Nimrod MRA.4

[Tallsar]

There has been debate and progress to long range UAVs for LRMP for some time now.....but goodness knows the lack of cash alone, never mind the technology risk, means it will be a while yet before anything comes close to what an MRA4 would have delivered in toto - no matter which task you look at.

I am aghast that when the pressure was on there wasn't a minimalist back-stop put forward to at least preserve the potential capability (Trenchard style) until money was more available. The obvious possibility was to base 2 MRA4s at Waddington (only one available to fly daily at any time) with the rest out into long term storage for at least 5 years. This would in many ways emulate the way RAF SAR flts have run for decades - so very much a "Coastal" tradition!
After all we stored those infernal Mk3 Chinooks for 9 years!!

The 2 remaining ac could have been manned with a maximum of 3 crews who would have continued development of the tactics etc, and even been able to hold some sort of Q and SAR standby to the UK's ultimate and essential benefit. Moreover we would have had a live ac for any unforeseen ramp up in ASW events or rapid reaction long range need for this very capable ISTAR and digitally programmable attack weapons platform. We have perhaps forgotten how just a few modified MR2s were able to provide some important long range platform capability during the Falklands conflict to very great effect - a result that heavily influenced the MRA4 specification. Indeed what havoc will one modern sub now wreak in any modern UK waters scenario, never mind a terrorist surface vessel problem. There are other options of cousre but all are very inferior to the long range and rapid reaction persistence available from the MRA4. Out of the box of course it could even have been used as a long range attack ac with suitable heavy loads of stand off munitions....particularly now we have no carrier based ac. Such agility and flexibility now to go to the scrap heap after so much invested by all.
Clearly something else would have had to give to pay for this, but I personally am appalled that we are about to keep spending nearly £400M on keeping 24 40 year old Pumas going for the sake of preventing the PM from having to announce any reduction in major SH investment....despite the loss of 10 CH47s from the proposed buy. The latter would have been a wiser purchase, even leaving enough cash to keep a limited MRA4 capability going for 5 years until a reappraisal could be made on expanding the fleet again or not dependng on UAV progress.
This crass prime ministerial decision ramks alongside TSR2...if not a worse one given its signifcance to UK maritime defence. I am sooooooooooo annoyed!!