British Aerospace Nimrod AEW.3

The British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3 is an airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft intended as to provide airborne radar cover for the air defence of the United Kingdom by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The project was designed to use the existing Nimrod airframe, in use with the RAF as a maritime patrol aircraft, combined with a brand new radar system and avionics package developed by Marconi Avionics.

The Nimrod AEW project proved to be hugely complex and expensive for the British government, as a result of the difficulties of producing brand new radar and computer systems and integrating them successfully into the Nimrod airframe. Despite various difficulties, the Nimrod AEW would enter service in late 1986. In the late 2000s, the Nimrod AEW.3 received an extensive series of upgrade including new avionics, engines, electronics, and radar.

Squadrons

 * No. 8 Squadron RAF
 * No. 23 Squadron RAF
 * No. 54 Squadron RAF