At the end of March 2010 the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) stood down its Nimrod MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) fleet, embarking on a so-called 'capability holiday' that will endure until the replacement Nimrod MRA.4 declares an initial operating capability (IOC) towards the end of 2012.rnThat the UK, as an island nation, should choose to 'gap' its dedicated airborne maritime patrol capability has sparked significant comment and not a little unease in both defence and political circles. The 'Mighty Hunter', as the Nimrod became known, provided a key component of the UK's already much diminished anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, maintained a high readiness posture in support of the country's strategic nuclear deterrent force of Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines and also had an important role to play in providing 24-hour long-range search-and-rescue (SAR) coverage around the UK.
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