/reeve.gif)
Sale of Harriers deniedby MoD
The reported sale of the UK’s fleet of Harrier GR9s to the US Marine Corps remains unconfirmed.
Gary Parsons - 16-Jun-2011
Key - Gary Parsons
July 16: The reported sale of the UK’s fleet of Harrier GR9s to the US Marine Corps remains unconfirmed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Yesterday the Daily Telegraph reported that the fleet of 40 ‘serviceable’ aircraft had been sold to the USMC for £34 million for breaking down into spares so that the service life of the American fleet of AV-8B Harrier IIs can be extended.
Due to delays with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the USMC is faced with keeping its AV-8Bs in service far longer than originally anticipated.
The RAF has 66 single-seat Harrier GR7/9s and nine two-seat T12s in storage at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, which closed as an active base on March 31.
AFM understands that a deal for the Harriers must be found by the end of June, after which care and maintenance contracts will expire.
Commenting on the Daily Telegraph story, an MoD spokesman said: "As decided in the SDSR, Harrier aircraft will be disposed of through whatever means will get best value-for-money for the UK taxpayer while ensuring appropriate future use of the assets.
Discussions about options for disposal are ongoing."
The USMC has 131 AV-8Bs and 17 TAV-8Bs in its inventory and it is believed that the ex-RAF T12s would be the most valuable to the Americans.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... anuts.html
Harrier jump-jets sold 'for peanuts'
Dozens of British Harrier jump jets are to be sold to the United States Marine Corps for £34 million after more than £1 billion has been spent on them in the last decade.
It is likely that instead of being flown that the Harriers will be broken up for spares despite having seven years of flying life left
By Con Coughlin, and Thomas Harding
7:14AM BST 15 Jun 2011
The Ministry of Defence finalised the deal with the Americans last night but the move has been described by Royal Navy officers as “crass” and a “shocking waste”.
One officer said the US was getting the aircraft for “peanuts” after the millions spent on them.
It is also likely that instead of being flown that the Harriers will be broken up for spares despite having seven years of flying life left.
The details of the deal have emerged just a day after Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, the First Sea Lord, stirred up the defence debate saying the Harrier would have made the Libya mission more effective, faster and cheaper.
He also warned that the Navy would not be able to sustain its operations in Libya for another three months without making cuts elsewhere.
It is understood that the majority of the 40 serviceable Harrier GR7 and GR9s will be sent to America where their engines and general hardware such as cockpits and flaps will be used to service USMC aircraft.
The fleet of ageing US Harrier AV8Bs has to remain in service for several years longer than planned because their replacement, the jump jet variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, is years behind schedule.
Admiral Sir John “Sandy” Woodward, the commander of the Falklands Task Force described the decision as “crass beyond belief”.
“The Americans have got themselves a bargain as our Government does not know what it’s doing.
This is a shocking waste of taxpayers money.
“These Harriers should be flying off a Navy aircraft carrier today bombing Libya and bringing the campaign to a quick conclusion but instead they are being flogged for scrap.”
A total of 70 Harriers were upgraded in the last decade but only 40 were still serviceable to fly when the Joint Force Harrier, run by the Royal Navy and RAF, was axed under the defence review last year.
The aircraft had been extremely successful in Afghanistan particularly the GR9 version which had powerful Rolls Royce engines, new weapon installations, targeting pods and helmet mounted displays.
A Ministry of Defence insider said: “If we are going to do anything with them sell the Harriers to the US is not a bad option in terms of cooperation.”