STRONG RUMOUR: Harriers could be brought back into service..

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Stratofreighter
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STRONG RUMOUR: Harriers could be brought back into service..

Post by Stratofreighter »

http://key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=2715&t ... n=military
Harrier cuts “harm national interest”

Five senior military figures have severely criticised the decision to scrap the Harrier.

Gary Parsons - 10-Nov-2010

In a letter to the Times newspaper, five senior military figures have severely criticised the UK Government’s decision to scrap the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy’s fleet of Harrier aircraft.

“The decision is strategically and financially perverse,” says the letter, which argues that the Tornado force should have been retired instead.

It says “Argentina is practically invited to attempt to inflict on us a national humiliation on the scale of the loss of Singapore”,
hinting that the Falkland Islands could not be taken back after any invasion with the retirement of HMS Ark Royal and its fixed-wing fleet of aircraft.

The letter says the decision should be reversed “before it is too late”, but with Harrier operations due to cease on December 16 :shock: :cry: it is highly unlikely that any reprieve will be forthcoming.
For those interested: the thread at http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/ ... nkers.html isn't all that full of "armchair generals", a lot of the posters actually WORK on them/fly them/worked on them/flew them...
1(f) Stands down 15 Dec 2010 and formally disbands 27 Jan 2011
with other units to follow suit shortly thereafter...
Last edited by Stratofreighter on 01 May 2011, 22:05, edited 8 times in total.
November 2024 update at FokkerNews.nl....
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Re: CONFIRMED: Harrier farewell fly past mid December 2010...

Post by Stratofreighter »

:evil: :cry: :bawl: :@(:
The latest information to be released from Cottesmore on the finale of the
Harrier, is that the base expects to launch a 16 ship of Harriers.

However, the exact number of aircraft involved will depend upon serviceability

These are expected to launch from Cottesmore, and overfly various RAF
stations and local towns in the locality, which have been associated with the
Harrier over the last four decades.

These include Wittering, Coningsby, and
other RAF stations in East Anglia.

Due to the possible inclement weather during mid December, Cottesmore has a
window of three days on which the 16 ship flypast will take place.

This will be the 14, 15 and 16 December. The final decision will be taken on or
around 10 December.

That is the latest information which has been released by RAF Cottesmore.
More information will be released nearer the time.

Due to the rapid demise of the Harrier, the finale has had to be arranged against a background
of the Squadrons continuing their routine duties, right up to the bitter end.

It is a sad occasion, as the iconic Harrier has carved a unique place in
UK military history.
November 2024 update at FokkerNews.nl....
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Re: CONFIRMED: Harrier farewell fly past mid December 2010...

Post by Stratofreighter »

http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?p=458670#p458670
Just heard that the RAF will bring all the flyable Harriers from Wittering to Cottesmore this thursday.... (not confirmed).
November 2024 update at FokkerNews.nl....
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Re: UPDATE: that Harrier farewell fly past this week...

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November 2024 update at FokkerNews.nl....
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Re: TODAY IS THE DAY: the Harrier farewell fly past ...

Post by Stratofreighter »

The route:
Yet another NOTAM for tomorrow. New timings for certain bases.

Parent ICAO: EGTT
Start date/time: 15/12/2010 12:55 UTC
End date/time: 15/12/2010 14:10 UTC
Activity period: null
Lower height limit: 000
Upper height limit: 030

FORMATION TRANSIT BY 16 MIL FAST JET ACFT ACFT. THE FORMATION WILL
FORM UP IN VCY OF 5239N 00033E (MARHAM AD) FM 1305 HR AND THEN ROUTE:
5239N 00033E (MARHAM AD) 1318 HR
5221N 00006W (WYTON AD) 1322 HR
5219N 00014W (BRAMPTON) 1325 HR
5237N 00029W (WITTERING AD) 1326 HR
5239N 00029W (STAMFORD) 1327 HR
5302N 00029W (CRANWELL AD) 1331 HR
5310N 00031W (WADDINGTON AD)1332 HR
5318N 00033W (SCAMPTON AD) 1334 HR
5306N 00010W (CONINGSBY AD) 1341 HR
5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD)1345 HR
5240N 00044W (OAKHAM) 1346 HR
5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD)1350 HR
THE FORMATION WILL REMAIN IN VCY OF 5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD)
UNTIL 1400 HR PRIOR TO LANDING. TIMINGS, HGT AND ROUTE ARE APRX AND
MAY CHANGE DUE TO WX OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 10-12-0055/AS 1

All times local/GMT
And it should look like this, as seen at Wyton tuesday afternoon:
Image
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Richard from Rotterdam
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Re: TODAY IS THE DAY: the Harrier farewell fly past ...

