Harriers the last day

[John]

How sad is this...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11996936
http://www.key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=28 ... n=military

Kind regards

John

[Paul K]

Always sad to see an aircraft retired from service.

Here's another BBC link..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12003381

It says at the bottom;

Captain Mike Carty of the Royal Marines told Anthony Bartram it had been a privilege to be one of the pilots.

Royal Marines ? A Royal Marine Harrier pilot ?

[ianhind]

Is there something wrong with that BBC story?

The Harriers will be decommissioned in 2011 to be replaced by the Joint Strike Fighter by the end of the decade.

So just a 9-year gap? Or have I misunderstood something?

[SkippyBing]

Royal Marines ? A Royal Marine Harrier pilot ?

Yes and before that there we RM Sea Harrier pilots. If they're good enough to go fast jet it seems a bit pointless having them fly green Lynx.

So just a 9-year gap? Or have I misunderstood something?

It depends on when you consider the Harrier to have gone out of service, and when the JSF will be in service/operationally capable etc. I'm not sure why there's a delay getting the C model JSF as I thought the B models were going to be available ~2016 but it may be the USMC are pushing more than the USN for their variant.

[WhisperJet]

How sad is this...

After the Concorde, another steps backwards in aviation technology.

Nick.

[jonesey2k]

It's a good job we won't be needing to take off from a West German field anytime soon then...

[Hot_Charlie]

It says at the bottom;

Captain Mike Carty of the Royal Marines told Anthony Bartram it had been a privilege to be one of the pilots.

Royal Marines ? A Royal Marine Harrier pilot ?

Indeed. There are quite a few of them. Certainly brings a different perspective, as most, if not all have been in the thick of it on the ground before pilot training.

[Paul K]

Well I must say, it never occurred to me that Royal Marines might be flying fast jets. Are there any Army pilots doing the same job ?

[SkippyBing]

Are there any Army pilots doing the same job ?

Not that I'm aware of. The RM follow the same EFT course as their RN colleagues so can get streamed for fast jet at Barkston Heath, the Army do a shorter course at Barkston and are never assessed for fast jet.
Also the Army aren't/weren't part of the Harrier Force whereas being part of the Navy the RM were. Their were a few Army pilots who did an exchange with the Navy, then transferred across* and then did the Air 309 course to re-stream fast jet, but they were Navy when they actually underwent stovie training.

*Generally officers as the Army Air Corps career 'structure' tends to limit them to one maybe two tours and then back to general duties.

[Paul K]

Ah okay, thanks for that Skippy. And thanks too, H_C for your info.