Lusty CAN still carry and operate Harriers.
For the last two days I have been looking out of my window at our one and only aircraft carrier the Illustrious, first off slowly sailing across Torbay, then for over an hour yesterday she was quite literally drifting backwards with the tide.
Today this vessel is now anchored closer inshore and every other hour there has been two helicopters arrive, they land on the deck and then after a rest break they take off and head inland.
How sad though to see the crest of the Amphibious Warfare Squadron on her mainmast. Perhaps the 'R06 should be changed to L06!! (tongue in cheek)
My thoughts are whoever is responsible for this HUGE cluster mishap should hang their head in shame.
The Harriers have gone.
The F-35B has gone and what odds that we will not have an operational carrier until the very late 2020's.
This whole debacle is nothing short of humiliating. We have the Illustrious that has NO fixed wing aircraft. The carrier now being built will NEVER launch aircraft unless....... After rusting away for a few years, she MIGHT go into dry dock and then spend a number of years getting RIPPED apart to install the working parts of the cats and wires plus all the extra equipment required to land conventional fast fixed wing jets..
Will this ever happen or will that ship be forever known as HMS White Elephant!!
The ex aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious as seen from my window (via a HUGE telephoto lens)
