WEBF, unfortunately every Service is having their wings clipped, although if you want to nit pick:
1. The RN is not losing any frontline Harrier Sqns.
2. They are losing an old jet and gaining a newer more capable jet.
As has been said before by Pierre and others, most of us here would rather see the SHAR stay on in service for the reasons you and others have written about before but I ask you one thing:
How many current Sea Jet pilots have written here complaining about the demise of the SHAR?
There is at least one regular poster on this thread that has crossed over to the GR7/9 and is now "a believer", and there are more on every front line Sqn that are flying the GR each day.
What I am trying to say is that it's not all bad for the RN and the Harrier force!
