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The Hawker-Siddeley Nimrod
(now British Aerospace) was the first jet-powered patrol aircraft to be
designed; earlier designs generally used piston
or turboprop engines to improve fuel economy and
allow for long duration patrols. Jet engines are
generally very "thirsty" at low altitudes, but
the Nimrod's huge fuel capacity made up for
this. It can also shut down two outboard engines
at low altitude to extend endurance. When
needed, the Nimrod could "dash" to its targets
at a speed that no propeller aircraft could
match.
Hawker-Siddeley
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), and major changes made to the
fuselage, including an internal weapons bay, an
extended nose for radar, a new tail with ESM
sensors mounted in a bulky fairing, and a MAD
boom. After a first flight in May 1967 the RAF
ordered 46 Nimrod MR1s, and the first
example entered service in October 1969. Five
squadrons were eventually equipped with the
MR.1. Nimrod
MR.2 In the early
1980s, the aircraft was upgraded to MR.2
standard; while the flight deck and general
systems remained the same (apart from the later
addition of an air-to-air refuelling probe as a
result of lessons learned during the Falklands
War in 1982, the main underwater and search
systems were given a significant upgrade. All
Nimrod MR2s are operated from RAF Kinloss,
equipping Nos 120 and 201 Squadrons along with
the Operational Conversion Unit, No 42 (Reserve)
Squadron. The Nimrod carries
out 3 main roles; anti-submarine warfare,
anti-surface unit warfare and search and rescue.
It has an unrefuelled endurance of around 10
hours and, although capable of carrying 25
people.
Nimrod R.1
The original maritime equipment was removed from
the airframe, and replaced with a highly
sophisticated and sensitive suite of systems
used for reconnaissance and the gathering of
electronic intelligence. The ability of the
Nimrod to loiter for long periods, following a
high speed dash to the required area of
operation, make the aircraft ideally suited to
this task. The three Nimrod R.1's operated from
RAF Waddington, 51 squadron. |
