According to a story in the UK Guardian, the US Department of the Navy is purchasing the entire fleet of 74 UK Harriers removed from service as part of their controversial Strategic Defence and Security Review.
The USMC plans on keeping the Harrier in service through 2025 so this is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of available aircraft. In an interview with Navy Times, Chief of the US Navy Supply Corps, Rear Admiral Mark Heinrich said, “We’re taking advantage of all the money the Brits have spent on them. It’s like we’re buying a car with maybe 15,000 miles on it. These are very good platforms. And we’ve already got trained pilots.”
This is a good use of resources.
This just goes to prove how ridiculous the retirement of our Harrier fleet was.
Amen to that JC! Just imagine the irony of British troops calling in air support from the USMC in some future conflict, and in come former RN Harriers!
Still, at least they didn’t chop them up for scrap…
Absolute bargain! The Harriers went through an upgrade costing in excess of $120 Million and then literally put straight into storage. The $50million purchase mentioned is for the spares only, but even then, when a HUD costs in the region of $600K each it makes you wonder what kind of deal will be done for the actual airframes?
But then, if you don’t have the carriers, do you need a carrier strike capability? Better they go to a good home than sit shrink wrapped in a large garage at Cottesmore.
Let’s hope there are no surprises in the South Atlantic until the 50 JSF’s and the Queen Elizabeth class carrier comes into service in 2019.
The United States, the undisputed leader in the defence and aerospace industries with an extremely insular defence procurement policy, is purchasing our British-built second-hand aircraft? I think that shows just how good they were, and how ridiculous the Coalition’s “Strategic” Defence and Security Review has been.
But hey, ho! I hope they’ve found a good home and many more years of fine usage. Such good engineering deserves that much at least!