Whilst the Harrier is not longer part of the inventories of the Royal Air Force or the Royal Navy, it still remains an effective combat aircraft for a number of countries.
It is actually quite ironic that we have grown used to operating airframes / equipment that are older than their crews, that the planes we have trashed are some of the youngest or most recently revamped ( Nim, Wagwah etc) - however I suppose the mrethodology is the same as renovating airbases