Nozzles!
I knew that you'd not be able to stay out of this for long!!
Firstly, let me state once again very clearly: I AM A FAN OF MARITIME AVIATION, AND I WOULD PREFER US NOT TO BE GETTING RID OF THE SHAR!
The SHAR crews constantly do a fantastic job, and I know that the nature of the jet ensures that it's one of the most demanding jets to fly. However, I wished to provide a counter argument to WEBF constant wittering (excuse the pun) suggesting that the SHAR won the Balkans single handedly and is some sort of wonder jet!
I also stand by my statement that it is not the SHARs passing that we should be mourning, but that of an organic RN AMRAAM capability.
I hope that I have a fairly decent knowledge of what the SHARs capabilities are (although clearly not as good as Nozzles'). I know how many slammers it can carry. I know what an excellent little radar Blue Vixen is. I know you can drop dumb bombs accurately. And, as Nozzles says, the SHAR is still the only UK jet with a full up AMRAAM integration.
However, the SHAR does not have a precision weapons capability in the form of LGBs or EPW/JDAM. Ergo unlike other assets it cannot drop through weather (unless you take the GR7 option in Kosovo of dropping on GPS/INS predictions). This is increasingly a MAJOR restriction due to modern Air-ground ROE, even when the weather is good.
As Nozzles says, any supersonic jet with a Fox 3 capability has the advantage of higher kinematic kill ranges compared to the SHAR. Likewise, the lack of an IFF interrogator is a factor, although this can be partially mitigated with AWACS support, and most FA-18's also lack this capability. However, I was not alluding to those capabilities. If you fly a modern US jet now, with respect, I'm slightly surprised that you are not aware of the one other advantage offered by certain modern western (albeit primarily US) radars.
As far as the SHAR vul time for Kosovo, they were primarily fragged for a 20 min CAP, which they did once or twice a day. I didn't suggest that the other assets managed 2-4 hrs without AAR. Clearly, the SHAR can extend with AAR. However, in a conflict, AAR is always at an absolute premium. Therefore, the SHARs endurance is an issue when it is amongst the most limited around when compared to even the FA-18 and Mirage 2000.
Please do not take this the wrong way Nozzles old chap. The SHAR is a superbly versatile piece of kit for what it is. However, the writing should have been on the wall 10+ years ago when the GR7's started operating routinely from CVS. The RN and RAF grown ups should have taken a reality pill and suggested an AV-8B+ type upgrade for the GR7's using Blue Vixen, APG-65 or Captor (ECR-90) rather than continuing with the FA2 upgrades. Then we could have retired the SHAR gracefully. Accordingly, I mourn the passing of the FA2 ONLY because it will remove AMRAAM from the RN's carrier wing until JCA arrives.
Although the GR7 is still planned to get ASRAAM (so I'm told) which will reduce the gap between winder and AMRAAM engagement ranges/speeds, I can understand the decision that has been made. As Biggus says: the SHAR is going. We have to live with it.
Regards,
M2