Falklands' conflict Harrier fleet sold to the US Marines for spares

[Judi Lynn]

Wednesday, January 11th 2012 - 06:34 UTC
Falklands' conflict Harrier fleet sold to the US Marines for spares

The fleet of vertical take-off Harrier aircraft, a crucial weapon in the 1982 Falkland Islands conflict has been sold to support the US Marine Corps in a deal worth £110m, reports the British press.

The Harrier fleet, which was were based at RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore before they were axed at the end of December 2010, have been sold to help support the US Marine Corps Harrier fleet in the air for another 15 years.

The Ministry of Defence said the airframes and associated parts from the 72 Harriers it has sold would be used as a major source of spares to support the US aircraft.

The fleet was being stored in a hangar at RAF Cottesmore, which is currently a satellite of RAF Wittering but will close at the end of March.

More:
http://en.mercopress.com/2012/01/11/falklands-conflict-harrier-fleet-sold-to-the-us-marines-for-spares

[leveymg]

1. We used to laugh at the Russians for doing the same sort of thing in their military.

Cannibalism is common in falling empires.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. actually, the Marines pride themselves on fixing ye olde stuff and making it work

even if it takes monkey parts, spit, and chicken wire. If it worked well before, dammit, they will force it to work better now.

This gives them a shitload of spare parts from which to steal and easily make their tool of choice work. Do you really think they want to waste their most precious commodity, their men, in one of those ridiculous, super expensive, worthless, deadly, and thin-skinned Ospreys? hell no.

[Mopar151]

2. The Harrier is VERY maintanience-intensive

Difficult, and very expensive to fly.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. not as bad as the Osprey. jarheads I know avoid them like the plague.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Really? Never saw a Harrier used for troop transport missions

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. I speak of equipment in general.

Marines don't use B2 bombers either wise guy.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. The Osprey record in the Persian Gulf has been markedly better that its early troubles

That said, anything with the propellers overhead makes me nervous too

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. but only in carefully selected areas and roles

First problem, incredibly difficult to fly, especially in formation with others. The vortexes they create can cause another osprey to lose control without warning.
Second, in the desert, they end up being blind on take off and landing. I guess you can expect that when you stick two huge fans and blow them into a sand pile.
Third, no armor. These things are as thinskinned as my exwife. A small handgun can easily penetrate their skin and reach any passenger.
Fourth, self sealing tanks are too heavy, so they were nixed. See point 3.
Fifth, these beasties are noisier than some jets. They telegraph their approach for miles.

There are other issues, but these seem pretty brutal.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

9. Horrifyingly enough, that was contemplated

It was however concluded that any passenger would likely be so ill, disoriented and possibly deaf on landing as to be of no value in combat.

[Common Sense Party]

6. La isla de la buena memoria