The UK will borrow a P-3 Orion maritime patrol spy plane from the US to protect Royal Navy warships that taking part in the Libyan mission.

“Because we no longer have the Nimrod capability we have had to borrow a plane from the Americans to act as the airborne observation post”, said a source reported by the Daily Mail.

“The defence review did not consider something like Libya ever happening. Now it has, we’ve been caught short,” the source added.

The £4.1bn Nimrod MRA4 surveillance aircraft fleet was scrapped as part of the UK Government’s strategic defence review announced last year to save £2bn over ten years.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The chief of air staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, also admitted that the availability of Nimrod spy planes would have been useful in securing the northern coastal waters of Libya.