R.I.P to the Harrier Jump Jet in the UK!

[Private Custard]

Wow, thanks for the pictures and video, a majestic aricraft

No problem And that hi-res shot, beautiful. Also, one of those clicks that you hear in that video got me this shot (not full size!)

Spoiler

I had to play with it a lot though as the direct sunlight in that area really messed with my settings!

 

[kannibus]

Ironic, the only Harriers that are still in service then would be with the Americans. That seems so wrong for some reason...

 

[Buizel91]

Are JSF fighters better than the Harrier, i thought the Harrier was like the best Fighter Jet ever? Sorry don't know much about Fighter Jets XD

To bad, i may not know much, but the Harrier is awesome, they could at least keep 1 or 2.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Spoiler

I totally love the Harrier. Not just because it can hover, and therefore steals the limelight at pretty much avery airshow it appears at. The Harrier has been at the forefront of the military since 1969, and has owned everything it's ever been put up against.

Here in Rutland, I witnessed first hand the farewell to the Harriers today as sixteen of them flew around for about an hour over the town I work in. Four squadrons in total added their numbers to the finale and it was frankly mental.

It's really quiet now. I'm unhappy.

On the flipside, I have some great memories. My favourite was from my visit to Wales last year. I went for the jets, but I didn't expect one of my local Harriers to come blatting past me in the valleys of LFA7. I got this video and some lovely shots.

Wow, thanks for the pictures and video, a majestic aricraft

I found a brilliant hi-res photo of a Harrier just now, here it be:

Spoiler

If that isnt awesome, I just dont know what is.

I hope they're giving the S.A.S jetpacks. Flying Techno Ninja Squad would kick arse.

Yes, this is the obvious solution really.

In all honesty, if we had a regiment of highly trained and motivated experienced killers like the SAS who could zoom around the world as they were needed and drop in on baddies like Assault Marines from Dawn of War, then we could probably retire the rest of the armed forces, nobody would dare fuck with us again

I think we've got the makings of an awesome new TV show there...

Hell yeah!

1. Hire this guy:

2. Give him SAS training.
3. Fire him at bad guys and film it.
4. ?????
5. PROFIT!!

Profit indeed my friend... profit indeed.

Now we just need an intro theme...

HARRIER MAN THE GREATEST HERO OF THEM ALL!

Replace 'America' with 'Harrier man!'

 

[Wadders]

Just remember that the British Air Force destroyed all of the Iraqi airways so that the American ships didn't get blown out of the water.

The American Air Force declared it a "suicide mission". The Harriers did the job without a single loss.

Two words:

Fuck yes.

Spoiler

I totally love the Harrier. Not just because it can hover, and therefore steals the limelight at pretty much avery airshow it appears at. The Harrier has been at the forefront of the military since 1969, and has owned everything it's ever been put up against.

Here in Rutland, I witnessed first hand the farewell to the Harriers today as sixteen of them flew around for about an hour over the town I work in. Four squadrons in total added their numbers to the finale and it was frankly mental.

It's really quiet now. I'm unhappy.

On the flipside, I have some great memories. My favourite was from my visit to Wales last year. I went for the jets, but I didn't expect one of my local Harriers to come blatting past me in the valleys of LFA7. I got this video and some lovely shots.

Wow, thanks for the pictures and video, a majestic aricraft

I found a brilliant hi-res photo of a Harrier just now, here it be:

Spoiler

If that isnt awesome, I just dont know what is.

I hope they're giving the S.A.S jetpacks. Flying Techno Ninja Squad would kick arse.

Yes, this is the obvious solution really.

In all honesty, if we had a regiment of highly trained and motivated experienced killers like the SAS who could zoom around the world as they were needed and drop in on baddies like Assault Marines from Dawn of War, then we could probably retire the rest of the armed forces, nobody would dare fuck with us again

I think we've got the makings of an awesome new TV show there...

Hell yeah!

1. Hire this guy:

2. Give him SAS training.
3. Fire him at bad guys and film it.
4. ?????
5. PROFIT!!

Profit indeed my friend... profit indeed.

Now we just need an intro theme...

HARRIER MAN THE GREATEST HERO OF THEM ALL!

Well chaps, I think we're pretty much done here. I'll see you at the premiere party

As long as we can still send a missile flying through the windows of an middle eastern widow's home from a billion miles away while under the belief it was a terrorist safehouse yet still managing to stir up nothing more than a few feeble calls of "end war today!" and a bureaucratic nightmare, then how are we in any way impaired? I mean, all we have now are a few less images of very ingenious killing machines, meaning a few less drooling maladjusted psychopaths have wanking material, then what's the loss?

To veer off these meandering backroads and one again get back on topic properly, I would be all for cutting down the Air Force JUST SO LONG AS THE MOENY WAS GOING TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. AND IT ISN'T, IS IT? S'PLAIN THAT ONE CAMERON, YOU GRUBBY LITTLE ARSE.

Nothing like Tory-baiting.

Oh, you funny chap you.

 

[Private Custard]

Are JSF fighters better than the Harrier, i thought the Harrier was like the best Fighter Jet ever? Sorry don't know much about Fighter Jets XD

To bad, i may not know much, but the Harrier is awesome, they could at least keep 1 or 2.

