Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:29:22-2:29:44

The US Navy respected Nimrod as a specialist patrol aircraft

American observers did not simply envy a jet airframe; they regarded Nimrod as an effective specialist maritime-patrol platform.

Anti-Submarine WarfareHawker Siddeley NimrodLockheed P-3 OrionMaritime Patrol AircraftRoyal Air ForceUS Navy
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Question

Was the US Navy jealous that Britain had jet-powered Nimrod while it operated Orion?

Short answer

It regarded Nimrod as a very good specialist aircraft, though that does not make Orion an inferior fleet solution.

Notes

The comparison is more complicated than American envy of a British jet. US Navy observers regarded Nimrod as a strong specialist maritime-patrol aircraft. That reputation rested on the aircraft's mission role rather than jet speed alone. It also does not make the widely used P-3 Orion an inferior fleet solution.