Obi Wan Russell you said:
It may be stating the obvious but it has to be said, retaining the corporate skills at all levels from the deck handlers, chockheads, fighter controllers, and all other trades will be essential for regenerating carrier capability. Sending personnel through the USN pipeline is a given but has to go hand in hand with retaining an active RN carrier (Lusty and Ocean) for the next few years. Periodic embarkation of allied nations Harriers will provide the necessary realistic practical experience. Something I a sure the RN will be pushing for in the next few years
That is what I have tried to say in my comments regarding skills. Surely regardless of whether a carrier is STOVL or CTOL, jets have to be moved around on deck around the clock in all weathers, and fuelled, armed and worked on whilst on deck, the Navigator and OOW have to put the ship in the right place (and understand how flying operations restrict ship movement and vice versa), on the right bearing, and at the right speed, ATC and FC types will still have to manage the airspace around the carriers, the Cdr(Air) and Air department will still have to run, manage, and deconflict fixed wing launches and recoveries, whilst rotary wing operations continue, and many others throughout the ship will be involved?
The United States has promised to assist the RN in every possible way to prepare for CVF. Will this include AV8B embarkations?
cazatou
Can we now accept that the title of this thread is completely out of date. It is incorrect to state that it "is bonkers" when the fate of the Harrier is already being implemented. There will be no "U-Turn" - and there is no likelihood of a "Stay of Execution."
Whether or not the aircraft are being scrapped does not change the opinion that people have. Why should it?
As for decisions being changed - see this from Pompey News:
Ministers reconsider mothballing carrier
I thought that it was
Prince of Wales that was meant to enter service in 2016, but was now going to be fitted with catapults, and angled deck, and arrestor gear - hence a three year delay and a new entry into service date of 2019.
Queen Elizabeth will not (initially) be so fitted (entry into service 2014?) so if they want to regenerate a carrier capability before 2019, then the UK needs Harriers of one kind or another - and if the GR9s are being destroyed, a lease of US ones (not unlike
this suggestion) seems to be the only option.