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British Aerospace Nimrod Maritime Patrol/ Anti-Submarine Plane |
DESCRIPTION:
The Nimrod is a highly capable maritime reconnaissance platform that served with distinction in the Falkland Islands War with Argentina. The airframe is based on that of the de Havilland Comet airliner but with new engines and an enlarged lower fuselage containing a weapons bay. The most recent model is the MRA.4 equipped with much more capable radar, faster computers, and other avionics. Unfortunately, the program has been hampered by serious safety concerns due to the age of the basic airframe and a high profile crash during operations in Afghanistan.
Data below for Nimrod MR.2P |
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HISTORY: | |
First Flight |
(HS 801) 23 May 1967 (Nimrod MR.1) 28 June 1968 |
Service Entry
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1969
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CREW: |
eleven: pilot, co-pilot, nine systems operators
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ESTIMATED COST:
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unknown
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AIRFOIL SECTIONS: | |
Wing Root | unknown |
Wing Tip
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unknown
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DIMENSIONS: | |
Length | 126.75 ft (38.63 m) |
Wingspan | 114.83 ft (35.00 m) |
Height | 29.71 ft (9.08 m) |
Wing Area | 2,116 ft² (197.0 m²) |
Canard Area
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not applicable
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WEIGHTS: | |
Empty | 86,000 lb (39,010 kg) |
Normal Takeoff | unknown |
Max Takeoff | 191,800 lb (87,000 kg) |
Fuel Capacity |
internal: unknown external: unknown |
Max Payload
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13,500 lb (6,124 kg)
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PROPULSION: | |
Powerplant | four Rolls-Royce RB.169-20 Spey Mk 250 turbofans |
Thrust |
48,560 lb (216 kN)
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PERFORMANCE: | |
Max Level Speed |
at altitude: 575 mph (925 km/h) at sea level: unknown patrol speed: 230 mph (370 km/h) |
Initial Climb Rate | unknown |
Service Ceiling | 42,000 ft (12,800 m) |
Range |
typical: 4,855 nm (9,000 km) ferry: 5,020 nm (9,300 km) |
g-Limits |
unknown
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ARMAMENT: | |
Gun | none |
Stations | 1 internal weapons bay and 2 external hardpoints |
Air-to-Air Missile | AIM-9 Sidewinder |
Air-to-Surface Missile | AGM-84 Harpoon |
Bomb | various free-fall |
Other |
depth charges, mines, up to 9 Stingray torpedoes, ECM pods, recon cameras
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KNOWN VARIANTS: | |
HS 801 | Prototype built by Hawker Siddley before its acquisition by British Aerospace, modified from Comet 4C airframes with a shorter fuselage, enlarged underfuselage, stronger landing gear, and other structural improvements; 2 built |
MR.1 | First production model built for electronic intelligence only; 46 built |
R.1 | Similar to the Nimrod MR.1 but with different underwing pods for special electronic reconnaissance missions; 3 built |
MR.2 | Maritime patrol plane with a new search radar, inertial navigation system, upgraded data processors, new navigation and acoustics analysis computers, and new comunications equipment; 35 MR.1 models upgraded to the MR.2 standard |
MR.2P | Upgraded MR.2 airframes with an IFR probe |
AEW.3
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Proposal to rebuild MR.1 airframes equipped with an advanced radar antennae at the nose and tail for use as early airborne warning aircraft, suffered prolonged development problems and was eventually cancelled in favor of the Boeing E-3 Sentry; 11 were to have been rebuilt |
MRA.4 or Nimrod 2000 |
Upgraded MR.2 airframes with new electronics and engines; 21 to be rebuilt
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KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:
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Falklands War (UK, 1982) Iraq - Operation Desert Storm (UK, 1991) Bosnia - Operation Deliberate Force (UK, 1995) Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom (UK, 2001-?) Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom (UK, 2003-?) Libya - Operation Unified Protector / Ellamy (UK, 2011) |
KNOWN OPERATORS:
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United Kingdom (Royal Air Force)
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3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:
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SOURCES:
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