spike7451 Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Wonder how much overbudget it'll be to scrap them?.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-11653729 Nine multi-million pound Nimrod aircraft could be turned into scrap metal, BAE Systems unions have claimed.David Cameron announced that the replacement Nimrod MRA4 surveillance and reconnaissance planes project would be scrapped in the Defence Review. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it was in discussions with BAE Systems about the future of the aircraft. One has already been built and eight others were being worked on at the firm's plant in Woodford, Cheshire. The prime minister said the project had cost more than £3bn. Kevin French, Unite chairman at the site, said: "It looks like they are going to cut them up. 'Chop wings off' "They will probably bring in a big company to crush them and cut them up, chop their wings off. It will be as crude as that. "It will be the most expensive scrap metal they will have ever paid for. "It is such a waste of money - why would you pay almost £4bn and not put the planes into service?" A spokeswoman for the MoD said: "We intend to discuss the way ahead with industry but we can not say how the MRA4 will be disposed of at this point." BAE staff are continuing to work as normal The MoD and BAE signed a contract in 1996 to build 21 planes. This was reduced to 12 and later nine. Mr French said one of the "Spy in the Sky" planes had been completed. Five others are in the late stages of production. All were due to be handed over to the RAF by 2012. About 1,000 people are working on the project at Woodford and another 200 at Brough, East Yorkshire. A further 500 in Warton, Lancashire, were due to support the planes in service. Staff at Woodford are being asked to work as normal, with many feeling they are "in limbo", Mr French said. A BAE spokesman said: "We are now working through the detailed programme implications of the changes... with the MoD. "Until we've had the time to do so, we will not be in a position to confirm any more details regarding individual sites or programmes." Mr French said staff would be "heartbroken" to see the aircraft broken up. 'Big hole' "When you see it fly you are proud - proud of what you've helped build and how it can defend the UK," he said. He said scrapping the planes would leave a "big hole" in the UK's defences. Local MP Mark Hunter said he had spoken to the defence secretary about the site and was told the MoD would be "looking to stop [production] as soon as possible". Mr Hunter said he was told the planes could not be sold as there was a "limited market" for such aircraft. "They might end up being scrapped," he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 "It is such a waste of money - why would you pay almost £4bn and not put the planes into service?" Because they are going to cost a lot of money to run, and we are skint? I still suspect that we will buy the P-8 in the 2015 Defence Review, if the economy picks up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary C Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 It's sad and a waste of money yes...but nobody else wants or can afford them. They'll either end up on a bombing range like the TSR2 or in some anonymous scrapyard somewhere near the A1 and will get recycled. That's what scrapping means. The MRA4 is no different to any other piece of machinery that no longer serves a purpose no matter how expensive it may have been. Bit of a non story really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roys Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 (edited) IMHO politicians should not be entitled to have any input on defence decisions and todays insight by Jock Stirrup(a former Jaguar pilot) bears it out. Edited October 31, 2010 by roys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Roberts Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Because they are going to cost a lot of money to run, and we are skint?I still suspect that we will buy the P-8 in the 2015 Defence Review, if the economy picks up. I've wondered if operating 10-15 of maybe a couple of hundred Poseidons word wide may make more economic sense than 9-12 Nimrods out of a total of 9-12 Nimrods world wide. Plus you have the spares and support based upon the 737s that are still planned to be rolling off the assembly lines at a rate of better than 1 a day in 2015 (the last Comet was when?). I have a feeling that simple economies of scale may doom the Nimrod in todays climate Do hate to think of the jobs lost, but I wonder if the P-8 is selected an offseting agreement for 737 maintenance for European users may be in the offering for BAe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roys Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Hope the media gets plenty of Nimrod destruction footage to emphasize the stupidity of it all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 No chance: anyone with so much as a sketch pad and a blunt HB pencil will be kept well away from any scenes of destruction, even if it happens on a good day to bury bad news on. I wonder if the museum staff at Bruntingthorpe will be allowed to recover the bits that were robbed from XV250 for the MRA 4s before the programme was killed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armadillos Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 . I wonder if the museum staff at Bruntingthorpe will be allowed to recover the bits that were robbed from XV250 for the MRA 4s before the programme was killed? 50 went to Elvington, it was 26 that went to Brunty. Regards reclaiming parts i`m not sure what the relationship is between Kinloss-Brunty/MoD-Brunty but if its cordial and friendly i`d think that from experience parts should be forth coming to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 IMHO politicians should not be entitled to have any input on defence decisions A-Ha! A bit like a Military Junta, Eh? ! Yes, that WOULD work....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 (edited) A-Ha! A bit like a Military Junta, Eh? ! Yes, that WOULD work....... Well at least they might get rid of the thieving, lying, corrupt turds that are politicians today and, we wouldn't get threads closed down for political discussions because there wouldn't be any more politics to discuss! There, I expect that will bump up my warning rating but I do feel better for getting it off my chest. Incidently just how does the government propose to meet this country's maritime patrol requirement? Has no one pointed out to them that this contry is an island that has always been, still is and always will be reliant on the sea for it's survival? Martin Edited November 4, 2010 by martin hale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovis Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 Incidently just how does the government propose to meet this country's maritime patrol requirement? Has no one pointed out to them that this contry is an island that has always been, still is and always will be reliant on the sea for it's survival? Exactly! They haven't just scrapped a plane, they've scrapped a whole important role! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magwitch Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 Incidently just how does the government propose to meet this country's maritime patrol requirement? Has no one pointed out to them that this contry is an island that has always been, still is and always will be reliant on the sea for it's survival? There's a couple of abandoned Shacks at the western end of 11/29 at Paphos that could probably be coaxed back into life. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source...mp;t=h&z=19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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