RAF : Aircraft : Reconnaissance and Maritime Patrol

Nimrod R1

Roles:The Nimrod R1 has a highly sophisticated and sensitive suite of systems used for reconnaissance and gathering electronic intelligence.

Specifications

Engines: Four Rolls-Royce Spey 251 tubofans
Thrust: 12,140lbs each
Max speed: 360kts
Length: 35.86m
Max altitude: 44,000ft
Span: 35m
Aircrew: 29


The Nimrod R1 is a derivative of the Nimrod MR2 maritime patrol aircraft and is operated by No 51 Squadron, from RAF Waddington. The Nimrod R1 has a highly sophisticated and sensitive suite of systems used for reconnaissance and gathering electronic intelligence. The ability of the Nimrod to transit at high speed and then loiter in an operational area at lower speed for long periods makes it ideally suited to the task. Air refuelling can extend the Nimrod R1’s endurance should the task demand. The Nimrod R1 is operated by a four-man flight deck crew of two pilots, a flight engineer and a weapon systems officer, and an electronic reconnaissance crew of 24 reconnaissance- equipment operators commanded by a mission supervisor. The aircraft is fitted with two inertial navigation systems and a satellite-based global positioning system to assist in the requirement for accurate navigation.The Nimrod R1 can be distinguished from the maritime MR2 aircraft by the absence of the tail-mounted Magnetic Anomaly Detector boom.




Sentinel R1


Roles: Provides a long-range, battlefield-intelligence, target-imaging and tracking radar for the RAF and the Army and will have surveillance applications in peacetime, wartime and in crisis operations.

Specifications

Engines: Two Rolls-Royce Deutschland BR710 turbofans
Thrust: 14,750lbs each
Max speed: 0.75Mach
Length: 30.3m
Max altitude: 40,000ft
Span: 28.49m
Aircrew: 5

RAF Waddington ASTOR (Airborne Stand-Off Radar) will provide a long-range, battlefield-intelligence, target-imaging and tracking radar for the RAF and the Army and will have surveillance applications in peacetime, wartime and in crisis operations. The prime contractor selected to provide the ASTOR system is Raytheon Systems Limited, using the Bombardier Global Express aircraft as the air platform. The system comprises three basic components, or segments. The first segment is the air platform, a modified twin-engined Global Express business jet, called the Sentinel R1 by the RAF, equipped with a radar system capable of both Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Moving Target Indicator (MTI) functions. The SAR will enable all-weather, day and night reconnaissance and surveillance to be carried out; the MTI will enable the operators to monitor the activity of mobile ground targets.The second segment comprises two transportable Ground Stations (GS) to support deployed HQ and six mobile GS to support Division and Brigade. Each GS can receive, store and exploit radar information down-linked from the air-platform and present it, via existing communications networks, in a variety of formats to commanders, tacticians and weapons operators on the battlefield. Finally, the support segment provides important mission-support functionality, such as mission planning and mission data replay, at the main operating base (RAF Waddington) and for deployed operations. A two pilot flight-deck crew will operate the aircraft, with a mission crew nominally comprising a mission controller and two image analysts. The aircraft, currently in production as an ultra-long range business jet, will be modified to include a radome under the forward fuselage to house the radar and datalink antennae, and a radome on the upper fuselage to house the SATCOM antenna. The aircraft will operate at altitudes in excess of 40,000ft with a mission endurance over 9 hours.The engines used by the ASTOR aircraft are the Rolls-Royce Deutschland (RRD) BR710 engines, which are very similar to those used on the Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft. Defensive aids will include a radar-warning receiver, a missile warning system, a towed radar decoy and chaff and flare dispensers. The radar is an upgraded version of the Raytheon ASARS-2 radar used on the U-2 aircraft and will be capable of providing high resolution images of the battlefield at ranges of several hundred kilometres. The SAR mode will provide high quality radar images of the area surveyed, while the MTI mode will detect moving vehicles operating in the area. The SAR can be operated in spot mode to produce high-resolution imagery over relatively small areas of fixed location. The SAR swath mode can collect lower-resolution imagery broadside to the aircraft as it proceeds but at a much greater width than SAR spot. Multiple passes using SAR swath mode can effectively provide wide area surveillance of fixed and static targets. These images can be exploited by the airborne mission crew, or down-linked from the aircraft in near real time to the ASTOR GS, to generate intelligence reports for commanders.Delivered in a £954 million deal with Raytheon Systems Ltd, the contract also includes eight mobile ground stations. Raytheon will continue to deliver support services to the system over the next 10 years and it is anticipated it will achieve Full Operating Capability in about two years time, the fully operational ASTOR system comprises five Sentinel R1s flown by two aircrew and at least three radar operators. It was declared in-service with the Royal Air Force in December 2008 and is operated by No 5(AC) Squadron, based at RAF Waddington, where they will form one arm of the surveillance triad of Sentinel R1, E-3D Sentry and Nimrod R1.




