Posted on 03/22/2010 9:00:41 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The UK has agreed to buy three Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic intelligence aircraft and related ground equipment from the USA, defence secretary Bob Ainsworth has announced.
Confirming the development on 22 March, Ainsworth said the aircraft will deliver a "vital capability for the Royal Air Force to replace the [British Aerospace] Nimrod R1 that will be retired from service in March 2011".
The UK Ministry of Defence will introduce the Rivet Joints under Project Helix, a long-running effort to upgrade or replace its Nimrod R1 fleet, which was reduced to two airframes in 2009.
Operated by 51 Sqn at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, these will be the RAF's only active Nimrods from 31 March, when its last maritime patrol- and surveillance-configured MR2s will be retired. The Nimrod MRA4 will replace the latter type, and is scheduled to achieve delayed initial operational capability in October 2012
Thats a really old pic. That aircraft has been through several upgrades including the engines.
Now all they need is a JSTARS. A huge electron blaster.
Knowing where the enemy is and what they are doing is half the fight. In Iraq 2003 (An untold story), Saddam's forces at one point thought they had an advantage because the leading elements of 3ID were reported being low on supplies, somewhat over reaching, and using the concealment of a sand storm (or so they thought) they mounted a counteroffensive on 3IDs leading elements. JSTARS picked them up through the sand and reported it. The burnt out hulks and wrecks on the Eastern side of Baghdad where thousands bit the dust (pun intended) were a reminder of what unfolded there. B52s carrying CBUs and other aircraft and ordinance plastered these troop formations moving South along the Eastern side of Baghdad. It was a mess, and it also paid dividends later since Saddam's military depleted a large part of their force defending Baghdad which could have put up a much more fierce fight in the city itself where they were bunkered in, prepositioned, and where the advantages of our stand off, imaging/sensors, artillery, CAS etc give minimal advantage and are more restricted.
When a 707 airframe is your shiny new aircraft, it tells you just how old the stuff you were using was.
AMS, I’m down and around.
Well,
Then post a link to a newer pic for us!
I have a freind that was a mechanic on Cobra Balls when they were around.
Airframes like this are just pack mules.
The cool stuff is what’s under the skin and that is I bet a little more “up to date.”
...and it replaces the Nimrod -
http://www.raf.mod.uk/downloads/wallpapers/nimrod/nimrod_03_1280.jpg
...based on a DH Comet airframe, originally from the same era as the 707...:^)
Cobra Ball is still in use. I’ll see if I can find a better pic.
I thought they retired those! Well, a friend of mine use to work on them.......... he was USAF I was USA..... he was the smarter one. lol
LOL
Just me and my RC.....1N2 and 3 and 4
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