Back (strictly) on topic - what state were the Harriers in prior to the SDSR axe/storage?
The Harriers were, as I'm sure you'd all expect for a 20+ year old aircraft, in a tired but fully serviceable and managed state. The higher FI aircraft were going through a fatigue life update with Mod KT553 and KT554 which strengthened the top longerons between the Front and Rear fuselage and was designed to more than see out the aircrafts expected OSD. Tail sections had a full upgrade programme planned in as part of the HPAC contract and were also designed to see out the OSD.
As has been mentioned many times however, spares were an increasingly frustrating issue. Thanks in no small part to the LEAN principle, the spares stock was run down to practically nothing, and what 10 years previously were routine demands or held stock, suddenly became "No Item Record" thus requiring all kinds of inventive solutions and Xmas trees!! This problem steadily got worse throughout the final 2 years of the Harrier's life
Thank heavens for 'Christine' which now adorns Wittering's gate!!
Here endeth my 2p worth!!
Flipflopman