RAF Harriers are still the mainstay you fool. Go anywhere at any time for any job. Look at the Afghan deployment for instance, extended once again because the Jag Fags and Tonka Plonkas can't use the poorly runway, ah didums, how versatile is that then.
As for the FOD issue, pah. All engines suffer roughly the same amount of 'erosion/impact damage', it's only because the mighty pegasus is so visable to even the daftest of monkeys that it gets picked up on servicings. Just because t'other Jets ecu's are so far down the arse end doesn't mean that FOD evaporates once it enters the intake.
eeeeeee lad, when god was giving out brains you were doing a handstand.