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Description
BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 conducting a flyby at the 2009 RIAT (Royal International Air Tattoo). Photographer unknown.

The BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 was a planned maritime patrol and attack aircraft intended to replace the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2 . The rebuilt aircraft would have extended the operating life of the Nimrod fleet by several decades and significantly improved the aircraft by installing more efficient Rolls-Royce BR700 turbofan jet engines to almost double the flight range . The conversion of the flight deck to a digital glass cockpit would have simplified control operations and reduced crew requirements. New detection systems were to be installed, as well as additional weapons for anti-submarine warfare .
However, the project was subject to significant delays due to cost overruns and contract re-negotiations. This was partly due to difficulties combining refurbished Nimrod MR2 fuselages, which had not been built to a common standard, with newly built wings. The numbers of aircraft to be procured fell from 21 to nine over a course of years, while costs continued to climb.
The MRA4 was ultimately cancelled in 2010 as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review , at which point it was £789 million ($1,031,100,705 US Dollars) over-budget and over nine years late. There is no direct replacement under development. The roles intended for the MRA4 are filled by existing assets such as the Type 23 Frigate and the Merlin helicopter . On 23 November 2015, the UK announced its intention to order nine P-8 Poseidon ASW aircraft as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 at a cost of £3 billion ($3,920,541,000 US Dollars).

Role: Maritime patrol aircraft
Manufacturer: BAE Systems
First flight: 26 August 2004
Status: Cancelled
Number built: 3 in development plus 2 completed prototypes
Developed from: Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2

General characteristics
Crew: 10
Length: 38.6 m (126 ft 9 in)
Wingspan : 38.71 m (127 ft)
Height: 9.45 m (31 ft)
Wing area: 235.8 m2 (2,538 sq ft)
Empty weight : 51,710 kg (114,000 lb)
Max. takeoff weight : 105,376 kg (232,315 lb)
Powerplant : 4 × Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofans, 68.97 kN (15,500 lbf) each
Performance
Maximum speed : Mach 0.77, 496 kn (571 mph, 918 km/h)
Range : 11,119 km (6,910 mi)
Service ceiling : 10,972 m (36,000 ft)
Armament
Guns: None
Hardpoints : 4× under-wing pylon stations and an internal bomb bay with a capacity of 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) and provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets: None
Missiles:
Air-to-air missile :
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder
Air-to-surface missile :
AGM-65 Maverick
AGM-84 Harpoon
Storm Shadow
Bombs:
Depth charges
Other:
Air-dropped Mk.46 torpedoes
Sting Ray torpedoes
Naval mines
Sonobuoys
Avionics
Thales Searchwater 2000 multi-mode search radar
CDC/Ultra UYS503/AQS970 acoustic processor
Northrop Grumman Nighthunter Electro-Optical Search and Detection System
Elta EL/L-8300UK ESM system

Description
BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 conducting a flyby at the 2009 RIAT (Royal International Air Tattoo). Photographer unknown.

The BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 was a planned maritime patrol and attack aircraft intended to replace the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2 . The rebuilt aircraft would have extended the operating life of the Nimrod fleet by several decades and significantly improved the aircraft by installing more efficient Rolls-Royce BR700 turbofan jet engines to almost double the flight range . The conversion of the flight deck to a digital glass cockpit would have simplified control operations and reduced crew requirements. New detection systems were to be installed, as well as additional weapons for anti-submarine warfare .
However, the project was subject to significant delays due to cost overruns and contract re-negotiations. This was partly due to difficulties combining refurbished Nimrod MR2 fuselages, which had not been built to a common standard, with newly built wings. The numbers of aircraft to be procured fell from 21 to nine over a course of years, while costs continued to climb.
The MRA4 was ultimately cancelled in 2010 as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review , at which point it was £789 million ($1,031,100,705 US Dollars) over-budget and over nine years late. There is no direct replacement under development. The roles intended for the MRA4 are filled by existing assets such as the Type 23 Frigate and the Merlin helicopter . On 23 November 2015, the UK announced its intention to order nine P-8 Poseidon ASW aircraft as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 at a cost of £3 billion ($3,920,541,000 US Dollars).

Role: Maritime patrol aircraft
Manufacturer: BAE Systems
First flight: 26 August 2004
Status: Cancelled
Number built: 3 in development plus 2 completed prototypes
Developed from: Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2

General characteristics
Crew: 10
Length: 38.6 m (126 ft 9 in)
Wingspan : 38.71 m (127 ft)
Height: 9.45 m (31 ft)
Wing area: 235.8 m2 (2,538 sq ft)
Empty weight : 51,710 kg (114,000 lb)
Max. takeoff weight : 105,376 kg (232,315 lb)
Powerplant : 4 × Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofans, 68.97 kN (15,500 lbf) each
Performance
Maximum speed : Mach 0.77, 496 kn (571 mph, 918 km/h)
Range : 11,119 km (6,910 mi)
Service ceiling : 10,972 m (36,000 ft)
Armament
Guns: None
Hardpoints : 4× under-wing pylon stations and an internal bomb bay with a capacity of 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) and provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets: None
Missiles:
Air-to-air missile :
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder
Air-to-surface missile :
AGM-65 Maverick
AGM-84 Harpoon
Storm Shadow
Bombs:
Depth charges
Other:
Air-dropped Mk.46 torpedoes
Sting Ray torpedoes
Naval mines
Sonobuoys
Avionics
Thales Searchwater 2000 multi-mode search radar
CDC/Ultra UYS503/AQS970 acoustic processor
Northrop Grumman Nighthunter Electro-Optical Search and Detection System
Elta EL/L-8300UK ESM system