The UK Royal Navy is to retire its BAE Systems Sea Harrier FA2s as part of a plan to operate a common aircraft across the RN and Royal Air Force squadrons that form Joint Force Harrier (JFH).
As part of the change RAF BAE/Boeing Harrier GR7s will be upgraded to GR9 standard and will be operated by all JFH units.
Armed forces minister Adam Ingram says that the change is part of the move to prepare for operation of the Joint Strike Fighter from 2012 and the introduction of two Future Carriers.
An all-Harrier GR force would maximise investment in one aircraft type, he says, while the upgrade to GR9 will "ensure a credible expeditionary offensive capability is maintained until the aircraft leaves service".
The Sea Harrier will be withdrawn from service in 2004-6, and the UK will migrate to an all- Harrier GR9 force with new precision weapons such as the MBDA Brimstone anti-armour missile by April 2007.
Meanwhile, the MoD is cutting the number of BAE Nimrod MRA4s on order from 21 to 18. The programme is delayed and has faced problems in rebuilding the fuselages of older MR2s and fitting the new MRA4 wings.
The MoD says it has decided to cut the numbers because the submarine threat has not developed as expected.
BAE will deliver initial operational capability MRA4s from August 2004 with the full specification arriving with aircraft seven in March 2005.
Source: Flight International
