Harrier Pilot attacks Prime Minister on cuts
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This has echoes of the defence cuts of the Wilson government in the late 60's and early 70's. Anyone that remembers that might also recall the predictions that the British Armed Forces would never recover from the sweeping cuts of overseas bases, programs and personnel.
Apparently we survived and I'm pretty sure that will be the case this time.
Apparently we survived and I'm pretty sure that will be the case this time.
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"Hi, I used to be a Harrier pilot..."
A shame to see the fleet go however, no sympathy for Lt Cdr Ward. A rather arrogant statement from somebody who clearly fails to understand that he isn't the only person putting himself in harms way.
A shame to see the fleet go however, no sympathy for Lt Cdr Ward. A rather arrogant statement from somebody who clearly fails to understand that he isn't the only person putting himself in harms way.
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Another quality quote from the BBC
Mr Cameron thanked him for "everything" he had done for his country, but said there had been long discussions about the review and the military advice was that "it was right to keep the Typhoon as the principal ground attack aircraft, working in Afghanistan at the moment, and right to retire the Harrier".
Mr Cameron thanked him for "everything" he had done for his country, but said there had been long discussions about the review and the military advice was that "it was right to keep the Typhoon as the principal ground attack aircraft, working in Afghanistan at the moment, and right to retire the Harrier".
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RogerK
I dont normally get worked up by people ....But boy you are one of lifes Loosers- I dont know Sharkeys son all my Harrier mates say he's a good blole. What he has got that you dont is Balls- sitting in your chair slagging off in my view one of the UKs Heros is not on. This man has flown 140 missions any chance you can tell us your combat history?? sitting in a chair writing crap? It takes guts to tell the PM what you think and he did- The PM who thinks the Typhoon is on active duty - right. Get back in your "real world" Roger K and give the poor bugger a break- If id just been told id lost my dream id be pissed off too.
I dont normally get worked up by people
Location wasn't funny to an old neighbour i took with me 20 years ago who still had the reminder coded on her arm but she sometimes claimed she wasn't the lucky one.
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I'm totally with Lt Cdr Ward.
Please see 'youtube' the 2 Johns re Admirals v surface fleet numbers...
If anyone who knows me reads this, they'll know I am not a pilot, but a fan of, and experienced working with, the aircraft.
That being said, can't see a great loss in the Sidewinder only GR9, compared to FA2 or as I keep whinging, 2+, both with AMRAAM.
I suppose they'll argue the Appache is nearly as capable or the ships ( what God-Awful names ! ) can carry someone elses's air wing.
The Earth is slightly off axis at the moment as Churchill, Drake and Nelson are all spinning in their graves ( C' Douglas Adams ).
One can only hope the rumours of vaguely quickly operational ( yes I know what's involved and my eyebrows are just above the stratosphere too ) FA2's or even GR9's are true.
Also I note Illustrious is notable by her absence of being mentioned, and one ditty on the news reckoned the Queen Elizabeth would be 'sold or mothballed' once POW comes along.
If we're going for just 40F-35C's, Christ knows what the unit price works out at, and what about the money spent on the development of the 'B' ? I rather expect someone else will benefit from that.
If 'Ark Royal' is to be scrapped - not sold mind you - tomorrow, I'll offer £5.00, I reckon I can see a market for her...
It's been a common thread in history since a moment after the Wright Brothers that the FAA gets shafted, right up to the point they're desperately needed; and not just by the RAF, Admirals who value air power above their own careers are rarer than hens' teeth; what was I saying about the '2 John's' sketch ?!
Please see 'youtube' the 2 Johns re Admirals v surface fleet numbers...
If anyone who knows me reads this, they'll know I am not a pilot, but a fan of, and experienced working with, the aircraft.
That being said, can't see a great loss in the Sidewinder only GR9, compared to FA2 or as I keep whinging, 2+, both with AMRAAM.
I suppose they'll argue the Appache is nearly as capable or the ships ( what God-Awful names ! ) can carry someone elses's air wing.
The Earth is slightly off axis at the moment as Churchill, Drake and Nelson are all spinning in their graves ( C' Douglas Adams ).
One can only hope the rumours of vaguely quickly operational ( yes I know what's involved and my eyebrows are just above the stratosphere too ) FA2's or even GR9's are true.
Also I note Illustrious is notable by her absence of being mentioned, and one ditty on the news reckoned the Queen Elizabeth would be 'sold or mothballed' once POW comes along.
If we're going for just 40F-35C's, Christ knows what the unit price works out at, and what about the money spent on the development of the 'B' ? I rather expect someone else will benefit from that.
If 'Ark Royal' is to be scrapped - not sold mind you - tomorrow, I'll offer £5.00, I reckon I can see a market for her...
