed: 787 km/h (490 mph)
• Range: 8,340-9,265 km (5,180-5,755 miles)
• Service ceiling: 12,800 m (42,000 ft)

Armament

• R1: none
• MR2: AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-84 Harpoon, Magnetic anomaly detector, Sting Ray torpedo, depth charges, nuclear depth bombs (until 1992)

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... The Spey is a low-bypass turbofan engine from Rolls-Royce that has been in widespread service for over 30 years. ... Schematic diagram of high-bypass turbofan engine CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The VC of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of cruising. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. ... The AGM-84 Harpoon is a U.S. all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship cruise missile system, originally developed by McDonnell Douglas, with development and manufacturing now taken over by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. ... A RNZAF P-3K Orion; the magnetic anomaly dectector protrudes from the tail to minimise interference from the aircrafts avionics. ... The Sting Ray torpedo is a British acoustic homing light-weight torpedo (LWT) manufactured by BAE Systems. ... Depth Charge used by U.S. Navy later in World War II The depth charge is the oldest anti-submarine weapon. ... A Nuclear Depth Bomb (NDB) is the nuclear equivalent of the conventional depth charge and is used in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) for attacking submerged submarines. ...

Specifications (MRA4)

General characteristics

• Crew: 10
• Length: 38.6 m (126 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 38.71 m (127 ft)
• Height: 9.45 m (31 ft)
• Wing area: 235.8 m2 (2,538 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 46,500 kg (102,515 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 105,376 kg (232,315 lb)
• Powerplant: 4× Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofans, 68.97 kN (15,500 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 0.77
• Range: 11,119 km (6,910 miles)
• Service ceiling: 12,800 m (42,000 ft)

Armament

• AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-84 Harpoon, Sting Ray torpedo, depth charges,4 x STORM SHADOW.

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... The BR700 family of engines was developed by BMW and Rolls-Royce plc through the joint venture company BMW Rolls-Royce to power regional and corporate jets. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... An F/A-18 Hornet breaking the sound barrier. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. ... The AGM-84 Harpoon is a U.S. all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship cruise missile system, originally developed by McDonnell Douglas, with development and manufacturing now taken over by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. ... The Sting Ray torpedo is a British acoustic homing light-weight torpedo (LWT) manufactured by BAE Systems. ... Depth Charge used by U.S. Navy later in World War II The depth charge is the oldest anti-submarine weapon. ...

Units using the Nimrod

Royal Air Force

• No. 42(R) Squadron - Nimrod OCU (MR2)
• No. 51 Squadron - R1
• No. 120 Squadron - MR2
• No. 201 Squadron - MR2

No. ... No. ... No. ... No. ...

Former RAF units

• No. 203 Squadron RAF - MR1
• No. 206 Squadron RAF - MR1/2
• No. 236 Operational Conversion Unit - MR1/2
• Maritime Operational Conversion Unit - MR1

No. ...

References

1. ^ Accident description. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
2. ^ "Timeline: Air show crashes", BBC News, June 3, 2001. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
3. ^ Accident description. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
4. ^ "Inquiry into Afghan crash begins", BBC News, September 3, 2006.
5. ^ "Report on the grounding of MR2 aircraft", BBC News, February 23, 2007.
6. ^ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmdfence/572/57206.htm
7. ^ http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspxtype=companyNews&storyid=163862+18-Jul-2006+RTRS&WTmodLoc=InvArt-L2-CompanyNews-3
8. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/04/ncrash04.xml
9. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?field=typecode&var=282%&cat=%1&sorteer=datekey&page=1

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... The current BBC News logo BBC News and Current Affairs is a major arm of the BBC responsible for the corporations newsgathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... The current BBC News logo BBC News and Current Affairs is a major arm of the BBC responsible for the corporations newsgathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The current BBC News logo BBC News and Current Affairs is a major arm of the BBC responsible for the corporations newsgathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ...

Related content

Related development

de Havilland Comet This article is about the de Havilland Comet jet airliner. ...

Comparable aircraft

P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft of the United States military used primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. ...

Designation sequence

HS.681 - HS.748 - HS.780 Andover - HS.801 Nimrod The Avro 748 was a small short-range turboprop airliner designed by Avro in the late 1950s as a replacement for the now-aged DC-3s then in widespread service as feederliners. ... The Hawker Siddeley Andover is a twin engined turboprop transport aircraft produced by Hawker-Siddeley and developed from the Avro 748 airliner. ...

Related lists

• List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

This is a list of currently-active military aircraft in use by the United Kingdom. ...

• Portal:British aircraft since World War II