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

[Hashime]

tis a sad day indeed for aviation, the harrier is an engineering masterpiece.

if it helps you brits feel any better we aussies are also having a greiving period for the retirement of a equally iconic aircraft, the F-111

incidentally the autralian government wishes to buy F35's to replace them as well, though i question whether that is a good idea

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.

No offense, but stop whining. Lockheed Martin is going to be finishing the F-35 in a few years and the Royal Navy along with other American military branches, will be getting a VTOL stealth joint strike fighter. The harrier can't stand up to that...

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.

the F35 is only better on paper, it has yet to actually face other combat proven aircraft in a real battle and is thus unproven, until it is actually put through combat and achieves the same results the harrier did i'l remain skeptical as to how good it is

plus the design of the F-35 lacks the soul and status which aircraft like the Harrier and F-111 have

It is more so the electronic warfare systems, anti-detection systems, and better maneuverability due to advanced computer control.

 

[CouchCommando]

Good bye Harrier Jump jet, hello American made F-35 VTOL coming to a British country side back yard near you.

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

It is more so the electronic warfare systems, anti-detection systems, and better maneuverability due to advanced computer control.

that is exactly what i don't like about it, too much reliance of computers, and again, all its specs and tech sounds good on paper, but it has yet to actually engage in combat

its anti detection systems have difficulties in regards to infrared search and tracking (technology that sukhoi and Mig have got down to a fine art)

and its maneuvroeability is still inferior to much larger aircraft due to the simple fact that it lacks the thrust to weight ratio, its payload weight limit also leaves something to be desired

also to use it in theatres like border defence for australia due to the extreme distances it would require either drop tanks or a tanker aircraft nearby, which undermines its much touted stealth capability

and in closing the things are just too expensive

 

[C95J]

What! What! What! What! What!

Seriously why the Harrier? For some reason I am generally upset by this
Its replacement will not be the same, although I don't know much about the JSF

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

if it helps you brits feel any better we aussies are also having a greiving period for the retirement of a equally iconic aircraft, the F-111

RAAF F-111 pilots were all nutters. Who else could manage to hit a cow while flying nap-of-the-Earth?

 

[manaman]

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?

I'm not sure what happens to them to be honest. They might get taken apart and recycled or whatever, as I dont think we have plane "graveyards" like the yanks do.

I'd like to think they'd get sold off though. It would create a bit of extra cash and it would be nice to think of them still flying and doing their job

No plane graveyards? How absurd!

How do you function as a society without something as important as plane graveyards?

Actually you probably have something similar to the boneyards, except the planes don't end up sitting around as long. Nor are there as many planes.

Retired aircraft are kept around for years in a mothball condition, if need be the planes could fairly quickly be brought back to working condition. Inactive or excess planes are also stored from time to time, with some slowly cannibalized for parts for the fleet.

Besides the UK would probably do the same if they had wide stretches of unused land that saw little to no rain and fairly stable temperatures year in and year out.

 

[EmzOLV]

I read about it in Metro this morning and I have to admit I was a little sad
It seems a bit shame there will be no more flying over the skies ahead!

 

[Shock and Awe]

What! What! What! What! What!

Seriously why the Harrier? For some reason I am generally upset by this
Its replacement will not be the same, although I don't know much about the JSF

Despite popular belief the Harrier is not that great of a fighter once it is airborne. It is easily outclassed by the F-16, F-15, F-18, F-22, the Eurofighter, and the F-35(JSF).

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

Despite popular belief the Harrier is not that great of a fighter once it is airborne. It is easily outclassed by the F-16, F-15, F-18, F-22, the Eurofighter, and the F-35(JSF).

-__- that is because it is primarily a ground attack aircraft....and yet it was still able to shoot down aircraft considered surperior to it (its kill record of mirage fighters, a supersonic interceptor jet, during the falklands without loosing a single harrier to enemy fire speaks for itself) plus the it was first concieved in the 60's, the fact that it was able to do what was asked of it successfully for 40 years is a very impressive feat

 

[SilkySkyKitten]

As someone who has witnessed one of these things in person (granted, it was an American Harrier, but alas they're exactly the same as the UK Harriers for all I can tell), it's sad to see them go. While they are getting old and need replacing, planes as influential as this are always a shame to see decommissioned.

 

[Capt. Crankypants]

Well...hey...seeing as you chaps don't want them and all, why not donate your Harriers to Australia =D.

We sure could use them, we just spent a bundle on buying Super-Hornets from the U.S, something I don't entirely agree with. I think we bought 9. In total. Wow huh?

So yeah, any spare jet aircraft, missiles...even bullets? Much appreciated =P

 

[Wadders]

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.

You guys need bigger carriers. Ours would fling any fighter in the RAF's inventory into the air like it's weightless, provided of course the nose strut doesn't get ripped off by the catapult...

They're on their way mate, we just have to wait a while.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_class_aircraft_carrier

Pardon my ignorance, but do you guys lack the ability to launch jets from ships?

Pretty much I think, untill we get the JSF in like 2020.

No plane graveyards? How absurd!

How do you function as a society without something as important as plane graveyards?

Actually you probably have something similar to the boneyards, except the planes don't end up sitting around as long. Nor are there as many planes.

Retired aircraft are kept around for years in a mothball condition, if need be the planes could fairly quickly be brought back to working condition. Inactive or excess planes are also stored from time to time, with some slowly cannibalized for parts for the fleet.

Besides the UK would probably do the same if they had wide stretches of unused land that saw little to no rain and fairly stable temperatures year in and year out.

