BAE SYSTEMS Nimrod MRA4 Tactical Command & Acoustics

The Tactical Command (TAC) Rail consisted of three crew members, whose roles were to control all the sensors and weapons systems.

1. The Information Manager (Forward Position): Combining the previous Nimrod MR2 roles of Radio Operator, Air Engineering Officer (AEO), Route Navigator and Lead Dry Weapons Operator, the new Role increased the intelligence application of the platform significantly and was a quantum leap forward from the MR2 or any other then current aircraft.
The Information Manager (Photo left) was responsible for: Communication Suite and Data Links with five secure VIUHF radios, two secure HF radios, SHF Satcom, DF equipment aiding aircrew rescue, Link 11 (Tactical Data Link) and Link 16 (Joint Tactical Information Distribution System) which allowed the transmission
of digital pictures.

2. TACCO 1 - Mission Commander (Central Seat): This position used all the inputs from the sensors to position the aircraft and to decide what actions should take place, including weapon deployment.

3. TACCO 2 (Aft Seat): Assistant to TACCO 1 and responsible for co-ordinating stores/buoy deployment and the EOSDS Camera (Photo left).

(Colour Photograph Middle Left) - The EOSDS Camera

4. Acoustics Station (Two Operators): The enhanced CDC/Ultra UYS503/AQS970 acoustic processor could process up to sixty-four sonobuoys in the water at any one time. Operators accessed digital signal processing, historical data storage and data fusion, combining fix data from several sonobuoys and various analytical tools.

(Colour Photograph Bottom Right) - Acoustics Station.