British Aerospace Nimrod AEW.3
British Aerospace · United Kingdom · first flew 1980 · reconnaissance aircraft
The British Aerospace Nimrod AEW.3 was a British attempt to develop an indigenous airborne early warning aircraft from the Nimrod maritime patrol airframe, fitted with Marconi radar systems in distinctive fore and aft radomes. The programme became one of the most notorious defence procurement failures in British history.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Distinctive twin radome extensions fore and aft of the standard Nimrod fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- AEW variant of the Nimrod with large nose and tail radomes
- Distinctive twin radome extensions fore and aft of the standard Nimrod fuselage
- The programme that famously never entered service due to project failure
Unique among Nimrods for the large bulbous radomes fitted to the nose and tail; the standard Nimrod wing and four turbofan engine pods remain unchanged, contrasting sharply with the heavily modified fuselage extremities.
Specifications
- The British Aerospace Nimrod AEW.3 has a length of 41.97 m (138 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 35.08 m (115 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 926 km/h (575 mph).
- Typical crew: 6 flight crew + mission specialists.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Launched in 1977 as a cheaper British alternative to the Boeing E-3 Sentry, the Nimrod AEW.3 programme suffered from severe technical difficulties integrating the complex radar and data processing systems. Cost overruns, schedule slippages, and persistent integration failures plagued the programme throughout the 1980s.
Variants
Only the AEW.3 conversion was undertaken; it was based on the Nimrod MR.1 maritime patrol airframe. No production standard was achieved before cancellation.
Where you'll see it
The Nimrod AEW.3 never entered RAF service. After spending over £1 billion, the programme was cancelled in 1986 and the RAF ordered the Boeing E-3D Sentry instead. The completed airframes were scrapped.
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