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Nimrod 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
Last modified 06 April 2011

HISTORY:

First Flight (HS 801) 23 May 1967
(Nimrod MR.1) 28 June 1968

Service Entry

1969

CREW: eleven: pilot, co-pilot, nine systems operators

ESTIMATED COST:

unknown

AIRFOIL SECTIONS:

Wing Root unknown

Wing Tip

unknown

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

not applicable

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

13,500 lb (6,124 kg)

PROPULSION:

Powerplant four Rolls-Royce RB.169-20 Spey Mk 250 turbofans

Thrust 48,560 lb (216 kN)

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

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

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

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

KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:

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:

United Kingdom (Royal Air Force)

3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:

Nimrod

SOURCES:

Bishop, Chris, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Weapons: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Weapon Systems from 1945 to the Present Day. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1999, p. 286-287, 369.

Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 214-215.

Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 74-75.

Munro, Bob and Chant, Christopher. Jane's Combat Aircraft. Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995, p. 60-61.

Paul Nann's Military Aviation Photo Gallery

Rendall, David. Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 2nd ed. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999, p. 125.

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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 Last modified 06 April 2011
HISTORY:
First Flight	(HS 801) 23 May 1967 (Nimrod MR.1) 28 June 1968
Service Entry	1969
CREW:	eleven: pilot, co-pilot, nine systems operators
ESTIMATED COST:	unknown
AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root	unknown
Wing Tip	unknown
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	not applicable
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	13,500 lb (6,124 kg)
PROPULSION:
Powerplant	four Rolls-Royce RB.169-20 Spey Mk 250 turbofans
Thrust	48,560 lb (216 kN)
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
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
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	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
KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:	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:	United Kingdom (Royal Air Force)
3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:
SOURCES: Bishop, Chris, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Weapons: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Weapon Systems from 1945 to the Present Day. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1999, p. 286-287, 369. Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 214-215. Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 74-75. Munro, Bob and Chant, Christopher. Jane's Combat Aircraft. Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995, p. 60-61. Paul Nann's Military Aviation Photo Gallery Rendall, David. Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 2nd ed. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999, p. 125.