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

[Wadders]

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

 

[lostzombies.com]

The thing that can fly like a chopper from San Andreas? Much love ^^

Seriously though, it's a great plane and yeah I gotta agree, 10 years with a diminished air force capacity is a long time, but I really doubt Brits are heading for anything remotely resembling a major conflict. At most you'll be doing crap like Iraq where you just ship off a number of soldiers to support another force.

10 YEARS? Jesus that's ridiculous. Money does need to be saved, but this seems ridiculous, money is being cut from everywhere. I always liked those jump jets too...

On one hand, they're probably assuming in this day and age that such defences aren't needed, what with our allies and all, but still, ten years is a long time.

As a Brit, I'm annoyed. That is all.

Whilst I agree that it's likely we wont need to fire our planes off big boats at baddies again in the near future, you just never know. What happens if Argentina fancy another pop at the Falklands? It might sound paranoid, but again, you never know, and taking risks like this can only encourage such acts surely?

It's not as bad as it seems, we now have fully operational bases along the way to the Falklands and with mid-air refueling a shit load of planes can fly straight from the UK to the new airfield on the Falklands in a matter of hours.

There was not an airfield on the island before which meant there needed a carrier. Now it would simply be a case of flying there, sinking the ships before they got to the Island then pissing off back home for tea

 

[FightThePower]

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.

I like you. I like you a lot.

OT: It's a great aircraft and all, but is there really any significant military threat to this country? Some people like to say 'Argentina might have a go at the Falklands again' but why the fuck do we want the Falklands anyway?

 

[Wadders]

Sarcasm, yeah?

Not at all, I did actually find your post quite funny, I just didnt entirely agree with all of it.

The thing that can fly like a chopper from San Andreas? Much love ^^

Seriously though, it's a great plane and yeah I gotta agree, 10 years with a diminished air force capacity is a long time, but I really doubt Brits are heading for anything remotely resembling a major conflict. At most you'll be doing crap like Iraq where you just ship off a number of soldiers to support another force.

10 YEARS? Jesus that's ridiculous. Money does need to be saved, but this seems ridiculous, money is being cut from everywhere. I always liked those jump jets too...

On one hand, they're probably assuming in this day and age that such defences aren't needed, what with our allies and all, but still, ten years is a long time.

As a Brit, I'm annoyed. That is all.

Whilst I agree that it's likely we wont need to fire our planes off big boats at baddies again in the near future, you just never know. What happens if Argentina fancy another pop at the Falklands? It might sound paranoid, but again, you never know, and taking risks like this can only encourage such acts surely?

It's not as bad as it seems, we now have fully operational bases along the way to the Falklands and with mid-air refueling a shit load of planes can fly straight from the UK to the new airfield on the Falklands in a matter of hours.

There was not an airfield on the island before which meant there needed a carrier. Now it would simply be a case of flying there, sinking the ships before they got to the Island then pissing off back home for tea

Yeah thats pretty good really, I honestly did not know that untill you and another member informed me that we have planes on or as near as they can be to the Falklands. Probably should have known really, but that's lessened my fears somewhat

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.

I like you. I like you a lot.

OT: It's a great aircraft and all, but is there really any significant military threat to this country? Some people like to say 'Argentina might have a go at the Falklands again' but why the fuck do we want the Falklands anyway?

Well, we could, in all honesty, let the Falklands go, theres not much there for us, apart from some recent oil related stuf that may or may not come to nothing, and its miles away from anywhere and pretty fucking boring.

HOWEVER. The people who live there are British and see themselves as such. Therefore they need defending by our Armed forces and as much as any of the rest of us would expect and deserve that protection, so do they.

 

[Shock and Awe]

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.

 

[lostzombies.com]

Yeah thats pretty good really, I honestly did not know that untill you and another member informed me that we have planes on or as near as they can be to the Falklands. Probably should have known really, but that's lessened my fears somewhat

Not to mention the Argentinian military at present is in a worse situation that it was at the end of the Falklands Conflict.

