Harriers to be sold to the spams

[Shugster]

Heard on the grapevine that there will be an announcement today that the deal to sell the Harriers to the spams will be confirmed today. They are taking them all including every last spare nut and bolt. The Marine corp have seen the JSF is delayed by years and need to extend the life of the Harrier. I can help thinking we have made a massive mistake here.

What's this we? You mean the bean counters....

 

[Scouser812]

Massive mistake by the bean counters, but the spams, according to the USMC website are just going to cannibalise them, yet one of their airships was quoted as liking the idea of sending several of them back to afghan.

why we didnt scrap half the tonka's and shove 6 gr9's on the lusty for ellamy is beside me, then again...i lost common sense when i attested.

 

[MAINJAFAD]

Massive mistake by the bean counters, but the spams, according to the USMC website are just going to cannibalise them, yet one of their airships was quoted as liking the idea of sending several of them back to afghan.

why we didnt scrap half the tonka's and shove 6 gr9's on the lusty for ellamy is beside me, then again...i lost common sense when i attested.

Maybe cause with the exception of STOVL the Tornado force is a damm sight more capable, like being able to support two operations at the same time (Harrier force was on its arse doing just one) and employ weapons and recce assests that the Harrier couldn't. Anyhow the Lusty was on deep refit when Libya kicked off and wasn't ready until it was almost over. Oh and a carrier doesn't operate by itself, it tends to require a shed load of other ships to support it. Govt stated that one Fast Jet type and all of its supporting contracts had to be chopped (which wouldn't happen just by axing half the Tonka force) and if looked at from all angles the axing of the Harrier was only option.

 

[MrMasher]

Maybe cause with the exception of STOVL the Tornado force is a damm sight more capable, like being able to support two operations at the same time (Harrier force was on its arse doing just one) and employ weapons and recce assests that the Harrier couldn't.

Somewhat biased there.
The Harrier has different capabilities, you can't compare them like for like.

How many Tornados are now doing the job of 6 Harriers?

 

[ady eflog]

Somewhat biased there.
The Harrier has different capabilities, you can't compare them like for like.

How many Tornados are now doing the job of 6 Harriers?

Dont worry from the grapevine at Marham their days are numbered when we pull out of kaf, and that will be sooner than most people are planning. One rumour is that they will scrap another tonka sqn before the summer and another soon after that. The School have been told to start making plans to ramp down courses.

 

[Scouser812]

The Harrier has different capabilities, you can't compare them like for like.

This.

The GR9's compensated for not having a cannon by having CRV-7's, They were able to go out in pure PW IV fit.

in KAF there was only 2 harriers lost in 5 years (one by pilot error and one by IDF) in first 6 months of the Tonka's being there they had lost the same number of aircraft.

BUT the tonka's out there have 2 extra sets of eyes when they are overhead a TiC, they're brimstone capable, and have cannon on board.

The School have been told to start making plans to ramp down courses.

Thats if they eventually get the studes from Valley, given the excellent serviceability rate of the T2.

 

[MontyPlumbs]

I'm not disputing most of what's been said about the mighty Serbian widow maker, but JFH was far from 'on it's arse' when supporting the KAF det, mainly due to a never ending supply of freshed faced AETs from the FAA who were desperate to maintain fixed wing capability.

I can't see any reason for scrapping the Harrier early other than a political one, but it's time to accept the fact the old bird has gone and times have changed!

People still lament the Bucc, 20 years after her passing

 

[Scouser812]

I'm not disputing most of what's been said about the mighty Serbian widow maker, but JFH was far from 'on it's arse' when supporting the KAF det, mainly due to a never ending supply of freshed faced AETs from the FAA who were desperate to maintain fixed wing capability.

I can't see any reason for scrapping the Harrier early other than a political one

3 squadrons, on 4 months roulement, didnt have a drawdown on pace of ops/exercises/CVS dets from Cottesmore.

And IMO it was a scapegoat, Typhoons have QRA, Tonka's (just) had KAF, Harriers had zilch. (not that i'm biased for doing 3 years in rutland-shire.)

 

[moomin19]

BAE win again

BAE win again

"I can't see any reason for scrapping the Harrier early other than a political one, but it's time to accept the fact the old bird has gone and times have changed!"

IMO they had to choose a platform to bin. The whole debacle rovolves around contracts with BAE.
They had very little to do at Cottesmore as the airframe was in such good condition, whereas the mighty heap which is the Tornado (yes I speak from experience as a pulse line manager), the servicing program takes up the entire waterfront at Marham.
BAE employ three times as many people at Marham as they did at Cott.
Is this a conspiracy theory?!? well maybe but lets think for a minute....whose currently building us an aircraft carrier which we can't use?

 

[ady eflog]

"I can't see any reason for scrapping the Harrier early other than a political one, but it's time to accept the fact the old bird has gone and times have changed!"

IMO they had to choose a platform to bin. The whole debacle rovolves around contracts with BAE.
They had very little to do at Cottesmore as the airframe was in such good condition, whereas the mighty heap which is the Tornado (yes I speak from experience as a pulse line manager), the servicing program takes up the entire waterfront at Marham.
BAE employ three times as many people at Marham as they did at Cott.
Is this a conspiracy theory?!? well maybe but lets think for a minute....whose currently building us an aircraft carrier which we can't use?

Well its more like the BAe Force than the RAF, they control the Typhoon Fleet, Tornado fleet and VC10 fleet.

 

[MrMasher]

Well its more like the BAe Force than the RAF, they control the Typhoon Fleet, Tornado fleet and VC10 fleet.

There's more, they've got their fingers in loads of pies.

How about the original SA80? The crap one. Made by a company owned by BAe.