Shadow fleet gets increased to 8

[Ghost from above]

As part of a £110 million contract the shadow fleet will be increased to 8 airframes. The current 6 airframes will be upgraded to MK2 standard.
Good news for Waddington

Full article here
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/110m ... adow-fleet

[Vulcanone]

Yes, they finally get G-GMAD and G-DAYP

[reaper493]

The fleet going up to 8 with the additional two aircraft has been known for a long time.

From what I understand, GMAD(ZZ506) and DAYP (ZZ505) will be the only R2s, with the rest of the fleet being R1/R1+ spec, not sure if all the R1's will be R1+ spec?
416 and 504 are/were the only ones left as R1 standard, but both are currently at Hawarden, possibly for upgrade to R1+?

I think the news is that the whole fleet will be given the new defensive aids sweet, with the fleet being 6 R1+ and 2 R2s, with upgrades being delivered in 2023 once the R1+ and R2 conversions have been completed.

I could be way off, but that's what I understand it to be.

Cheers

Mike

[tommc]

The fleet going up to 8 with the additional two aircraft has been known for a long time.

From what I understand, GMAD(ZZ506) and DAYP (ZZ505) will be the only R2s, with the rest of the fleet being R1/R1+ spec, not sure if all the R1's will be R1+ spec?
416 and 504 are/were the only ones left as R1 standard, but both are currently at Hawarden, possibly for upgrade to R1+?

I think the news is that the whole fleet will be given the new defensive aids sweet, with the fleet being 6 R1+ and 2 R2s, with upgrades being delivered in 2023 once the R1+ and R2 conversions have been completed.

I could be way off, but that's what I understand it to be.

Cheers

Mike

No.

All 8 will be R2s in due course.

[POL]

Are there any discernable differences between Mk1+ and Mk2? I guess as we've not seen any Mk2s out and about yet we don't know..? Perhaps a silly question on my part!

[Ghost from above]

THE INITIAL upgraded Shadow R2 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft for No 14 Squadron was serial ZZ507. This is one of three additional King Air 350Cs acquired by the RAF for conversion to Shadow ISR aircraft, the other two being G-DAYP and G-GMAD, allocated serials ZZ505 and ZZ506. In addition to the three new airframes, the five existing Shadow R1s were reworked to an interim standard in 2019/20, as Shadow R1A aircraft, prior to the final R2 configuration.

[tommc]

THE INITIAL upgraded Shadow R2 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft for No 14 Squadron was serial ZZ507. This is one of three additional King Air 350Cs acquired by the RAF for conversion to Shadow ISR aircraft, the other two being G-DAYP and G-GMAD, allocated serials ZZ505 and ZZ506. In addition to the three new airframes, the five existing Shadow R1s were reworked to an interim standard in 2019/20, as Shadow R1A aircraft, prior to the final R2 configuration.

1. ZZ504 has not yet been upgraded, it is still an R1.
2. The initial upgrade was to R1+ (NOT R1A).
3. ZZ505 will be the first R2 (NOT ZZ507).

[Evergreen 44]

Good Afternoon
Can anyone cinfirm if there ever any real credence to G-DAYM/ZZ508 being mentioned in relation to this project ? The civil reg. was never taken up and ZZ508 was listed as 'reserved for RAF'. Looking on the manufacturer''s c/n list for the B350 ER in the FM- serial range did not reveal any obvious candidate for a speculative ninth a/c
Thanks in advance

[JLewis_Aviation]

Sorry to dredge up such an old thread but saves creating a new one. All the reports say the first of the 2 new shadows will be in operation in 2024. We are halfway through the year and nothing seems to have come out of Hawarden yet?

[reaper493]

There are issues sadly.

[JLewis_Aviation]

Thought that was the case Mike, cheers

[Agent K]

There are issues sadly.

Technical? or contractual? or indeed financial?

[jetranger2015]

There are issues sadly.

Technical? or contractual? or indeed financial?

More likely motivational!
No pressure to finish from anyone, and all the salary's are being paid at our expense, so why rush.

[Agent K]

There are issues sadly.

Technical? or contractual? or indeed financial?

More likely motivational!
No pressure to finish from anyone, and all the salary's are being paid at our expense, so why rush.

Is that the actual case? or supposition? I'd have sincerely hoped the contract was a fixed cost and timescale based one, and being managed accordingly, and if so, they'd surely rush to avoid service credits/penalties.