Rossendale Aviation Society – Meeting Report

"Nimrod Mark 4 Update" by Drew Steel

Drew Steel told us about the Nimrod Mark 4 project several years ago, when it was not far advanced, and was in all kinds of trouble. Since then the project has made major progress, the biggest technical problems being solved, and the contract has been re-negotiated. Drew said that the contractual problems were due to "major disparities in the understanding of the project" between MoD and BAE. The contract, as renegotiated, has limited scope; covering the design, build and testing of the first 3 aircraft; and design and rig work for aircraft Nos. 4 to 12. When aircraft 1 to 3 have satisfactorily demonstrated that the aircraft and weapon system performs as required, the contract will be extended to cover the full conversion of aircraft 4 to 12. Note that the final number of MRA.4s is now planned to be 12, rather than the 21 and then 18 proposed earlier. This contract for the "full production run" is expected to be placed about the end of 2005.

The Nimrod MRA.4 is almost all new; only the basic fuselage tube is retained. This structure has been found to be in good condition. The rest of the airframe is new, both in design and build. The biggest change is in the wing, which is all new, and of 10ft bigger span, The engine installation in the wing roots is new with a new and much more economical engine fitted (the RR-BMVV BR710). The crew of the old MR2 was 12, but the new MRA4 needs only 10, in spite of having a far more sophisticated weapon system. The MR2 had a typical airliner cockpit of the 1950s, all round dials and switches. The MRA4 cockpit is 1990s airliner standard, all "glass" computer displays and highly automated, some of it from the Airbus A340. Most of the basic aircraft flying systems are derived from modem airliners, and are thus well proven. The MRA4 weapon system is all new and very advanced, with 40 invividual weapons and avionics systems, all computer controlled, and all integrated to work together. These systems are 25 times more capable than the systems in the MR2. Very extensive rig and simulator trials have been done at Warton, with fully satisfactory results. The main operational function of the aircraft is to "gather, process, display and exploit data". Primary mission is anti-submarine warfare, but the aircraft will also have many other roles. Stores carried for these missions include guided torpedoes, sea mines, Storm Shadow stand-off bombs, Alarm and Maverick air-to-ground missiles, Sidewinder self-defence air-to-air missiles, and laser guided bombs. The first aircraft, PA1/ZJ516, first flew on 16 August 2004. This is being used to test the basic aircraft which is found to fly very well. Aerodynamic handling and fuel usage are both better than expected, and mission endurance will be about 2 hours longer than the figure specified in the contract. The second aircraft, PA2/ZJ518, has been flying for several months. This aircraft is doing both basis aircraft testing and weapon system tests, and is making good progress. The third of the development aircraft, PA3/ZJ517 is due to fly in August this year. This will be the main weapon system test aircraft. Provided all this testing work continues successfully, the "production" contract will be placed about the end of this year. The first aircraft to enter service training will be delivered in about 2 years, and 120 Squadron will be the first active squadron.

Many thanks to Drew for his highly professional presentation; he manages to make a highly technical subject reasonably understandable for a mostly non-technical audience.

Report by Bob Fairclough