Harriers left AMARC

[Ghastly Whisper]

Just had a look on http://www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index.php scrolling down through the August arrivals/departures, it would seem our old Harriers have departed. Presumably they have been chopped up and scrapped?

[JAWS]

I read somewhere that all had been trucked out and Scrapped, can't find the link right now.

Edit : Reported in Scramble.nl September Military Updates

[Blackcat1]

What a waste

[Vulcanone]

What exactly did you think they would do with them Blackcat1. Given the USMC will have got rid of AV-8s within 3 years?

[TS010]

What exactly did you think they would do with them Blackcat1. Given the USMC will have got rid of AV-8s within 3 years?

A waste that the UK took the Harriers out of service early and sold them off cheaply as a spares source.

[Blackcat1]

What exactly did you think they would do with them Blackcat1. Given the USMC will have got rid of AV-8s within 3 years?

A waste that the UK took the Harriers out of service early and sold them off cheaply as a spares source.

Yep indeed, that’s what i was referring to.

[Supra]

I must admit that I hadn't seen the earlier 2026 revised Out of Service date for the USMC AV8B. I was probably still cursing the fact that following the great 'Uk giveaway' the USMC issued a Statement saying that with those frames/spares they could fly their AV8B's until 2035! Subsequently 2030, subject to the F-35B meeting delivery/performance criteria? On that last point,they're just as screwed as anybody else that bought the 'B' model!

[Unknown74]

Shame, we should have asked for them back, Anything better than the F-35?!?!?……

[NorvilleRogers]

Shame, we should have asked for them back, Anything better than the F-35?!?!?……

You're right, there isn't anything better than the F-35. That's why everyone who can is buying it.

[T_J]

Hopefully the scrapyard will see the potential for the cockpit sections? No doubt everything will have been stripped out of the cockpits, but they would be of interest to cockpit collectors. The US are quite strict on such things and I guess everything will be scrapped? Time will tell!

[Supra]

Shame, we should have asked for them back, Anything better than the F-35?!?!?……

You're right, there isn't anything better than the F-35. That's why everyone who can is buying it.

Can't deny the A & C models fit your statement, BUT the 'B' model is a complex range & payload limited high maintenance one-trick lame pony imo. No, I don't rate 'em!

[Rob666]

Only version we should of got was the C, makes the 35 look like a proper plane!

[EGDR]

Shame, we should have asked for them back, Anything better than the F-35?!?!?……

You're right, there isn't anything better than the F-35. That's why everyone who can is buying it.

BUT the 'B' model is a complex range & payload limited high maintenance one-trick lame pony imo

Rather apt description for the Harrier

I love the Harrier, but any argument you use against the concept of the F-35B is effectively equally applicable against the Harrier.

Comparing the F-35B to other F-35 variants is silly, that's not what it's meant to replace or compete against. It replaces the Harrier, and compared to that it's far superior in every respect.

[Supra]

Agreed in principle of the limitations. So, did we not learn anything in the intervening years since the Harrier went into Service? You say the F-35B 'replaces the Harrier' & by extension you're saying we replaced one expensive severely limited Turd with another one costing loads more & carrying a salt ingesting 'Dyson' just to do its party trick. That's the definition of silly! There's more doors on that thing than a cheap hotel! If one fails to operate it'll be in the drink faster than leaving an intake bung in-place?

Once again I find the case for building two Carriers (so they can keep one at sea) around THE aircraft design utterly stupid. There's very little scope for interoperability between allied Naval Forces & in not building Cat&Trap decked ships we lost the possibility of Carrier-borne credible AEW, Buddy/Buddy IFR & long range replenishment. As a Country we waste £Billions on aid & doing the 'right thing' Worldwide whilst not providing our armed Forces with the best equipment they deserve. Minimum F-35A would be fine, but hey, lets get the best & have F-35C. To quote that French mob, "Because you're worth it".

[22A]

A waste that the UK took the Harriers out of service early and sold them off cheaply as a spares source.

That was necessary so that the Gov could bail out the banks.

[Pat Murphy]

Shame, we should have asked for them back, Anything better than the F-35?!?!?……

You're right, there isn't anything better than the F-35. That's why everyone who can is buying it.

But not necessarily the B model we've signed up for.
Maybe we should re-examine the model mix, a bit like we did with the Harrier force. B's for the Navy and A's for the RAF?