http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5308622.stm

Anyone got asny more info as to what its was yet and whether there are casualties?

MoD are saying it was a Nimrod. Probably an MR.2 rather than a R.1 as the R.1 has the larger crew out of the two.

As it had turned out Sunny today I decided to jump on the Motorbike and pop down to Eastbourne Aero 2006. When I got there quite late in the day I had missed most of the flight display so I went for a walk around the static.

I ended up sweating in my leathers having a chat to a Flight Sergent and Sergent with the Nimrod force where I learned some very interesting things. Apparently the Nimrod force want to integrate Paveway 4 onto the MR2 now but it looks like it will be put off until the MRA4 hits service. I then said I would like to the see the Stormshadow integrated onto the Nimrod, I was expecting a negative but the NCO’s nodded to each other and told me that is what they are working on at the moment. Apparently its a high priority and a dead cert for the MRA4 and possibly for the MR2 in the interim. Other interesting snippits I found out was that the Searchwater 2000 for the MRA4 is having a ground mode added to it and that they regard the Lockheed Martin pod being fitted on the MRA4 as such a piece of junk (the Wescam which was fitted for Afghanistan as a priority fit is more modern then the one specked for the MRA4) that when it hits squadron service they are going to swap it out for the Wescam MX-15 off the MR2 and if the money is spare they are looking at going for the MX-20 which has a laser designator.

After this the conversation drifted onto the Nimrod R1 intelligence platform and the next thing they told me bowled me over. Apparently the RAF is seriously considering purchasing some surplus Boeing 707 airframes and then refurbishing them to a similar standard to the E3D airframes (i.e. same engines and avionics) so they can use the same service contract as the E3D fleet and then use them for the Nimrod R1’s role. Apparently they would like the extra space and see the use of the same airframe as the E3D as a cheap option. Of course there is a precident with the Americans doing the same for the JSTARS project so it seems credible to me.

All in all it was a fascinating insight and some info worth chewing over, I couldn’t wait to get home and post it on the website. It never fails to amaze me what things personel will tell you if you know your subject, I think being knowledgable about the Nimrod certainly got my foot through the door.

P.S. I have added a video of my ride to Eastbourne 😀

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvfnBlcfx2w

Sorry mate. You were taken to the cleaners with the info on 707 airframes replacing the R.1s. The Nimrod R.1s will remain in service for a very long time to come.

Why are so many people here talking about firing warning shots across the noses of airliners??? If thats all the EF2000 is gonna be used for then the RAF should have scraped it and gone with an advanced Hawk, the Typhoon is not meant for air policing against terrorists.
I agree the RAF Typhoons should have a gun as a last resort but when we live in a world where most pilots never get to see each other it would be unlikely for it to be used in combat.
Ok the F-4 never had a gun to start with and this cost the Yanks a few pilots, but times have changed and I doubt we will ever see an RAF or American pilot use his guns in air combat or even to straf enemies on the ground.
As far as intercepting terror planes, well we will have GR.4s and Gr.9s hanging around for a long time. So they are ground attack fighters, but when you’re intercepting a Cessna or a Boeing 747 does it matter that your not piloting an interceptor???

“…. or even to straf enemies on the ground.”

All manner of fighter and fighter-bomber types have been strafing in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Have you not seen the TV news footage of Eagles, Hornets and Tomcats strafing the Taleban during 2001? Even during 2006 Coalition fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq have strafed. F-16s have been the most recent fighters noted employing their cannon in Iraq.

I think the Algerian sale has been reported already, so it’d seem to be accurate. Although, I thought it was the Su-30MKK from KnAAPO that was demonstrated over there…

502 imaged in Malta during 2002 on its way to Algeria.

http://p.airliners.net/photos/photos/8/8/4/0291488.jpg

I have been aboard a CV (CV-61 USS Ranger) within striking range of Iran (northern Gulf of Arabia, fall of 1987)… and I can tell you, we were ready for a possible Iranian air strike, even though all we were doing was providing air cover for the tanker convoys (and blowing up the occasional Iranian “oil platform” that was being used to launch Silkworm missiles at random passing tankers)!

The chances of a CVNBG being in the Persian Gulf is laughable… the only reason the CV-62 Independance was in the Gulf of Oman (between the P. Gulf & the A. Gulf) in GW1 was to try to lure Saddam into attacking it, not for any legit operational reason! She was even in the P. G. in 1992, but that was after the end of GW1!

Notice that no other CV/CVN was there in either GW1 or GW2. Why the h@ll would any US CV/CVN be there anyway? The Arabian Gulf is just fine for launching attacks against nearly all Iranian targets.

Times have moved on! U.S. carriers have been operating in the Persian Gulf since 1990. Indy went in during August of 1990 and they even today continue to be operated inside the Persian Gulf. The no-fly zones were patrolled for years with aircraft flying from carriers operating right up inside the Persian Gulf.

This is the Y-8 at Chaklala, Pakistan.

The Hunters etc were destroyed by an AC-130.