I know right? I think our nation is totally belittled by our lack of massive fields full of rusting, unwanted and obselete peices of military hardware. Our glorious rainy weather and lack of anything remotely desertlike (apart from some areas of East Anglia perhaps) may have something to do with our crucial lack of boneyards which so demeans us as a nation.

Well...hey...seeing as you chaps don't want them and all, why not donate your Harriers to Australia =D.

We sure could use them, we just spent a bundle on buying Super-Hornets from the U.S, something I don't entirely agree with. I think we bought 9. In total. Wow huh?

So yeah, any spare jet aircraft, missiles...even bullets? Much appreciated =P

We'll post some stuff over to you Aussies ASAP, a few bullets and grenades, maybe some ration packs and a manual for a Harrier or something

Although it might take a while, we've got a paltry few cm of snow so obviously the entire country has come to a standstill and Royal Mail have ceased to function for the duration of this terrible weather event.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Well...hey...seeing as you chaps don't want them and all, why not donate your Harriers to Australia =D.

We sure could use them, we just spent a bundle on buying Super-Hornets from the U.S, something I don't entirely agree with. I think we bought 9. In total. Wow huh?

So yeah, any spare jet aircraft, missiles...even bullets? Much appreciated =P

RAAF will say what they've said every time someone's tried to shop them harriers - too bloody short in the leg to be any use here.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

They do know they just made the Royal Navy defunct right? The Carrier IS the modern Navy. Parliament really screwed the pooch here, The Royal Navy used to be a name feared by all of Britain's enemies, now they don't even have capitol ships. Sad day for the British Military.

We do have 2 large aircraft carriers on order for the F35 (or whatever it's called).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_class_aircraft_carrier

We don't have an empire to protect anymore, a vast world beating navy is a pointless expenditure. We only managed to sustain such vast armed forces because of the money we made from the empire. Nowadays we are just a small country with very little in the way of natural resources or industry that punches way above its weight and engages in foreign conflicts far too often. We could just about afford to keep a top of the line military if we weren't spending so much on foreign conflicts. Peacekeeping in the former Yugoslavia, Gulf war, Sierra Leone and now Afghanistan and Iraq have stretched the militarys budget to the point where it can't buy the equipment it needs or even keep its current stocks in good working order.

That said, I am sad to see the Harrier go, if the USMC & Navy still use it as a ground attack craft then it has to be pretty good, the yanks don't use damned limey equipment lightly.

 

[bladeofdarkness]

RIP.
such a tragic loss.
guess the UK will just have to make do with the new Eurofighters and the F-35s when they become available.

 

[RobCoxxy]

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

That would be the solution to all of our problems.

Also. Royal Family. Necessary? No.
The one thing that only the Queen could actually do (declare war) went out the window with Blair and Iraq.
So now they are essentially useless.

 

[Wadders]

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

That would be the solution to all of our problems.

Also. Royal Family. Necessary? No.
The one thing that only the Queen could actually do (declare war) went out the window with Blair and Iraq.
So now they are essentially useless.

I dont see where the Royal Family come into all of this?

 

[RobCoxxy]

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

That would be the solution to all of our problems.

Also. Royal Family. Necessary? No.
The one thing that only the Queen could actually do (declare war) went out the window with Blair and Iraq.
So now they are essentially useless.

I dont see where the Royal Family come into all of this?

Cost-cutting.

 

[Wadders]

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

That would be the solution to all of our problems.

Also. Royal Family. Necessary? No.
The one thing that only the Queen could actually do (declare war) went out the window with Blair and Iraq.
So now they are essentially useless.

I dont see where the Royal Family come into all of this?

Cost-cutting.

Hmm, now knowing you Rob, you're going to be dissapointed with me here, but I confess to being a bit of a Royalist.

Last year the royal family cost every person who pays tax in Britain 62p. Not exactly a massive dent out of people's income. If that's the price we have to pay to preserve a bit of tradition and history, then fair enough. Plus they probably help boost what little tourism industry we have.

Also, I like it when Prince Charles blocks horrible building projects that looks like prisons in historical areas or as replacements for historical buildings. That guy is a legend. And if we didnt have Prince Phillip, who would Mock the Week have to take the piss out of?

 

[RobCoxxy]

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

That would be the solution to all of our problems.

Also. Royal Family. Necessary? No.
The one thing that only the Queen could actually do (declare war) went out the window with Blair and Iraq.
So now they are essentially useless.

I dont see where the Royal Family come into all of this?

Cost-cutting.

Hmm, now knowing you Rob, you're going to be dissapointed with me here, but I confess to being a bit of a Royalist.

Last year the royal family cost every person who pays tax in Britain 62p. Not exactly a massive dent out of people's income. If that's the price we have to pay to preserve a bit of tradition and history, then fair enough. Plus they probably help boost what little tourism industry we have.

Also, I like it when Prince Charles blocks horrible building projects that looks like prisons in historical areas or as replacements for historical buildings. That guy is a legend. And if we didnt have Prince Phillip, who would Mock the Week have to take the piss out of?

69p sounds fuck all, put per person brings that to £42,668,326.26
Which is a hefty sum. And I don't think they rake in that much from tourism.... that's also just the base cost, not security, or extravagant royal weddings (I'm looking at you, Harry) so, if we really wanted to cut the debt, it's genuinely worth thinking about saying bye-bye to the most comfortably-off-for-such-little-work people in the world. They're essentailly on the dole. A very sizeable dole.