Justanopinion
IIRC the Harrier returned to UK at the start of Summer 2009 - that's only 18 months ago!
I fielded the phone calls from the Har Det of 'why don't you use us?" and they were either upset or very highly strung! Sadly my bosses wanted A-10, AC-130 or Apache - persistence on scene was what they wanted and GR9 didn't have that or a SCL that they wanted. The Tornado wasn't much better but it did have 27 mike-mike and RAPTOR gave good imagery without getting too close to the tgt area and spooking it (unlike DJRP).
I'm not trying to say the Fin is way better than your bona jet, it isn't. I'm just trying to add some balance to Mr Dow's letter - which in my opinion is incorrect.
LJ