Originally Posted by
RAFEngO74to09
Nimrod MR1 was also equipped to carry Sidewinder for Op CORPORATE. I was OC Armament at the base that did the necessary mods on Phantom LAU-7A launchers in double quick time over the Easter Bank Holiday long weekend 8-11 April 1982.
A Nimrod was flown in to enable a trial fit on underwing pylons.
I seem to remember carriage of BL755 and Harpoon being considered as well but that was outside my bailiwick at the time.
Only the MK2 had sidewinder. The Mk1 departed ASI before the long flights took place. The bomb / torp mixture was to counter the low possibility of a sub but the higher possibility of a clandestine assault on ASI.
Sidewinder was both defensive and offensive if we came upon the 707 reece aircraft.