BAE Systems Nimrod under ice before design freeze

Posted on: Nov. 3rd, 2006 || Source: BAE Systems | E-mail Article | Print Article

Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. - BAE Systems' Nimrod MRA4 development aircraft PA2 is seen here undergoing environmental trials at -40C at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin US Air Force Base in Florida.

Having spent around ten days at temperatures down to -40C, the aircraft and its test team will now go to another extreme - operating in temperatures up to +44C and relative humidity of 100%. The McKinley Climate Laboratory Main Test Chamber is the largest facility of its kind in the world. The environmental trials at Eglin AFB are a major milestone on the way to proving the maturity of the Nimrod design and freezing the production aircraft design by the end of the year.

The new Nimrod MRA4 will give the UK at least 30 years of capability in Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack Operations with a high-tech mission system. It will give the UK's Royal Air Force an increased range of 6,000 miles and 14 hours loiter time without refuelling - a significant increase over the capabilities of the current Nimrod MR2.

In July this year, the Rt Hon Des Browne MP, Secretary of State for Defence, announced that the UK government had signed a production contract with BAE Systems for a 12-aircraft fleet of the next-generation Nimrod.

About BAE SYSTEMS
BAE Systems is the premier trans-Atlantic defense and aerospace company, delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. BAE Systems, with more than 100,000 employees worldwide, had 2005 sales that exceeded $28 billion.
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