Uncontrolled copy not subject to amendment Airmanship Knowledge for Air Cadets Learning Outcome 3 Know How to Identify Military Aircraft Part 3a: No2 Group Combat Support Revision 3.00

Contents Aircraft in No 2 Group – Combat Support (Part 1): Sentry AEW1 Sentinel R1 Nimrod R1 Reaper BAE 125 CC3 BAE 146 CC2 Nimrod MR2 2

1. Sentry Reporting Name: Sentry Role Letters and Marks: AEW 1 Role: Airborne Early Warning 3

Crew of 18, including an 11-man mission control crew Sentry AEW 1 Operates in air and sea surveillance and airborne command-and-control roles Crew of 18, including an 11-man mission control crew Flying at 30,000ft it can scan 312 kms at ranges up to 280 nmls Multi-mode lookdown radar separates targets from ground and sea clutter Transmits information to ground units or ships using digital data links The aircraft has a very distinctive circular radome above the rear fuselage, housing the surveillance radar 4

Technical Data Wing Span: 44.4M Length: 43.9M Crew: 13 to 20 Maximum Speed: 460kts (853km/h) at 35,000ft Engines: Four CFM 56 turbofans 5

Sentry AEW1 6

2. Sentinel R1 Reporting Name: Sentinel Role Letters and Marks: R1 Role: Reconnaissance 7

Sentinel R1 Long-range, battlefield-intelligence airborne radar aircraft for the RAF and the Army Full day or night capability with a radar able to penetrate cloud, rain or smoke Stand-off capability of several hundred kilometres, at altitudes up to 50,000ft Provides high quality, radar ground image and tracks mobile targets Near-real-time, secure data-link transmissions to mobile ground stations Forms one arm of the ISTAR triad of Sentinel R1, Sentry AEW1 and Nimrod R1 8

Technical Data Wing Span: 28.65 M Length: 30.3 M Crew: 2 flight crew 3+ mission crew Maximum Speed: Mach 0.88 Engines: 2 x RRD BR710 turbofans 9

Sentinel R1 10

3. Nimrod R1 Reporting Name: Nimrod Role Letters and Marks: R1 Role: Reconnaissance and electronic intelligence gathering The Nimrod has sophisticated communications equipment, an advanced tactical sensor, electronic countermeasures (ECM) and navigation systems. In-flight refuelling probes were fitted to some aircraft during the Falklands conflict and are now a standard fit. 11

Carries a highly sophisticated and sensitive suite of systems Nimrod R1 Jet-powered reconnaissance and electronic intelligence gathering aircraft Carries a highly sophisticated and sensitive suite of systems Able to transit at high speed and then loiter at lower speed for long periods Endurance of 10 hours, which can be extended by air refuelling Carries two inertial navigation systems and a global positioning system The Nimrod was developed from the Comet 4C and has the advantage of high altitude fast transit with good low speed manoeuvring and loiter capability - for which two engines may be shut down. The Nimrod MR2 fleet is slowly being replaced by Nimrod MR4 Nimrods can carry Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self defence, bombs, depth charges, mines, sonobuoys, Stingray torpedoes and Harpoon air-to-surface missiles. The R1 is a derivative of the MR2 which is used specially for reconnaissance and gathering electronic intelligence The Nimrod has sophisticated communications equipment, an advanced tactical sensor, electronic countermeasures (ECM) and navigation systems. In-flight refuelling probes were fitted to some aircraft during the Falklands conflict and are now a standard fit. 12

Technical Data Wing Span: 35M Length: 35.86M Crew: 4 flight crew 24 mission crew Maximum Speed: 500kts (922km/h) at 30,000ft Engines: Four Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans 13

Nimrod R1

4. Reaper Reporting Name: Reaper Role Letters and Marks: N/A Role: Reconnaissance / Attack 15

Reaper Reaper is a Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS), also known as an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) Roles are long duration reconnaissance and strike Developed by General Atomics in the US and known as MQ-9 in US Air Force service Reaper is operated by 39 Sqn at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. Crew of 2 operate the Reaper and its on-board systems remotely from Nevada Weapons include Hellfire missiles and 500lb laser-guided bombs 16

Technical Data Wing Span: 20.1M Length: 11M Crew: 2 (the aircraft is operated remotely) Maximum Speed: 250kts Engines: 1 x Honeywell TPE 331-10T Turboprop 17

Reaper 18

5. HS125 CC3 Reporting Name: HS125 Role Letters and Marks: CC3 Role: VIP Communications

HS125 CC3 Operates in the Royal or VIP transport and communication roles Total of six aircraft, operated by No 32 (The Royal) Squadron, at RAF Northolt Crew of two pilots, one cabin attendant and up to six passengers Minimum ground time required to turn the aircraft around after landing Fitted with a defensive-aids suite to combat infrared missile threats

Technical Data Wing Span: 14.33M Length: 15.4M Crew: 3 Maximum Speed: 445kts (825km/h) at 30,000ft Engines: Two Garrett TFE 731 Turbofans

HS125 CC3

6. BAe 146 CC2 Reporting Name: BAe 146 Role Letters and Marks: CC2 Role: VIP/Communications

BAe 146 CC2 Operated in the Royal or VVIP transport and communication roles Wide-bodied aircraft, equipped to promote space and comfort A strong, rugged aircraft, able to operate from unprepared sites Four high-bypass ratio turbofans, enabling short-field performance and quiet operation Fitted with a defensive-aids suite to combat infrared missile threats

Technical Data Wing Span: 26.3M Length: 26.1M Crew: 2 Maximum Speed: 339mph at 30,000ft Engines: 4 x Avco Lycoming ALF502 turbofans

BAe 146 CC2

7. Nimrod MR2 Reporting Name: Nimrod Role Letters and Marks: MR2 Role: Long Range Maritime Patrol/Recon/Search and Rescue Nimrod MR2 was withdrawn from service in March 2010 27

Crew of 13, which included ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ sensor coordination teams Nimrod MR2 Nimrod was the only jet-powered maritime patrol aircraft prior to the development of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon Roles were anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare and search and rescue Endurance of 10 hours Crew of 13, which included ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ sensor coordination teams Carried Sting Ray torpedoes, Harpoon antiship missiles, bombs and depth charges The Nimrod had sophisticated communications equipment, an advanced tactical sensor, electronic countermeasures (ECM) and navigation systems. In-flight refuelling probes were fitted to some aircraft during the Falklands conflict and became a standard fit on all Nimrod aircraft. 28

Technical Data Wing Span: 35M Length: 38.63M Crew: 12 Maximum Speed: 500kts (922km/h) at 30,000ft Engines: Four Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans 29

Nimrod MR2 30

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