RAF Harrier's final flight before retirement..

[juddy]

A handout photo made available by British Ministry of Defence showing a parade of pilots marking the decomissioning of GR9 Harrier fighter planes after their last flight, at RAF Cottesmore, Britain, 15 December 2010. The Harrier jump jet made its final operational flight on 15 December 2010, leaving from RAF Cottesmore in Rutland. The aircraft, one of Britain's greatest technical achievements was retired early after falling victim to defense cuts. In celebration of the aircraft, Harriers will pass over seven military bases, the town centers of Stamford and Oakham, and Lincoln Cathedral. The Harriers will be decommissioned in 2011 to be replaced by the Joint Strike Fighter by the end of the decade

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1004.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1005.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1006.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1007.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1008.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1009.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1010.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1011.jpg

[Bigbjorn]

Harriers will remain in service with the US Marine Corps, who, as I understand it, now own the design. Apparently the poms could not afford a necessary redesign and updates to keep the Harriers competitive.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

arent they not getting a couple of carriers as well?
The next couple of years would be a prime time to invade England;)


:o:o:o:wasntme::angel:

[juddy]

Harriers will remain in service with the US Marine Corps, who, as I understand it, now own the design. Apparently the poms could not afford a necessary redesign and updates to keep the Harriers competitive.

Not true, the harrier in UK service, was achiving its peak and recently been upgraded, it was at the best its ever been it would have be a outstanding aircraft.

Critics point out that the decision to get rid of the Harriers and the flagship aircraft carrier Ark Royal leaves the Royal Navy without a carrier able to operate strike aircraft until the second of two new carriers enters service in 2020, and warn of the risk of being unable to respond flexibly to unexpected events or threats outside the UK during those 10 years.

They also argued that it would have been cheaper to scrap the Tornado and not lose carrier strike capability, writing: "The existing Tornado force will cost, over 10 years, seven times as much to keep in service as Harrier. Was the recent exercise not supposed to save money?"

other than the USMC Spanish and Italian navies operate the harrier too.

[cartm58]

another bad decision made by boys who want fast toys

Harriers much more versatile and useful

[Bigbjorn]

arent they not getting a couple of carriers as well?
The next couple of years would be a prime time to invade England;)


:o:o:o:wasntme::angel:

Why would anyone? A country without much in the way of natural resources, whose once great industries have disappeared mostly due to government policies and interference, a basket case economy, an importer of food and much else, and 60,000,000 disgruntled poms to feed and nurture.:D

With the empire long gone, the country's relevance in international affairs is now its waning importance as the aircraft carrier, USS British Isles.:angel:

[stuee]

Good time for Argentina to have another crack?? :wasntme::wasntme:

[Bigbjorn]

Good time for Argentina to have another crack?? :wasntme::wasntme:

Or Germany?:p

[VladTepes]

photos 4 and 8 brilliant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[juddy]

Good time for Argentina to have another crack?? :wasntme::wasntme:

I think it can be said that the UK, could never mount a Falkland Island, size battle group in this day and age. Argentina have recently said that these islands are theres, and they even have the support to some degree of the US ( so much for being our Allies ), but to conduct a invasion is another thing, they don't have the ability to invade the islands, for starters they have limited air to air refuelling capability, utilising old C130's for this role, they cant fly stuff in and out, if they could, they would be soon stopped by the Typhoon squadron down there, who's aircraft are far superior than what they fly, skyhawks still i think, and up graded Mirage. Both east and west island have radar/signal gathering installations, manned 24/7, and theres also another installation on south georgia, plus theres always a sub lurking in the deep, the airfield, as a detachment of Raiper missiles too. So they would be hard pressed to invade and succeed....

[3toes]

By 2018 with current planned cut backs the Royal Navy will be smaller than the Australian navy.

The cuts have been done as the alternative was to hit social security. Defence even when fighting a couple of wars is still an easy target as they do not down tools and go on strike like public servants.

Once the cuts are in place the UK will not be able to sustain the current deployment to Iraq hence saying intend to bring half the troops home in next 2 years.

Will not be surprised to see both the carriers which are on the building blocks sold to India before they hit the water. India is currently shopping for a couple of carriers. That they have cancelled the American aircraft which were suposed to fly from the carriers is a big hint. They are only being built as the company building them had the contract written so that if the contract was pulled they had to be paid the full price anyway.

As for the Falklands they are very exposed as a small raiding party could capture Stanley and its runway easily and quickly. Once that was held game over. Or is it as a new defence pact says the French will sail their aircraft carrier if British interests are in danger as a circumstance where an attack on one is not an attack on the other is not imaginable !

The RAF was told it could have Harriers or Tornados. As the Harrier was going out of service in a couple of years with no replacement the choice was not that difficult. The version still in service was ground attack only as the ones with air to air capability were withdrawn a couple of years ago as part of a previous cost cutting exercise.

[VladTepes]

Interesting.

The idea of the carriers going to Inda is not too far fetched either.

The irony is pretty intense though eh !

[juddy]

I dont thin the carries will be going any, by the time the last one comes on line the world will be a very different place as it is now.


As for the Falklands, i dont think a small raiding party would be able to take over the British army there,like i said before these islands, and the huge amount of oil sitting around them, are well woth keeping safe...

[VladTepes]

You don't "thin the carries will be going any"" ?

[juddy]

and a few more pics, very close formation....


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/721.jpg


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/722.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/723.jpg

[Disco44]

Here is another one showing what the RAF pikots thought of the Governments decision.
Squint at the picture.