Posted on 01/09/2015 7:28:44 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Japan is trying to sell Britain submarine-hunting patrol jets to replace the RAF’s axed Nimrod planes, as the country pushes arms exports for the first time in decades.
Officials proposed a sale of P-1 maritime patrol aircraft last year during a visit to the UK, in a deal that could top £600 million.
Britain scrapped its own Nimrod patrol planes after the 2010 cost-cutting defence review and has since had to rely on allies including France, Canada and America to fill the gap.
The Ministry of Defence admitted last month that it had called on allies to send four planes to search for a suspected Russian submarine off the Scottish coast.
Defence chiefs have said the lack of planes is one of the biggest gaps left by the defence cuts and the Government has said it wants to find a replacement, but a decision is unlikely before the General Election.
Defence sources said buying or renting Boeing P-8 submarine-hunting planes, which are already built and operated by the United States, remained the most likely choices as replacement.
Japanese officials raised the prospect of Britain buying the P-1, made by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, at Farnborough Air Show in July, the Reuters news agency reported.
Shinzo Abe, Japanese Prime Minister, has eased curbs on military exports and his Defence Ministry has been looking to tap foreign markets, including potential deals to sell subs to Australia and seaplanes to India. Mr Abe hopes that rejuvenating the country’s defence sector could in turn strengthen its military as it faces a new arms race with China.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Nimrod spy planes had been mainstays of the RAF's reconnaissance fleet since the late 1960s and had a central role in anti-submarine warfare, when they were scrapped with an upgrade programme running nine years late and £800 million over budget Photo: Alamy
The P-1 has a characteristic tail prong that acts as a metal detector for submarines. | REUTERS
that plane looks so ... British.
It’s a MAD MAD world!
They where a modified Comet passenger plane.
UK is scrambling after the embarrassment of having to call for help from FRANCE, to look for a suspect Russian sub that was witnessed DEEP inside UK territorial waters, near their submarine base.
Liberalism and welfare vote-buying has consequences.
It looks like it would make a nice airliner if it was tidied up a bit.
My, how the mighty have fallen.
It don’t take long once you fill your Country with those that hate and want to destroy it. Before long, we will walk in the footsteps of the British as more and more of the unwashed settle over here.
It was a beauty.
Look up ‘Comet airliner’.
” Nimrod” planes?
Geeze like the Tower of Babel?
One of the many silly aspects of this is that the Nimrod was not only still doing its job superbly well after so many years, but the first batch of a much-updated version was almost complete when the axe fell. They were all destroyed.
Why Not?. That's how the Nimrods operated, and the Kawasaki is lighter and has more powerful engines. Might have to take more care about asymmetric thrust, but it should be possible.
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