Nimrod lands in hostile territory

BAE Systems' Nimrod MRA4 development aircraft PA2 is pictured below undergoing environmental trials at -40^oC at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin US Air Force Base in Florida.

Having spent about 10 days at temperatures down to -40^oC, the test team then went to another extreme, operating in heat up to +44^oC and relative humidity of 100 per cent.

The McKinley Climate Laboratory Main Test Chamber is the largest facility of its kind in the world. The environmental trials at Eglin AFB are a major milestone on the way to proving the maturity of the Nimrod design and establishing the final production design of the aircraft by the end of the year.

The Nimrod MRA4 was exposed to the sustained extreme temperatures to ensure its capability for worldwide use. The tests focussed on systems most affected by weather, such as the hydraulics and electrics.

The engines were running throughout most of the test period, to simulate normal operating conditions.