Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft perform a wide variety of missions from protecting the United Kingdom's coastal waters and economic zones, to search-and-rescue operations. Equipped with advanced sensors and weapons, Nimrod aircraft also are designed to counter threats from new-generation nuclear submarines and surface ships.
The United Kingdom chose The Boeing Company and British Aerospace in July 1996 to replace the country's fleet of Nimrod MR2 maritime patrol aircraft.
The contract, valued at about $3 billion, calls for the team to upgrade 21 aircraft and equip them with new mission equipment and engines under an effort called the Replacement Maritime Patrol Aircraft program. The contract value of the work performed by Boeing is expected to be in excess of $600 million.
British Aerospace Defence's Military Aircraft Division is the prime contractor and will oversee the upgrade effort. British Aerospace contributions include structural upgrades such as new wings, general and flight avionics, new Rolls Royce engines and system integration.
Boeing is the tactical command system integrator and will provide system elements derived from its successful Indonesian 737 Surveiller maritime patrol aircraft program. Carrying a suite of improved mission avionics, 737 Surveiller aircraft have provided maritime patrol and exclusive economic zone surveillance since 1993.
The Boeing-developed tactical command system (TCS) combines high-speed data processing, color high-resolution displays, and software-configurable controls to process and display data from several types of sensors. These include an advanced surveillance radar, electronic support measures, acoustic surveillance systems, electro-optics and a magnetic anomaly detector.
In addition, the TCS integrates, controls and displays data from self-defense, communication and armament control systems. It also enhances mission completion success by reducing operator workload and promoting crew coordination with reconfigurable workstations.
As part of the contract, Boeing has agreed to a 100-percent offset commitment to the United Kingdom over the next 10 years, with the majority of the work performed at the British Aerospace facility in Warton, England. About 100 people from Seattle will be assigned to the project during its peak in 1998.
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