NATO 2/58 initiated efforts to develop
Standard Types, to be procured through NATO Program Offices (if 3+Member Nations came on board). Procurement Budget came from the Customer Nations, who were entitled to workshare pro-rata to their production offtake. The effort lapsed, in part because any competition won by a US product must always be cheaper off DoD's production run. First
Standard Type with an NPO was Hawk SAM, licensed by Raytheon to a Special Purpose Consortium; Sidewinder next, BGT as licensee and Prime; NATO Bullpup Production Organisation was formed 17/5/62 in Oslo, Kongsberg licensed by Martin, Prime Contractor, sub-licensing HSD/Lostock for some components and Bristol Aerojet/Banwell for motor casings. The 4 Customer Nations were Norway, Denmark, Turkey, UK, for Scimitar, Sea Vixen 1 and Buccaneer 1. RAF chose Nord AS.30 for Canberra B.15, Akrotiri/Tengah. UK by then had committed to (to be)1,200 from Martin/Maxson. I have CA Release in 1962 for Scimitar, so largely from US, Sea Vixen FAW.1 by 31/12/63 and Buccaneer S.1 4/64, and within baseline CA Release for Buccaneer S.2 and Sea Vixen FAW.2.
I try to capture dates, not of Sqdn. nominal formation, but of achieving NATO Operational status. So, excl. Training Units and non-embarked time, I have:
- Kongsberg Våpenfab.
AGM-12B Bullpup-A:
Scimitar F.1: 800NAS/LM: /
R (
6 a/c): 12/7/62-14/12/62; 4/5/63-28/12/63;
803NAS/LM: /
H: 13/11/62-23/2/64; /
R (
8 a/c): 17/6/65-1/10/66.
Sea Vixen FAW.1: 890NAS/VL:
/R: 25/7/63-28/12/63; 15/6/65-1/10/66;
892NAS/VL: /
C: 21/12/63-27/7/65;
893NAS/VL: /
V: 22/10/63-22/7/65.
Sea Vixen FAW.2: 892NAS/VL: /H: 19/1/67-4/10/68;
893NAS/VL: /
V: 8/7/66-13/6/67; /
H: 8/7/68-17/6/70;
899NAS/VL: /
E: 2/12/64-15/8/66; 24/6/67-23/1/72.
Buccaneer S.1: 800NAS/LM: /
E: 2/12/64-14/8/66;
801NAS/LM: /
V: (
10 a/c) 26/8/64-22/7/65.
Buccaneer S.2: 800NAS/LM: /
E: (
8 a/c) 26/6/67-23/1/72;
801NAS/LM: /
V: (
12 a/c) 8/7/66-13/6/67; /
H: 9/7/68-17/6/70;
803NAS/LM: /
H (4 a/c): 23/8/68-1/4/69;
809NAS/LM: /
H: (
8 a/c) 18/1/67-18/2/68; /
R: 6/9/70-24/7/73.
(
C: HMS Centaur;
E: Eagle;
R: Ark Royal;
V: Victorious.
ZT #3 pic is of XD321, R-104, 800Sqd. on
Ark's FE cruise, 4/5/63-28/12/63).
Bullpup has a bad press. In its time it offered mid-course guidance correction, so advance on SNEB, gun.
UK bought 2,500 from Kongsberg, so in all 3,700, to bring to/sustain operational status on some of these a/c (Buccs' prime role was AW, Vixen, Fleet Defence.) How expensive Naval Air is.