[quote][b][url=/v3/forum/europe-14/topic/royal-air-force-royaume-uni-343/?post=43401#post-43401]ex-trident[/url] a dit le 11/03/2009 à 09:38 :[/b]

[quote]
Britain Pulls Nimrods for Safety Upgrades

Royal Air Force Nimrod surveillance aircraft are being withdrawn from overseas operations in order to have vital safety upgrades fitted, Britain's Ministry of Defence announced March 9.
Royal Navy Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft. (MilborneOne)

The upgrade was to have been fitted to all Nimrod MR2 and R1 aircraft by the end of March, but the program has been delayed by supply problems with the fuel seals that will replace existing equipment on the aging aircraft.

The aircraft will be withdrawn from service on March 31 and returned to Britain for modifications. They will return to operation by early summer, an MoD spokeswoman here said.

The ministry says other British and coalition surveillance assets will plug the gap while the aircraft are upgraded. The RAF is known to operate the aircraft over Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as in the United Kingdom where it has homeland security, maritime surveillance and other duties.

The upgrade follows the 2006 crash of a Nimrod in Afghanistan. The crew of 14 was killed when a midair fuel leak ignited a fire on the aircraft soon after it had completed air-to-air refueling.

As a result, inflight refueling on the Nimrod has been banned.

After a board of inquiry in late 2007, the MoD directed that the 18 Nimrods have their fuel seal and engine bay hot air ducting replaced by the end of the first quarter. That didn't happen, so the aircraft are being withdrawn from overseas service.

About half a dozen of the MR2 and R1 intelligence aircraft have been modified with the new hot air ducting; one of the revamped aircraft has had new fuel seals fitted.

In a parliamentary statement, Bob Ainsworth, armed forces minister, said, "Problems with the provision of replacement fuel seals mean that both programs will be delayed beyond that date" of March 31.

The minister said that while the hot air ducting changes were essential, the aircraft could continue to fly safely without the new fuel seals.

"In order that the risks involved in operating the aircraft remain tolerable and as low as reasonably practicable, no Nimrods should fly after 31 March 2009, unless their hot air ducts have been replaced," Ainsworth said. "Delays to the replacement of fuel seals will, however, have no impact on flying since our experts assess that the risk is tolerable."

BAE Systems is the contractor that is doing the work as part of a wider support deal it has on the Nimrod fleet.

It is not clear whether the company or the government is responsible for supplying the fuel seals.

One official with knowledge of the program said the seals were to be provided as government-furnished equipment.

A spokesman for BAE said it was a matter for the MoD.

It is "inappropriate for the company to comment," he said.

The work is being undertaken at the RAF MR2 base at Kinloss in Scotland and the R1 base at Waddington in England. The minister said the work would temporarily reduce routine U.K.-based Nimrod flying.

The MR2s were to have been replaced by the new Nimrod MRA4 surveillance aircraft being developed and built by BAE. The new aircraft should have been in service in 2003 but a series of delays mean the MRA4 is now not expected to be operational until 2010.[/quote]

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3980831&c=EUR&s=AIR[/quote]