microlight AV8R,
Love the idea of sending the Reds - seriously think you're right, would be great
PR etc and I suspect they would love it - contrary to popular belief, a lot of pilots hate doing it but it's a good career move.
They already have at least one kill to their credit - while testing the smoke at Dunsfold we managed to dye a local woman's entire washing bright green. Apparently it was just what she'd always wanted - at least I think that's what she said.
Snag is you'd have to remove the smoke pods & fit guns, I rather suspect despite the vaunted 'war role' they would need a fair bit of plumbing & wiring, for pylons, tanks, rocket pods etc...still not beyond the capabilities if the will is there.
The RAF is desperately short on Hawks, hence Boscome using Alpha's -( which went down like the proverbial cold bucket of...) .
Now here's a thought - how about putting a gun on the Harrier !!!
Yes, Navaleye, a gun like the seajet has, and GRwhatever number you like does not...
Saw the fiasco of the 25mm Aden, so the U.S. GAU-12 gatling as used by the marines would be the real answer, or buy off the shelf gun pods.
I'm damn sure we could manage more than 6 Harriers to help our guys -
Oik, if you're reading this, your efforts ( and predicament ) ARE appreciated, and not just by military types, Joe Public has more brains than Bliar would like to think.