There is always a battleship posted there no to mention a squadron of Eurofighters, so if the Argies did decide to row across they would most likely be sunk before the cavalry even arrived.

The only real posibility of this happening is is The Argentinian government read the Daily Mirror/Mail and actually believe that the only thing defending the island is a unit of Dad's Army and they are pushed to it by Hugo Chavez.

Either way the UK Government would never risk loosing the island as it would be the end of the political party who had watch over them, I mean fuck it made Maggie thatcher into a heroine for a while, and she nearly killed the country!

 

[Tom Phoenix]

I can see why the Country would do it. Jets (well, military in general, but especially jets) are incredibly expensive to maintain for any country and from what i understand, Britain is going bankrupt at an alarming rate and is either considering or already has joined militaries with France (cookie for the person that spots the irony there).

Britain joining forces with France was ironic back when they signed the Entente cordiale in 1904. By this time, however, they have joined forces so many times that it's not even remotely ironic anymore.

Anyway, this news is quite a shame, although not entirely unexpected given the circumstances. Anyway, they say that Guile's theme goes with everything. I suppose it can go with a farewell to the Harrier as well:

 

[Wadders]

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.

*sadface*

Britannia Rules the Waves no more, it seems

 

[emeraldrafael]

I can see why the Country would do it. Jets (well, military in general, but especially jets) are incredibly expensive to maintain for any country and from what i understand, Britain is going bankrupt at an alarming rate and is either considering or already has joined militaries with France (cookie for the person that spots the irony there).

Britain joining forces with France was ironic back when they signed the Entente cordiale in 1904. By this time, however, they have joined forces so many times that it's not even remotely ironic anymore.

Anyway, this news is quite a shame, although not entirely unexpected given the circumstances. Anyway, they say that Guile's theme goes with everything. I suppose it can go with a farewell to the Harrier as well:

No... not quite. Mainly its cause when they were superpowers, they hated each other and were in constant wars and competition.

 

[Zannah]

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

How much?

My thinking exactly - private plane and private helicopter all in one!

 

[Canid117]

I'm guessing that the RAF is going to be asking to borrow our F-35's and their pilots before they get around to buying their own?

Smexy lookin huh?

 

[Smagmuck_]

I'm guessing that the RAF is going to be asking to borrow our F-35's and their pilots before they get around to buying their own?

Smexy lookin huh?

Oh, The USMC has several already stationed out here.
Very Smexy indeed.

 

[Tom Phoenix]

I can see why the Country would do it. Jets (well, military in general, but especially jets) are incredibly expensive to maintain for any country and from what i understand, Britain is going bankrupt at an alarming rate and is either considering or already has joined militaries with France (cookie for the person that spots the irony there).

Britain joining forces with France was ironic back when they signed the Entente cordiale in 1904. By this time, however, they have joined forces so many times that it's not even remotely ironic anymore.

Anyway, this news is quite a shame, although not entirely unexpected given the circumstances. Anyway, they say that Guile's theme goes with everything. I suppose it can go with a farewell to the Harrier as well:

No... not quite. Mainly its cause when they were superpowers, they hated each other and were in constant wars and competition.

Technically, they were "great powers" (only the US and the USSR were ever regarded as superpowers). But anyway, that was precisely my point. It was ironic back when the Entente cordiale was signed, since they were coming off a nearly thousand-year old rivalry and competition.

But that was over a hundred years ago. Since then, the two countries have been together in multiple major alliances and have worked together in two World Wars and numerous minor conflicts. After a century of various alliances, Britain and France working together isn't really ironic anymore.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Snip

Eh, my college professor is kinda a nut about Colonial American history (his major field of study is the french and indian war or 7 years war).

But cookie for you:
http://technabob.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/super_mario_cookie.jpg

 

[Anarchy In Detroit]

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

Bah! I hope they give me a jetpack!

 

[bl4ckh4wk64]

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...

I'm guessing that the RAF is going to be asking to borrow our F-35's and their pilots before they get around to buying their own?

The Royal Navy is one of the 4 branches getting it. They don't need to borrow.

 

[s0m3th1ng]

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

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

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