PN
"We have an African anti-drug mission? I thought it was the RN in the Caribbean that did this and was not aware of a prior UK MPA presence. I did see a US P3 down near the Venezuelan coast once but I wasn't quick enough to see the operator or indeed if it was US"
The MR2 was a highly successful counter narc platform operating in the Caribbean (and elsewhere), possibly the best (on performance – number of detections) of all the MPA involved. Searchwater being an excellent radar, the expertise of the crews and the superb backup of the Groundies. The main difference between the RN and the RAF was the RN had a positive
PR campaign, where as the RAF didn’t.
Quite a few of the MR2 detections were handed off to the RN for the “end game” – they then claimed the credit.
As always, many negative assumptions are made about Nimrod/MPA – only those who were there really know!!!