Post by Richard from Rotterdam »

Part of the flight (arrival at Cottesmore) will be broadcast live on the BBC News channel.
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Re: TODAY IS THE DAY: the Harrier farewell fly past ...

Post by BartMan »

That's it! Final Harrier flight has just landed and all 16 aircraft had a simultanious shut down.
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Re: TODAY WAS THE DAY: the Harrier farewell fly past ...

Post by Stratofreighter »

BBC One news between now and 19.30 hrs. :idea:
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Re: TODAY WAS THE DAY: the Harrier farewell fly past ...

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Re: TODAY WAS THE DAY: the Harrier farewell fly past ...

Post by Stratofreighter »

Another one...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EztX53wgCY[/youtube]
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Re: The Harrier farewell fly past ...

Post by Stratofreighter »

Image
A final formation of special markings was flown on December 13 to mark the standing down of Joint Force Harrier, 1(F) Squadron, 4(R) Squadron and 800 Naval Air Squadron. Crown copyright/MoD 2010
Taken from:
http://www.key.aero/view_feature.asp?ID ... y[quote]It was always less bovver in the hover…

Mick Britton mourns the passing of the Harrier from RAF service. [/quote]
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Re: The Harrier farewell fly past: updates/news/photos/videos...

Post by PW100 »

Image
Harrier final flypast over Downing street . . . . :-)
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Re: The Harrier farewell fly past: updates/news/photos/videos...

Post by Stratofreighter »

Rockville wrote:Interesting article:
http://news.scotsman.com/politics/39Non ... iclepage=1
And also this one. I won't hold my breath, but I would be very delighted if it actually did happen... :lol:
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/ ... _1_2634058
News>Local>East Hampshire

Government ready for a U-turn over scrapped Harriers

MOTHBALLED Harriers at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland

By Michael Powell
Published on Thursday 28 April 2011 12:39

THE government is poised to make a sensational U-turn and bring Harrier jump jets back into Royal Navy service.

The News understands defence secretary Liam Fox is holding talks to put jets on HMS Illustrious.

The Portsmouth-based aircraft carrier is in Rosyth undergoing a multi-million pound refit to turn her into a helicopter carrier.

But it is understood Illustrious, which will return to Portsmouth on July 15, has been prepared in a way that accommodates Harriers.

This includes keeping the ramp on the flight deck, which has been given a new coat of special non-slip paint.

The Royal Navy’s jets were axed along with HMS Ark Royal in last year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), which has left the navy without any jets until at least 2020.

But while Ark Royal is up for sale, the jets are being stored in hangars and could be ready to fly with two months’ notice.

A senior navy source told The News: ‘The Harriers have only been mothballed so they could be brought back out to fly at any time. Until you crush something, it can be used.

‘We’ve still got the ramp on Illustrious so it’s a strong possibility this will happen.’

A number of Harrier spares need to be put back on the ship to bring the aircraft back into service.

‘It’s easily done,’ said the source, adding: ‘It just depends whether there is the political appetite for it to happen, which I hear there is... I wouldn’t fall off my chair if this happens.’

A U-turn on the jets would be embarrassing for the Prime Minister David Cameron, who made cuts to plug a £38bn hole in the MoD’s budget.

But a Whitehall source revealed: ‘Liam Fox has said to several people he wants the Harriers back.’

An MoD spokesman for Dr Fox denied this was the case, saying: ‘We stand by the decisions in the SDSR.

‘We said we will project power from land bases around the world and that is what we’re doing successfully in Libya.’

Sixty useable Harriers have been mothballed while Britain spends £30m a week on RAF raids over Libya.

But figures in the SDSR suggest an aircraft carrier with Harriers could do the job for £80m a year.

Beth Torvell of The Navy Campaign called for Harriers to be used in Libya.

She said: ‘Many other nations sent a carrier as their contribution to Libyan efforts. It’s high time Britain brought back carrier strike capability and rejoined the grown-ups’ table.’

Planes could yet be deployed in Libya

NEWS that the Harrier jets could make a return has been met with relief from within the Royal Navy.

The jets give Britain the ability to anchor off the coast of anywhere in the world and project air power from a moveable airfield.

With no end in sight for the mission in Libya, HMS Illustrious could provide a base for the Harriers.

The warship could sit 15 minutes from the target, saving an awful lot of time, fuel and money in the process.

As it stands, running the air operations in Libya is costing £30m a week on basing RAF jets, their crews and ground staff in Italy, plus fuel and ammunition.

The hotel bills alone are reportedly costing £40,000 a night. By comparison, MoD figures show running operations from an aircraft carrier with 24 Harriers would cost £80m a year.

But the political sensitivities of bringing the Harriers back is embarrassing for the government, which at the moment is trying to deny such a plan exists.
November 2024 update at FokkerNews.nl....
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