US to buy UK Harriers

[Heidfirst]

What part of they are grounded, they are not going to fly again don't people seem to understand.?

Bits of them could well take to the air again in USMC aircraft.

I would say more than bits of them if the article is correct.
It sounds like there is a surmise that the USMC would plan to replace avionics systems to have commonality with the rest of their fleet but I imagine that the majority of the airframes wouldl fly again.
I also imagine that McDonnell Douglas/Boeing can assume design authority if needed for the USMC.

[cw318is]

Funny isn't it, heres the UK selling/scrapping off all the British stuff to buy american (Nimrod for Rivet Joint, F3 for F-35) and then we sell Harriers to the US for the second time. Its going to be a sad day when they leave but I guess they have done their time incredibly well. Its also interesting when you think how young whats left of the RAF is, compared to the USAF still flying 1960's B-52s.

I did think that a carrier would have been quite handy though for Operation Ellemy and Unified Protector.

[capercaillie]

The museums getting Harrier are Duxford, Hendon and Cosford and the jets assigned to those places are, I has I have been told, ZD318, ZD319 and ZD320..

Seems appropriate that the RAF Museums get aircraft that never saw service with them.

[Seaking93]

The museums getting Harrier are Duxford, Hendon and Cosford and the jets assigned to those places are, I has I have been told, ZD318, ZD319 and ZD320..

Seems appropriate that the RAF Museums get aircraft that never saw service with them.

Think this might come as a suprise to the team from Hendon and Yeovilton who visited Cottesmore recently to 'choose' thier airframes for preservation.

[psquiddy]

And exactly what Carrier might that be?

I thaught we were going to ask our French friends if we could borrow theirs if we needed one

[SHARFA2]

And exactly what Carrier might that be?

I thaught we were going to ask our French friends if we could borrow theirs if we needed one

We still have Illustrious - now back from her refit and still with Ski-Ramp.

I think the USA are now realiizing that the costs of the F35-B are going to be astronomical.

[Graf Zeppelin]

The museums getting Harrier are Duxford, Hendon and Cosford and the jets assigned to those places are, I has I have been told, ZD318, ZD319 and ZD320.

I was hoping that the RN's Fly Navy 100 aircraft, ZD406 would go to Yeovilton.

Aircraft allocated for museums are:-

ZG477 1 Sqn anniversary tail to the RAF Museum

ZD433 (complete with mission markings) FAA Museum Yeovilton

[capercaillie]

The museums getting Harrier are Duxford, Hendon and Cosford and the jets assigned to those places are, I has I have been told, ZD318, ZD319 and ZD320.

I was hoping that the RN's Fly Navy 100 aircraft, ZD406 would go to Yeovilton.

Aircraft allocated for museums are:-

ZG477 1 Sqn anniversary tail to the RAF Museum

ZD433 (complete with mission markings) FAA Museum Yeovilton

Thats more like it

[tomcatforever]

Harriers sold to the US for £110m
24 November 2011

Harrier jump jet
The UK has sold 72 Harrier jump jets to the US Marine Corps for £110m ($180m) to provide spare parts for the Marines' AV-8B Harrier fleet, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The deal includes the spare parts and support equipment that the UK would have used to maintain the Harrier fleet. Reports in the US earlier this week said that the spares deal alone was worth $50m.

Two of the UK's Harriers have been kept in Britain to be offered to naval museums.

The MoD says the scrapping and sale of Britain's Harriers will save around £1bn overall, and Ministers have trumpeted the deal as providing "great value for both countries".

The scrapping of the Harrier fleet was announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review in October 2010, and left the country without fixed wing carrier strike capability until the introduction of the Joint Strike Fighter and Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers at the end of the decade.

The MoD says the Harriers' fate was sealed by cuts prior to the SDSR which "left the Harrier force too small to carry out enduring operations in Afghanistan whilst maintaining the contingent capability we need for other operations such as Libya".

The sale will "enable investment in a more modern and capable mixed fast jet fleet", a ministry spokesman said.

The UK has yet to take delivery of its first Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), which was finished at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas, factory earlier this week. Final fleet numbers for the UK's JSF fleet have yet to be confirmed.

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Peter Luff said that Harrier had served the UK with "great distinction" but that "retiring it eight years earlier than planned was the right decision".

"Had we taken the decision in the SDSR to decommission Tornado instead we would not have been able to carry out the missions that were required simultaneously in Libya and Afghanistan. It was essential to retire older, less capable aircraft to allow us to invest in more modern, cutting-edge fast jets.

