RAF salutes passing of the Nimrod

The Nimrod MR2, one of the RAF's major assets for the past 40 years – from the Cold War and Cod Wars of the 1960s and 70s to the 21st-century conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan – will finally bow out of service next Wednesday.

Yesterday, present-day aircrew and ground staff, and veterans of countless Nimrod sorties over the past four decades, gathered in the main hangar at RAF Kinloss to salute the aeroplane at its official retirement ceremony.

A lone piper playing Auld Lang Syne marked the end of the emotional ceremony as two of the last six Nimrods still in service staged a poignant flypast.

• A history of the Nimrod

Leading the tributes to the Nimrod was Commander in Chief Air Command, Air Vice Marshal Steve Hillier, who said that the importance of the vital role played by the spy plane during its illustrious service with the RAF would probably never been fully known by the general public.

In his valedictory address, he said: "Much of the tremendous effort of the (Nimrod] force has gone unseen and unheard by all but a select few, played out hundreds if not thousands of miles from British shores, often in the greatest of secrecy day and night, in all weathers.

"When, perhaps decades from now, the details of some of those operations are revealed, many of you here now will remember them, and the significant contribution that has been made by the MR2 to the defence of the UK, throughout its tenure, with justifiable pride."

The air vice marshal, in a clear reference to the 14 servicemen killed in the Nimrod disaster in Afghanistan in September 2006, paid tribute to the RAF personnel who had lost their lives on Nimrod sorties during its 41 years of service in peace and in war.

"The end of MR2 operations marks the end of a notable era for this capability," he said.

"However, it is important to recognise, that the real heart of the capability that the MR2 has offered has been the people who operated, maintained and otherwise supported it, and not simply the airframe."

Group Captain Robbie Noel, the station commander, said it was a day of mixed emotions at the base: "On days like this, we reflect on 41 years of excellent service. But, of course, that has been tinged with tragedy – not least of which was the loss of the Nimrod over Afghanistan where 14 souls were lost.

"Easily my proudest reflection is the way that this aeroplane has adapted to meet the security challenges of the day.

"The Nimrod has been involved in every major conflict in the last 40 years as well as protecting the UK's shores and supporting those working at sea through its search and rescue role."

He added: "Much of our work has necessarily been shrouded in secrecy, but it is with great pride, affection and confidence that we say farewell to this version of the Mighty Hunter."

Uncertainty, however, hangs over the long-term future of the base as RAF Kinloss awaits the arrival of the first new Nimrod MRA4s in the summer. The latest Nimrod fleet is not expected to be fully operational until at least 2012.

More than 100 civilian staff at the base have already lost their jobs as a result of the MoD's decision to withdraw the Nimrod MR2s a year earlier than planned.

Moray Council convener, Councillor George McIntyre, said: "Had there been a seamless transition to the new Nimrod, this would have been a tremendous day. But there is this element of uncertainty hanging over the future of the whole base.

"The sooner we have a resolution of that, the better. We have all these guys trained to fly and there is nothing for them to fly in at this current time.

"And the real concern is, if something were to happen way out at sea, what guarantee do we have that there is something there to fill that void?"