vector 801, maybe I can help
So can someone please tell me (with all this banter about giving a positive separation of RN Aircrew from others) why is there a Bloody RAF GR7/9 plastered on the man FAA Web Page?????
It is probably due to the fact that Joint Force Harrier has been operating for a while now, and as the Sea Harrier draws down, RN aircrew are being trained on, and have been to/are currently on operations with RAF Sqns flying the GR7/7A. The RN are represented on all RAF GR7 Sqns, including the OCU (SNOT = Senior Naval Officer Training) and will remain so until 800 and 801 NAS become GR9 Sqns. At that point JHF will consist of 1(F), IV(AC), 800 and 801 Sqns at the sharp end and 20(R) as the OCU. There will still be cross-fertilization between the sqns and indeed RAF Sqns will still spend time at sea.
I would suggest that this is the reason the GR7 is featured in the main RN website, it is the future of RN fast jet aviation until JSF arrives (still to be operated jointly by RN and RAF aircrew).