Aircraft
A BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 development aircraft has undergone extreme cold trials this week including indoor trials at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin AFB, Florida (pictured below).
The aircraft (prototype aircraft 002) has spent ten days at temperatures as low as -40°C (-40°F). PA2 will now go through hot conditions testing at the same facility operating in temperatures up to 44°C (110°F) and relative humidity of 100%.
Following the trials, BAE aims to freeze the design of the next generation Nimrod before year-end. PA2 will be one of twelve updated Nimrod delivered to the UK Ministry of Defence for the Royal Air Force's maritime reconnaissance and attack requirements, replacing the MR2.
The McKinley Climate Laboratory main test chamber is the largest facility of its kind in the world.
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