The JSF is a better aircraft as certain variants are able to VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) and STOL (short takeoff and landing), as well as go supersonic. Not all variants are hover-enabled though.

The Harrier is just special though. 41 years in service and, due to constant updates, it's still amazing. It's a crowd pleaser at airshows and has fought brilliantly in warzones all over the world, proving itself as an amazing dogfighter against the Argentinians during the Falklands conflict and a brilliant ground attack aircraft in modern theatres.

It'll be sorely missed around these parts. I'm really unhappy about it.

 

[Lord_Panzer]

Always sad when good technology is forced into retirement.

 

[Chrono212]

It's a sad day for aviation and military history.
But it was designed in the 1960s (only with computers of the wooden kind) and survived all the way to 2010.

That's some pretty damn good designs.

R.I.P. Indeed.

 

[Wadders]

Wow, thanks for the pictures and video, a majestic aricraft

No problem And that hi-res shot, beautiful. Also, one of those clicks that you hear in that video got me this shot (not full size!)

Spoiler

I had to play with it a lot though as the direct sunlight in that area really messed with my settings!

That's freakin' great! Youve got some piccy taking skills right there

 

[TheSapphireKnight]

That's too bad. Its a beautiful jet.

 

[Private Custard]

Just remember that the British Air Force destroyed all of the Iraqi airways so that the American ships didn't get blown out of the water.

The American Air Force declared it a "suicide mission". The Harriers did the job without a single loss.

Two words:

Fuck yes.

Don't know whether you've seen the following (non-Harrier) footage. It's poor quality, but stick with it for the most epic warzone low flying you'll ever see.

They had to fly this low because, back then, Iraq still had a pretty capable air defence.


4m30s onwards is seriously amazing footage of what the Americans had described as 'suicide'. RAF all the way.

EDIT: Watch the shadows!!

 

[JRCB]

Does this mean the RAF will have a bunch of Harriers for sale?

How much?

On topic, damn that sucks balls. It's an amazing aircraft, and I'll miss it.

 

[HotFezz8]

So today the Harrier, the aircraft that helped us recapture the Falklands and has served our Air Force and Navy since 1969, had its last flight, on it's way to being decomissioned next year as a result of the governments defence cuts. Sure, it needs replacing, but possibly not quite yet?

I reckon it's pretty sad to be honest, and will leave a carrier strike capable shaped hole in our defence until they are replaced by the JSF in 2020. 10 years is a long time to have that kind of vulnerability as fas as I'm concerned. On the other hand, money desperately needs to be saved :/

I was just wondering what your opinions are on this really and on the Harrier as a whole, would be interesting to hear what people - especially Brits - think

im a brit from a military family with a military interest and future career path (fingers crossed) and i thoroughly advise you to read Lions, Donkeys and Dinosaurs by Lewis Page. its a brilliant book that lays out the army, defence procurement and explains alot.

the harrier will be replaced by a jump jet version of the F35 (for jump jet read 'poorer quality comprise') and is designed to fly from our bigger-then-current-but-still-tiny aircraft carriers. this is hardly a good outcome, but we get bigger carriers, and in the end we are lucky to keep any aircraft carriers at all considering the goverment wanting to cut all costs.

the biggest problem is if we need to fight off shore again without support. the logical conflict zone is the Falklands, but we currently have a flight of typhoons (previously eurofighters) there, and whilst they have major drawbacks, like the massive cost and the inability to operate from anything other than a land airport, they are still the best air to air fighters in the world.

 

[Hashime]

The F-35 Joint strike fighter is far superior. The harrier is a great plane, it is just old, difficult to fly, and in need of modernization.

 

[Wadders]

Just remember that the British Air Force destroyed all of the Iraqi airways so that the American ships didn't get blown out of the water.

The American Air Force declared it a "suicide mission". The Harriers did the job without a single loss.

Two words:

Fuck yes.

Don't know whether you've seen the following (non-Harrier) footage. It's poor quality, but stick with it for the most epic warzone low flying you'll ever see.

They had to fly this low because, back then, Iraq still had a pretty capable air defence.


4m30s onwards is seriously amazing footage of what the Americans had described as 'suicide'. RAF all the way.

EDIT: Watch the shadows!!

holy crap, the cant be more than a few metres off the ground at some points?!

While it's an amazing bird I can't say I'm surprized. It's old and IMO it was built to solve a problem that didn't exist.

Yes, but that's not the point. It is old, and it is being replaced, but in 10 (well, pretty much 9) years time. Thats a pretty long time to go without any aircraft that can be deployed from aircrat carriers anywhere in the world.

the biggest problem is if we need to fight off shore again without support. the logical conflict zone is the Falklands, but we currently have a flight of typhoons (previously eurofighters) there, and whilst they have major drawbacks, like the massive cost and the inability to operate from anything other than a land airport, they are still the best air to air fighters in the world.

Yeah, that's what I'm worried about, but honestly I wasnt aware that we already had aircraft stationed on the Falklands, so that's somewhat comforting

 

[Jewrean]

You have too many allies for anyone to be stupid enough to attack you. I'm sure you'll be safe... unless of course America discovers Britain has oil. I kid I kid.

What's happening to the jets themselves? Just being disassembled or are they being sold off to the highest bidder?