Sea Eagle - when did it go?

[Jackonicko]

Once they'd announced that the Tornado would lose its maritime role in the SDR, it all went quiet. There was supposition that Sea Eagle integration on the GR4 would be $hit-canned, and then that it had not been included, but I can't find confirmation that it was dropped from GR4.

And though I think we 'know' that Sea Eagle has gone, I can't find a date for its withdrawal.

Anyone know chapter and verse?

[Navaleye]

Jacko, Its late, but I think it was about 98/99. I think i'm right in saying that the MoD said they will be stored in case of future need. :mad: So who knows?

[Chairborne 09.00hrs]

Backing up Navaleye's comment, I recall a conversation I had with a SHAR pilot in September '99 when he informed me that Sea Eagle had been withdrawn about six months previously.

[Jackonicko]

That's great, chaps. But had the missile already disappeared from 12/617, or did they keep it a tad longer?

[althenick]

Jacko,

Taken from Commons Written Answers (19 Dec 2001)

"Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Sea Eagle anti-ship missile will be withdrawn from service; and what anti-surface capability the aircraft carriers will have after the withdrawal of the Sea Eagle missile.

Mr. Ingram: The decision to withdraw the Sea Eagle anti-ship missile from service in April 1999 was taken as a consequence of the Strategic Defence Review. The review concluded that since the end of the cold war the threat of open ocean warfare had reduced and that the requirement for air launched anti-surface ship capability had diminished. While our carriers no longer possess an organic anti-surface ship capability, they would normally operate as part of a Maritime Task Group whose component escorting vessels would typically be armed with a potent mixture of anti-surface weapons including the long range, ship launched Harpoon missile and the helicopter launched Sea Skua missile. "

... Hope this helps