In terms of number of views, this thread has already overtaken the two long Sea Harrier threads from 2002. Another good thing has been the fact that the majority of the posts come from people who have first hand experience of what they are talking about. Please permit me to make a few additional comments......
Some might say that the scarcity of Sea Harrier pilots is/was a problem at least partly of the Government's making. As has been stated, the idea of moving from Yeovilton to Cottesmore and Wittering was not popular. Whether the change of location or the change of service environment (as Growbag described) was the greater issue I don't know. However, it was widely discussed in the regional media and on local TV (BBC Southwest and Westcountry). It also caused the following stories in the
Telegraph....
Sea Jet pilots threaten to PVR
Lack of pilots
A friend of mine who is a journalist (well sort of, he has written articles in aviation magazines etc) claims that even before the decision was taken to lose the Sea Harrier the MOD were starting to reconsider this move, due to retention issues. Remember too that there are lots of personnel other than pilots who are also affected. And in 2001 the then CINCFLEET warned that the RN would have trouble finding pilots for the JSF - and that was before.....
Since the scrapping of the Sea Harrier was announced things have gone from bad to worse with respect to pilot recruitment and retention. From 2006 until the JSF comes along (delays?) the RN fixed wing pilots will have the problem of maintaining air to air skills (unless they start again from scratch when the JSF comes along) AND keeping their V/STOL skills (assuming the UK still purchases the V/STOL version of the JSF/F35).
Pilots will not be the only ones who stand to lose their expertise, knowledge and skills. Fighter Controllers will be obviously affected (with retention issues involved). The AEW Observers from the Sea King Mk 7 will be similarly affected, with a capable system but no fighters to co-ordinate and direct - remember the upgrade that was scrapped was to include JTIDS integration. The skills of Anti Air Warfare Officers, particulary those based in a CVS, will also suffer. So will the expertise of future task group commanders (and their staffs). At the moment the air defence (including using Sea Harriers) of a force of ships is regularly (ie almost every week) practised under the Flag Officer Sea Training organisation. But not after 2006.....
How long will it take to get back up to speed?
Imagine, if you will, a situation in say 2014, where we find ourselves at war unilaterally, having to defend to fleet from enemy air power but the majority of former Sea Harrier pilots have either left the Service or lost the air/air skills, the newer pilots have not had time to get up to speed in air defence, many of the Fighter Controllers have left AND the task group commander does not have experience or knowledge of using and deploying fighter aircraft as a weapon system, nor do his staff.
In my own opinion, the loss of expertise that will accompany the premature retirement of the Sea Harrier will cause severe problems for the CVF (and JSF) project. I think that these issues are often overlooked when discussing this issue, but they show what a ill thought out and short sighted decision this was.