Posted here in case it interests. James K.
The Scotsman
Tue 22 May 2007
Nimrods exceeded planned flying hours for 2 years before fatal crash
JAMES KIRKUP
(
[email protected])
THE RAF's fleet of Nimrod aircraft significantly exceeded their planned flying hours in the two years before the crash last September of a Scottish-based spyplane in which 14 British servicemen were killed, it has been revealed.
Official Ministry of Defence data shows that in 2004-5 and 2005-6, the Nimrods flew more than 3,000 hours longer than RAF guidelines said they should. In all, the planes were in the air for 129 days more than they should have been during the two-year period.
The revelation will heighten fears that the Nimrods - which are an average of 36 years old - are being overworked because of Britain's military commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The crash of Flight XV230, whose home base was RAF Kinloss, in Afghanistan last September was the worst single loss of British military lives since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Investigators believe the plane was blown apart by an explosion triggered after a fuel pipe cracked during mid-air refuelling.
In February, all Nimrods were temporarily grounded after a dent was found in the fuel pipe of one of the aircraft.
And last week, the MoD admitted that the ageing fleet is now reporting fuel leaks at a rate of almost one a week, although officials insist the leaks do not pose any threat to safety.
The Nimrod MR2 aircraft that fly from Scotland are due to be replaced with a new model. The process of ordering the replacements began in 1992, and the new plane was initially scheduled to be in service by 2003. But bureaucratic delays have pushed that date back to 2010.
The confirmation last night that the existing surveillance craft have been routinely exceeding their planned flying hours put fresh pressure on the government over the replacement planes.
In 2004-5, planners scheduled the Nimrods to fly 10,514 hours. They actually flew for 12,118. The following year, the plan was for 7,932 hours in the air. The actual total logged was 9,445.
In 2006-7, the Nimrods would once again have exceeded their target times, but the loss of XV230 sharply reduced the total hours flown.
The Nimrods, which are converted airliners, are used as the eyes and ears of British military forces, flying long-distance surveillance flights over the Middle East and Asia, where they use their complex radar systems to sweep huge areas.
The planes also carry out search-and-rescue missions in the seas around Britain.
Angus Robertson, the Scottish National Party MP whose Moray constituency includes RAF Kinloss, said the flight log details were extremely worrying.
"The Nimrod fleet has been worked extremely hard during recent years ... Bearing in mind the age of the aircraft, the recent fuel leaks, and the tragic crash of Flight XV230, there are now serious concerns," he said.
"This all makes the case for the quickest possible introduction of the new Nimrod."
An MoD spokesman last night conceded that the Nimrods are flying more and more, but insisted the workload did not put crew at risk.
He added: "The capabilities of the Nimrod and the requirement to employ it have expanded significantly over the last few years, but we have managed this as we continue to meet our operational commitments."
ends