Recent campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq underline need for sophisticated ISR assets
The UK Ministry of Defence has revealed details of a £400 million ($720 million) programme intended to significantly enhance the electronic intelligence (ELINT) capabilities provided by its Royal Air Force fleet of BAe Nimrod R1 aircraft.
Dubbed Project Helix, the work will lead to the availability of improved mission systems suitable for integration until 2025 into the UK's three ageing R1s or replacement airframes, such as BAE Systems' developmental Nimrod MRA4 and future unmanned air vehicles. "We will look to continue using Nimrod, but also assess other platforms," says the UK Defence Procurement Agency (DPA).
L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have been selected to conduct parallel nine-month assessment-phase studies for the requirement. Two of the bidders will then be chosen to continue project definition work through 2005, before one is selected in 2006 for risk-reduction activities for an initial project phase worth £200 million. This will be followed by a second acquisition worth a further £200 million, says the DPA.
The UK's growing need for sophisticated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets was demonstrated in the recent Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. Nimrod R1s were among around 100 coalition ISR platforms supporting last year's Operation Iraqi Freedom along with RAF Canberra PR9 photo-reconnaissance and Nimrod MR2 maritime patrol aircraft.
Air Marshal Glenn Torpy, deputy commander-in-chief RAF Strike Command, told RUSI's Air Power Conference in London on 15 April: "We're always going to want more of them." The UK's expanded ability to conduct such missions is evidenced through the roles now undertaken by its Nimrod MR2s, says Torpy, who adds: "The MR2 is now a great ISR capability." Recent images of the RAF's future Nimrod MRA4 suggest an aircraft with a yet more advanced ability to undertake tasks such as signals intelligence (Flight International, 13-19 April).
The UK's wider ISR capability will also be increased through its introduction of five Sentinel R1 Airborne Standoff Radar battlefield reconnaissance aircraft from next year, and Watchkeeper unmanned air vehicles from 2006.
The current Nimrod R1 fleet will remain in frontline use until at least 2012, having already been the subject of a separate Project Extract mission system upgrade. Completed last year under a £100 million contract with Raytheon Systems, this is believed to have centred on automated ELINT and signals intelligence collection equipment, plus other modifications.
CRAIG HOYLE / LONDON
Source: Flight International
