Looks like I was wrong about there being no more Nimrods flying , the spooks have 2 R1 aircraft still operational over Afghanistan
MoD decision to use older version of Nimrod ‘crazy’
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http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2116019#ixzz1Cij2zmq2two R1 planes still being used in spy role in skies over Afghanistan
By David Perry
Published: 01/02/2011
One of the ‘Secret Squirrel’ Nimrods at RAF Kinloss
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A Ministry of Defence decision to carry on using an older version of the scrapped Nimrod surveillance aircraft, due to be based at RAF Kinloss in Moray, in a spy-in-the-sky role over Afghanistan was labelled “crazy” last night.
SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson, MP for Moray, hit out after it was revealed two Nimrod R1 planes of 51 Squadron, based at RAF Waddington near Lincoln, are still being used in the war zone.
One of the “Secret Squirrels” broke cover last week to land at RAF Kinloss, performing “circuits and bumps” at the base and “dummy approach and overshoots” at Kirkwall in Orkney, to the amazement of onlookers who thought the Nimrods were history.
It flew out to Afghanistan at the weekend to replace its sister, which was returning home early after springing a fuel leak.
Mr Robertson said: “The UK Government are making one crazy decision after another on defence.
“The MoD need to say how it is possible that the oldest R1 aircraft are still in service when MR2s are grounded and new MR4s are being scrapped.
“We are also in the bizarre position of the R1 being replaced with an even older Joint Rivet aircraft, bought second-hand from the United States, just as our own new, state-of-the-art Nimrods are being scrapped on the factory floor.”
The MR2s, which were performing surveillance duties over Afghanistan, were grounded after one, the XV230, blew up over Kandahar in 2006, killing all 14 on board.
The assistant deputy coroner for Oxfordshire ruled the MR2 “had never been airworthy from the first time it was released into service nearly 40 years ago.”
Only three MR2s remain at RAF Kinloss. One is being broken up, one is in a hangar awaiting its fate and the third is a “gate guardian” at the far end of the airfield.
Nine MRA4s, costing £450million each and once destined for Kinloss, are being broken up at Woodford, Cheshire.
Aviation writer David Morgan, of Forres, said: “People have forgotten about the two intelligence-gathering R1s that will continue to fly until March 2012.
“MoD spin might suggest they are different from the grounded MR2, but only in function.
“Underneath the skin they are still Nimrods and the airframe at RAF Kinloss this week is just a reworked Nimrod MR2.
“This entire episode is a disgrace and the UK’s air defences have been severely weakened by the collective Nimrod decisions.”
Last night, Defence Secretary Liam Fox vigorously defended the decision to scrap the MRA4s and accused Labour critics of talking “humbug”.
He said the last Labour government opened up a gap in defences by grounding the MR2s and filled it using helicopters and other aircraft.
Mr Fox said the replacement MRA4 was “too long over time, too far over budget”.
He added: “It wasn’t able to fly and carry out the tasks that were asked of it. It should have been cancelled years ago.”