A US Navy P-3 Orion aircraft from the Skinny Dragons of Patrol Squadron 4 lead a Japanese P-3 in flight over a bilateral force of US and Japanese ships during texercise RIMPAC '98. Photo from Aviation SpectatorBritish Ships Protected By Borrowed US Spy Plane In Libya -- The Telegraph
A US spy plane has been protecting British ships in Libya because Britain has no airborne maritime surveillance capability after plans for new Nimrod jets were scrapped.
HMS Liverpool, mine hunter HMS Brocklesby and nuclear submarine HMS Triumph have been watched by a US Navy P-3 Orion which has made regular sweeps of the Libyan coastline looking for potential threats.
The Ministry of Defence said that Nato assets and aircraft are shared as a matter of course.
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Update: Buddy, can you spare a spy plane? We’re forced to BORROW one from U.S. -- The SUN
My Comment: This was predicted last year when the Nimrod jets were scrapped by the U.K. government as a cost saving issue. Unfortunately .... the skeptics have now been vindicated with the British navy being forced to ask the U.S. for assistance in naval surveillance and protection.