The end of the RAF/RN Harriers

[Ascot 1960]

A yet unconfirmed report has it that RAF Wittering/Cottesmore have ceased flying this week as the intention is for the Harrier OCU at Wittering to close as early as 29th October with 800 NAS and 1 Sqn at Cottesmore remaining operational until the 1st April 2011.
There is a flypast of up to 16 Harrier aircraft being planned but as yet I am not sure where or what route it will take away from the local area around Peterborough and Stamford in the UK. These where the most up to date plans I heard last week although they are changing daily at the moment.

15/12/2010 - 4(R)Sqn to disband RAF Wittering
31/01/2011 - 800 NAS to disband RAF Cottesmore
31/03/2011 - 1Sqn to disband with a joint disbandment at both RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore. The local press have said that there will be a fly past of Peterborough and Stamford to mark the occasion. It will also mark the end of 42 years operation of the Harrier by 1Sqn.

[Silver]

The Harrier has always been my favourite fighter jet.
Sadly we will only see them in museums in the near future.

[Irish251]

The type will still be operated by the US Marines, Italy and Spain.

[Silver]

The type will still be operated by the US Marines, Italy and Spain.

True, but I was thinking about RAF/RN Harriers (apologies, I should have stated this in my post).

I wonder how much longer the USMC will continue to use the Harrier? i.e. with the 'new generation' VSTOL aircraft waiting in the wings

[Fouga]

**UPDATE**

http://www.key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=26 ... n=military

First squadron loses its Harriers

The first Royal Air Force unit has lost its Harrier GR9s after the shock news of the type's withdrawal from service.

Gary Parsons - 4-Nov-2010



November 4: Nr. 41(R) Squadron based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire became the first Royal Air Force unit to lose its Harrier GR9s today as the three aircraft departed for RAF Cottesmore in Rutland.

The squadron is the Operational Evaluation Unit for the Harrier GR9 and Tornado GR4, but after the announcement of the axing of the Harrier in the recent Government Strategic Defence and Security Review will be left with just the Tornado.

“The announcement on October 19 was a complete surprise,” said Wing Commander Rich Davies, Officer Commanding 41(R) Squadron. “The official announcement came through the chain of command about two o’clock in the afternoon. It was a complete shock and hugely devastating. It was probably the worst day of my career.

“The timeline is perhaps the biggest shock – we all knew there would be dramatic cuts [in SDSR] but we didn’t think the timeline would be as quick as it’s been.” As well as losing three aircraft, four pilots are affected, although none of the engineering team is affected as they are all cross-skilled on both Tornado and Harrier.

Sqn Ldr Steve ‘Raz’ Berry is one of the four – “There’s a state of shell-shock [in the Harrier Force] on the front-line. Everyone’s chin is down – the Harrier Force as a whole is making sure that the drawdown in not done piece-meal and that everyone knows where they’re going.

“We were testing right to the end – we were three days off starting a really big programme at Boscombe Down that we’d cancelled leave for and were planning Saturday flying. You’re sprinting then suddenly told to stop, that momentum isn’t there any more.” Steve will be re-roled on to the Tornado GR4, as will another of his colleagues.

But 41’s work will continue – “We will gain another two Tornado GR4s to bring the total to five aircraft compared to the six we operated with both types,” said Wg Cdr Davies. “The team of engineers and analysts will remain unchanged.”

Any modifications that were on the Harriers specific to 41(R) have been removed and they will continue to fly from Cottesmore until the end of the year.

[CK]

I for one will be sad to see them gone.