A new battle lies ahead for British Aerospace's (BAe) Nimrod 2000 to win up to $13 billion in exports, with a top secret US Air Force sensor platform being seen as an early prospect.
BAe won a $3 billion contract in the summer to rebuild the Royal Air Force's fleet of 21 Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) after what BAe Nimrod programme director Graham Chisnall describes as the "most bitterly" fought contest.
The company estimates a potential world market over the next 30 years for 650 maritime patrol aircraft. Chisnall says the Nimrod is well placed to win those orders. "We are dead serious about exporting new-build Nimrods," he says.
"We are now in the market for the new generation of MPA. Nimrod 2000 is the benchmark MPA in terms of mission systems."
Chisnall says Japan and the US Navy are the biggest market at the high end of the MPA market.
"The US Navy is key to the whole market. They are doing a study of their future requirements after the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion MPA.
"We've teamed with McDonnell Douglas in this. McDonnell Douglas are keen as punch to have something to compete against Lockheed.
"McDonnell Douglas also need a large military sensor platform for a ‘black' programme, which needs to be medium sized and jet powered," he adds. "So the US market is not just P-3 replacement."
Chisnall would not say any more but possible use could be electronic intelligence gathering or ballistic missile tracking, according to experts.
A mock-up of the new aircraft's tactical area, which Chisnall describes as a "quantum leap" from that of the existing Nimrod, is in the BAe display park.
Only the fuselage section of the Nimrod will be retained in the rebuilding programme with new wings, new Rolls-Royce BR710 engines, cabin layout, sensors and tactical control system.
Source: Flight Daily News