Tornado GR-4

The Tornado GR4 is a variable geometry, two-seat, day or night, all-weather attack aircraft, capable of delivering a wide variety of weapons.

Specifications

Engines: Two RB199 turbofans
Thrust: 16,000lbs each
Max speed: 1.3Mach
Length: 16.72m
Max altitude: 50,000ft
Span: 8.6m
Aircrew: 2
Armament: Storm Shadow, Brimstone, ALARM, AIM-9 Sidewinder, Paveway II, Paveway III, Enhanced Paveway, General Purpose Bombs, Mauser 27mm


The Tornado GR4 is a variable geometry, two-seat, day or night, all-weather attack aircraft, capable of delivering a wide variety of weapons. Powered by two Rolls-Royce RB 199 Mk 103 turbofan engines, the GR4 is capable of low-level supersonic flight and can sustain a high subsonic cruise speed. The aircraft can fly automatically at low level using terrain-following radar when poor weather prevents visual flight. The aircraft is also equipped with forward-looking infrared and is night-vision goggle compatible, making it a capable platform for passive night operations. For navigation purposes, the Tornado is equipped with an integrated global positioning inertial navigation system that can also be updated with visual or radar inputs. The GR4 is also equipped with a Laser Ranger and Marked Target Seeker system that can be used for ground designation or can provide accurate range information on ground targets.The GR4 can carry up to three Paveway II, two Paveway III or Enhanced Paveway Laser and Global Positioning System Guided Bombs (LGBs), and by using a Thermal Imaging Airborne Laser Designation (TIALD) pod it is able to self-designate targets for LGB delivery. The GR4 also has a ground-mapping radar to identify targets for the delivery of conventional 1000lb bombs and BL755 cluster bombs. All GR4 aircraft are capable of carrying the Air Launched Anti- Radiation Missile (ALARM), which homes on the emitted radiation of enemy radar systems and can be used for the suppression of enemy air defences. The GR4 is capable of carrying up to nine ALARM missiles or a mixed configuration of ALARM missiles and bombs. In the reconnaissance role the GR4 can carry the Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod to provide detailed reconnaissance imagery, soon to be complimented by the RAPTOR pod offering further capability.For self-protection, the GR4 is normally armed with two AIM-9L Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, a BOZ-107 Pod on the right wing to dispense chaff and flares and a Sky Shadow-2 electronic countermeasures pod on the left wing. The aircraft can also carry an integral 27mm Mauser cannon capable of firing 1700 rounds per minute.The Tornado GR4 is now equipped with the Storm Shadow missile and will soon be equipped with the new Brimstone missile. The Storm Shadow will allow the Tornado to make precision strikes in poor weather with a greatly increased stand-off range from the target area. Brimstone will provide the Tornado with an effective anti-armour weapon, also providing an enhanced stand-off range.The Tornado GR4 is currently operated from two bases. Based at RAF Lossiemouth, in Scotland, are the Operational Conversion Unit, No. 15(R) Squadron, and Nos 12(B), 14 and 617 Squadrons. RAF Marham is the home of the GR4s of Nos II(AC), IX(B), 13 and 31 Squadrons.In addition to its long-range, high-speed precision strike capability, including supersonic at low level with a low-level combat radius of 400nmls, the Tornado GR4 is a world leader in the specialised field of all-weather, day and night tactical reconnaissance. The new RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod TORnado) pod is one of the most advanced reconnaissance sensors in the world and greatly increased the effectiveness of the aircraft in the reconnaissance role. Its introduction into service gave the GR4 the ability to download real-time, long-range, oblique-photography data to ground stations or to the cockpit during a mission. The stand-off range of the sensors also allows the aircraft to remain outside heavily defended areas, thus minimising the aircraft’s exposure to enemy air-defence systems.Tornado GR4s are still fully engaged in Operation TELIC conducting both Close Air Support and Reconnaissance missions in support of Coalition Forces in Iraq.