BAE Systems has initiated design studies into building new Nimrod MRA4 fuselages as part of the company's bid for the US Navy Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) programme.
Nimrod managing director Tom Nicholson says 60-80 engineers are working on concept studies to take the Nimrod fuselage and re-engineer it for modern production processes. The 18 Nimrod MRA4s being built for the UK Royal Air Force will have refurbished fuselages from in-service Nimrod MR2s fitted with new wings, powerplants and mission systems.
Nicholson says the studies are considering how to replace the redux bonding originally used to attach stringers and frames to the skins and take advantage of digitally controlled machining techniques to make fuselage frames in one piece rather than building them up from multiple components.
Major changes to the fuselage would be avoided to eliminate the need for recertification, says Nicholson, although this may limit what can be ultimately done with the redesign.
Nicholson expects BAE to receive a pre-development study contract, but is aware that the company will need a US partner to win the programme. "We have to be part of a credible consortium and let a [US] blue chip lead."
A US partner will also give the USN confidence that the in-service support for the 30-40 year operational life can be provided, says Nicholson.
Meanwhile, last week BAE began installing the Rolls-Royce BR710 engines in the first Nimrod MRA4 at its Woodford factory, near Manchester, north-west England.
The first three MRA4s will be used in the test programme. Although the first flight is due at the end of September, Nicholson says the critical path predicts that first flight will be in "late October, early November".
Initial flights will be from Woodford before testing is shifted to BAE's military flight test centre at Warton, about 65km (40miles) to the north west of Woodford. Aircraft are due to enter RAF service in March 2005.
Source: Flight International
