The Nimrod rumours are spreading.

[PVRisthefuture]

Well the southside quarters have been sold off and that has been on the cards long before the early MR2 exit date. Northhside quarters are are not being sold off.

 

[sumps]

However...this could be the start of something...SEE HERE

 

[vim_fuego]

That article is nearly a year old...

Only one thing will shape the future of our armed forces and that is money...I read somewhere last night (and if I can find it again I'll shove it on here) that whoever wins the election will need to shave £10bn off the defence budget...thats 25% ish...

 

[MrMasher]

BBC news said that some MPs reckon we have to cut our "wish list" and spend less.

Defence with pitchforks anyone?

 

[vim_fuego]

Here is an article of interest for those depending on existing but not yet in service projects for their future employment:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/mar/23/defence-spending-36-billion-blackhole

Britain's armed forces budget is "fundamentally unaffordable", a cross-party group of senior MPs says today, warning that the Ministry of Defence may have to cancel whole equipment programmes to fill the shortfall, which could be as high as £36bn

And here:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100323/tuk-uk-britain-defence-fa6b408.html

The government could face a hole of up to 80 billion pounds in its defence budget within a decade and may have to cancel some equipment programmes to balance the books, a parliamentary report said on Tuesday. Skip related content

No smoke without fire....

 

[grumpyoldb]

It's no use bolting the stable door now...............
They're already here, and claiming benefits, and medical care, and housing, and education, and......................... DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[Kryten]

The fact is that the country is bust, and with more emphasis on healthcare and education, defence is always going to be the loser. It hasn't helped that the Govt has involved us in two major conflicts and hasn't factored that in to the equation. And it will only get worse - the SDR planned post election will (I bet) savage the Armed Forces even more than before)...

Its like the 1930s all over again....

 

[Tyson]

Bin JSF and the carriers? Is one of the carrier builds already on hold?

 

[MrMasher]

I bet the penalty for binning a carrier is the equivalent of buying two carriers!

 

[Realist78]

I bet the penalty for binning a carrier is the equivalent of buying two carriers!

I believe it's the other way around but still a shed full of cash.

 

[Teh Wal]

A pair of Grimsods in fairly tight trail formation at about 500 ft AGL have just done a circuit of Elgin and gone wizzing past the back of my house, twice. (I'm on the very south side of Elgin). Sadly I didn't have time to grab my camera. I know it's only the 26th of March but I've got a feeling that it may be the last time I see these beasts in the air and it fair brought a lump to my throat. Thanks to the crews just now, and indeed in years past, the skies will be a lot emptier without you. DT_Xtremez_14: but DT_Xtremez_21:

 

[Combet Sheep]

Some kind of disbandment parade at Kinloss today

 

[rest have risen above me]

yep the parades today and there will be another flypast (Singleton) on 31st. I can't remember the timings sorry. As for the last flight of an MR2 there may be some deliveries to museums but nothing confirmed.

 

[spanners]

I saw the fly past in Buckie and then Fochabers about an hour later, great to see, but also very sad.
Farewell Mighty Hunter, you have served with honour.

 

[Life-Is-Good]

Sky gets a scoop. Not...

Sky gets a scoop. Not...

Now I think Sky is just the Sun on TV: its content is pathetic and inane. Its copy is invariably riddled with childlike errors.

This headline is typical of the over-the-top attention-grabbing sh!t they dispense.

The link contains: "RAF_Scraps_Nimrod_MR2_Planes. The_Aircraft_Responsible_For_Biggest_Loss_Of_Life_Since_Falklands"

That's as maybe but FFS!

Sky. Wnakers.

 

[grumpyoldb]

One Nimrod is being flown to Elvington....................

Nimrod MR2, XV250 will be flown from RAF Kinloss into Elvington on April 13th where it will be maintained in full ground operational capacity as a 'live' aircraft.

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/410272-fate-one-nimrod-has-least-been-decided.html

Good to see they won't all be going to the scrapyard. DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[Harry B'Stard]

Goodbye

Goodbye

Well goodbye to the mighty hunter, never worked on you and if you listen to the rumours I won't be working on the MRA4 either!DT_Xtremez_06:

Regards to all those seeing a much loved aircraft retired.

Same happened to loads of us a couple of years ago with the demise of the mighty Jaguar... and a lot of salt was rubbed into the wound with the closure of the best camp I've ever been to.DT_Xtremez_30:

Lets hope they don't close the rest of the RAF!DT_Xtremez_32:

HTB

 

[Realist78]

Well goodbye to the mighty hunter, never worked on you and if you listen to the rumours I won't be working on the MRA4 either!DT_Xtremez_06:

Regards to all those seeing a much loved aircraft retired.

Same happened to loads of us a couple of years ago with the demise of the mighty Jaguar... and a lot of salt was rubbed into the wound with the closure of the best camp I've ever been to.DT_Xtremez_30:

Lets hope they don't close the rest of the RAF!DT_Xtremez_32:

HTB

Holding breath 2.3...:0

 

[Combet Sheep]

Nice farewell articles on Flightglobal

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/03/30/339943/saying-goodbye-to-the-mighty-hunter.html

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/03/30/339942/on-board-nimrod-flight-kinloss-453.html

 

[rest have risen above me]

Unfortunately tonights flypast as the final operational sortie was cancelled due to the weather.
Maybe a fitting consequence of this was that the MR2's final operational sortie was a dedicated flypast for the NLS disbandment dinner. Maybe the old girl got her thanks in properly to the right people after all.DT_Xtremez_19: