RIP Nimrod

[Jigsaw]

Unfortunate, but, necessary

Yeah, I should stop reading these articles. They still p1ss me off immensley.

[MOD]

Here's another for you Kev... Quoted in Jane's on the 16th July 2010

"UK Royal Air Force (RAF) chiefs have offered to cancel the GBP3.65 billion (USD5.57 billion) BAE Systems Nimrod MRA.4 programme just weeks before the first production aircraft are due to be delivered to the service.

The offer, made in the RAF submission to Phase 2 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) earlier this month, also includes the early retirement within five years of all of the service's Panavia Tornado GR.4 strike aircraft and the closure of three main operating air bases.

It is hoped these cuts would allow the RAF to reduce its payroll by 5,000 personnel and cancel long-term support contracts with BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce worth in excess of GBP3 billion, according to UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials involved in the SDSR process. Hundreds of millions of pounds would also be saved by reduced aircrew and groundcrew training requirements for the slimmed-down RAF.

The Nimrod cut would not save significant amounts of money from the GBP3.65 billion procurement costs of the aircraft because almost all of this amount has been spent, except for around GBP200 million to cover the final delivery of the nine aircraft during the next two years."


The phrase Hari Kari springs to mind...

[Gaz]

If the previous government had fixed the roof while the sun was shining, these cuts would, probably, not been necessary now.

[Jigsaw]

If the previous government had fixed the roof while the sun was shining, these cuts would, probably, not been necessary now.

That is very true Gaz. It still does not make it right though.

[Gaz]

If the previous government had fixed the roof while the sun was shining, these cuts would, probably, not been necessary now.

That is very true Gaz. It still does not make it right though.

Oh, I agree completely

[XR219]

Today's the day when they start cutting the Nimrods up.

Each will be covered in a tarpaulin and dragged to a remote part of the airfield to be chopped into large pieces before departing by road to be scrapped properly at a location in Gloucestershire.

Looks as if they're doing their best to make sure the process isn't recorded on camera ...

[Aceyone]

Today's the day when they start cutting the Nimrods up.

Each will be covered in a tarpaulin and dragged to a remote part of the airfield to be chopped into large pieces before departing by road to be scrapped properly at a location in Gloucestershire.

Looks as if they're doing their best to make sure the process isn't recorded on camera ...

Obviously ashamed by THEIR own decision then

[XR219]

If you don't want to know the score, look away now ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12291372
I gather the ones behind the screen are PA-9, PA-11, PA-12 and PA-13.

A sad, sad sight.

[Jigsaw]

"Barbaric Vandalism" indeed

[Gaz]

Just a thought: Couldn't they have whacked some seats in them and, either, used them as transport to replace the doomed VC10's, or, sold them off as small airliners to a budget airline.

Just thinking aloud here

[Sploosher]

If you don't want to know the score, look away now ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12291372
I gather the ones behind the screen are PA-9, PA-11, PA-12 and PA-13.

A sad, sad sight.

[Jigsaw]

Just a thought: Couldn't they have whacked some seats in them and, either, used them as transport to replace the doomed VC10's, or, sold them off as small airliners to a budget airline.

Just thinking aloud here

Ever thought of a career in politics mate? See your point and thought similar myself

[Gaz]

Just a thought: Couldn't they have whacked some seats in them and, either, used them as transport to replace the doomed VC10's, or, sold them off as small airliners to a budget airline.

Just thinking aloud here

Ever thought of a career in politics mate? See your point and thought similar myself

Just think they could have MADE some money that way

[Jigsaw]

Precisely ARRRGHHHHHHhhhhhh

Does not matter to them, it's our money, not theirs. Would you let these people manage your business?

[Lucas1860]

What a complete farce, just a p~*s poor political move.



Jim

[Dickon]

Scrapping RAF Nimrods 'perverse' say military chiefs

Leading military figures have warned that scrapping the £4bn fleet of new RAF Nimrods will create a "massive gap" in British security.

In an open letter to the Daily Telegraph, six ex-defence chiefs said interim measures to fill the gap left by the spy planes "fall far short".

The Telegraph letter is signed by Marshal of the RAF Lord Craig, the former chief of the defence staff and chief of air staff; Major General Julian Thompson, the commander of land forces in the Falklands conflict; Air Vice-Marshal Tony Mason, the former air secretary for the RAF; Major General Patrick Cordingley, the commander of the Desert Rats in the Gulf War; and Admiral Sir John "Sandy" Woodward, commander of the naval task force in the Falklands

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12294766

[Xplumberlives]

Just a thought: Couldn't they have whacked some seats in them and, either, used them as transport to replace the doomed VC10's, or, sold them off as small airliners to a budget airline.

Just thinking aloud here

Ever thought of a career in politics mate? See your point and thought similar myself

Just think they could have MADE some money that way

That would just have been more money going out of the door!

[Sploosher]

With the process of breaking up the equipment set to begin, a number of service chiefs signed an open letter to The Daily Telegraph warning of the dangers of the move.

"Machine tools have been destroyed; several millions of pounds have been saved but a massive gap in British security has opened," the letter said.


Does this sound like TSR2 all over again...................

Makes me wonder what HMG/MOD has in the future buying stakes to replace Nimrod..............

[Mayfly]

I've heard that one of the Nimrods will have a 90 day stay of execution but don't know which.

[Gaz]

I've heard that one of the Nimrods will have a 90 day stay of execution but don't know which.

Wonder why?!?!


What's the chance of a handful of harriers being made ready, too!

[Xplumberlives]

I've heard that one of the Nimrods will have a 90 day stay of execution but don't know which.

Is that three months to monitor the LIBYAN situation?

[Dan4th]

I've heard that one of the Nimrods will have a 90 day stay of execution but don't know which.

Is that three months to monitor the LIBYAN situation?

Makes sense, doesn't it?

D.

[Sploosher]

Looks like those t0$$3r$ in whitehall have realised something would be fundamentally wrong getting rid of everything at once.................

[Hihonyr8811]

Does this mean the flypast over Waddington on the 30th is off
For the time being at least

[Mayfly]

Not sure Helen - I heard only one will stay a while longer what will happen to the other one is anyone's guess I suppose..

I have emailed the airshow office tho'!!