It's been a common thread in history since a moment after the Wright Brothers that the FAA gets shafted, right up to the point they're desperately needed; and not just by the RAF, Admirals who value air power above their own careers are rarer than hens' teeth; what was I saying about the '2 John's' sketch ?!
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Is this what they call a dick-measuring contest on the interwebs?
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The UK is screwed
The trouble is the UK is totally screwed- 20 years ago say 1990 we had half an air force- 30 years ago 1980 we had bloody hundreds of Jags, Buccs, Hunters, Ltgs, F4s and a superb support force with C130,s Choppers galore and a maritime fleet that was second to non. Now we have bugger all having just had a decade 1996-2006 of boom. So why cant we now afford an armed easy because we have a country where half the people dont work- case in example woman opposite me - east european, been here 5 years never worked costs at best guess £2500 a month in benefits inc housing. So that means a person earning £2000 a month pays £400 tax so it takes 6 people to support 1 free loader- THATS WHY WE CANT AFFORD AN ARMED FORCES!! . Thats why i take my hat off to Lt Cdr Ward who had the balls to speak up to the PM. The guy who thinks the Typhoon is in Afghanistan. The PM was the man who said we had too many MPs - so has he cut any- NO. Frankly we need to have a military Coup and people like Son Of Sharky get my vote!!
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Tough times ahead for the services across the board. Sad to see the Harrier go (and indeed the cuts as a whole), but what choice was/is there?
I dont think the comment by Lt Cdr Ward was ideal - many about to feel the effects of cuts in most areas. Simply put (and yes it is being said plenty) we are broke due to years and years of overspend, and genius moves like Gordon Clown selling of our gold reserves when gold was at it's lowest price for 1000 yrs. Its not Cameron/Coalitions fault...
I dont think the comment by Lt Cdr Ward was ideal - many about to feel the effects of cuts in most areas. Simply put (and yes it is being said plenty) we are broke due to years and years of overspend, and genius moves like Gordon Clown selling of our gold reserves when gold was at it's lowest price for 1000 yrs. Its not Cameron/Coalitions fault...
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I'm Shocked my wife asked Four good questions today " why is HMS Ark royal being scrapped when HMS Illustrious is older? Why scrap Harriers they can be used onboard ship and on land,and they only have one engine surely they are cheaper to operate than Tornado ? Have they Scrapped HMS Ark Royal Early to keep the enable the new (operational) carrier to be renamed and keep the famous Name instead of POW ,and finally why don't all the ex forces people get together to form a political party, to look after UK Defence interests and get rid of millions of benefit cheats and immigrants bleeding the country dry and run the country in a way to make Britain "Great" Again ?
I gave her my answers but anyone care to Expand ?
I gave her my answers but anyone care to Expand ?
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May I respectfully suggest that someone who has flown 140 missions in 'stan knows a lot about flying missions in 'stan.
No one, harrier pilot or not, has a divine right to employment. And no, of course I wouldn't like to be in his position - but we all are, aren't we.
No one, harrier pilot or not, has a divine right to employment. And no, of course I wouldn't like to be in his position - but we all are, aren't we.
1) Aviation is an insecure industry in which to work and
2) You get on with it and get a new job (as has happened each time).
Maybe you take a pay hit, maybe you do a job you don't like much, maybe you have to move (or all 3) but you knuckle down, put yourself out there and get a job. I'm now on a decent tax free salary in the Middle East but first had to endure 14 "lean" years after leaving the RAF.
Still, I'm quite good at filling in UB40s, RP1, RP2, mortgage payment protection claim forms etc. etc. etc.
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Harrier Gone Military coup
I'm with the guy who said time for a coup. It seems to me that all these amateur politicians only ever screw up. Maybe democracy doesn't work at the moment? So far all I see is a bunch of self important politicos still troughing the parliamentary expenses and taking home £60k p.a.plus a nice fat pension.
An we still give overseas aid to India so they can have a space programme!
An we still give overseas aid to India so they can have a space programme!
No one, harrier pilot or not, has a divine right to employment. And no, of course I wouldn't like to be in his position - but we all are, aren't we.
At risk of bigging myself up, I too do rather specialised work in an industry which is incredibly selective and difficult to get into, although I am a comparatively small operator in that field. People (not me) who have "deployed" with cameras on their shoulders, doing good and necessary work in unpleasant places and come back with bits of shrapnel in them, are now making wedding videos for a living. Not intending to get at anyone here, but hard-won and much loved careers are being shredded in all sectors. I got paid to do creative work today; today was a good day in those terms. May there be many more like it for everyone. Commiserations to the clobbered, nonetheless.
On a more constructive note, what happens to all these harriers, jaguars, sea harriers, and even Nimrods and the like that are taken out of sevice? Are the best ones put into some sort of survivable storage state so that they could, in extremis, be brought back into service to serve some sort of emergency? Obviously there's the issue of training crews, but the thought remains.
P