"As our operations over Libya proved, we have the capability to project decisive air power and can utilise our extensive basing and over-flight rights to great effect.

"The sale of Harrier is evidence of our commitment to working closely with our allies and represents a good deal for both countries."

Info from defencemanagement.com

[Mad Dan]

The sale will "enable investment in a more modern and capable mixed fast jet fleet", a ministry spokesman said.

"The sale of Harrier is evidence of our commitment to working closely with our allies and represents a good deal for both countries."

What a load of self-serving and self-justifying bollocks... You won't get much bang for the buck for £110 million... It's a fantastic deal for the US, but I can't help feeling that we've been shafted yet again, though I'm not blaming the US for that... Yes, I know it says we've saved a billion, but I can't help feeling that will somehow evaporate when the time comes...

Two of the UK's Harriers have been kept in Britain to be offered to naval museums.

The FAA Museum definitely - wonder what the other naval museum is? And does this mean that the RAF Museum won't get one after all?

[Graf Zeppelin]

Dan,

As I posted earlier, the RAFM will get ZG477 in 1 Sqn Special Marks. Methinks the "two naval museums" are a mistake in preparation of the statement!

[Graf Zeppelin]

The statement actually says

"The sale of equipment to the US includes spares and associated support equipment. Two aircraft will also be offered to museums in order to preserve the Royal Navy’s military heritage"

[Mad Dan]

Yes, I saw that you said ZG477 was going to the RAFM, Phil...

I was being provocative!!!

Hope all is well at dear old Northolt...

[Thumper]

How many Harriers does the UK have then or was it 72?

Gutted to hear this, although I knew they would never fly again I still had some kind of delusional hope for maybe an airshow example

[PeterR]

Harrier for the RAF Museum is going to the Cosford site, not Hendon

[TIGER TIM]

I cannot understand why Yeovilton is getting a No.1(F) Squadron Harrier GR9A in the shape of ZD433 - why not give them either ZD351 or ZD406

[Seaking93]

I cannot understand why Yeovilton is getting a No.1(F) Squadron Harrier GR9A in the shape of ZD433 - why not give them either ZD351 or ZD406

ZD433 served with the NSW in Afghanistan so has a combat history, ZD351 or ZD406 do not

Hope that explains why FAAM requested ZD433 rather than any other airframe, add to that it already has the mission marks applied etc, just need for the transfer to be signed off by the minister at MOD.

[SHARFA2]

Harrier for the RAF Museum is going to the Cosford site, not Hendon

[SHARFA2]

How many Harriers does the UK have then or was it 72?

Gutted to hear this, although I knew they would never fly again I still had some kind of delusional hope for maybe an airshow example

Personally I would loved to have seen an FA2 on the display circuit - especially as it was the last all BRITISH jet fighter. Admirals Barge!!

[Wes_Howes]

How many Harriers does the UK have then or was it 72?

Gutted to hear this, although I knew they would never fly again I still had some kind of delusional hope for maybe an airshow example

Personally I would loved to have seen an FA2 on the display circuit - especially as it was the last all BRITISH jet fighter. Admirals Barge!!

You could always take a trip to the 'States if you're that desperate to get a fix

[shaggy101]

Or India

[Thumper]

To visit an American airshow is a dream holiday for me but I kept dipping into the US fund for airshows so now I am working on a MAKS fund which is more reachable than the US, or India unfortunately. The arcade in central Milton Keynes has a ride on flight sim with a Harrier which keeps me amused

[Kenny]

I am working on a MAKS fund which is more reachable than the US, or India unfortunately

Really? I thought MAKS was super expensive? Surely the US and India have good travel deals?

[Sea King]

The arcade in central Milton Keynes has a ride on flight sim with a Harrier which keeps me amused

Wait, what?! Is this any good? I MUST know.

[Thumper]

Yes MAKS is very expensive if you go for one of the packages but I have looked into doing it all separate and so long as you book things well in advance it's a lot cheaper than going to the US. Not too sure about India, my friend went there last year and it cost her £900 on the flights alone. To be honest it's not a country I want to visit although I'm sure Russia has it's issues as well as the US. Feck it I'll just book a Mach package for RIAT 2012

Sea King - The game is pretty good until you get onto level 7 which is the desert and the Harrier doesn't flick very well to get through the canyons so I changed to an F-14