Harrier jump-jets sold 'for peanuts'

[Jimbuna]

Dozens of British Harrier jump jets are to be sold to the United States Marine Corps for £34 million after more than £1 billion has been spent on them in the last decade.

Food for thought :hmmm:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8576541/Harrier-jump-jets-sold-for-peanuts.html

[BossMark]

I just dont know what to say, apart from what I think of this current shambles of a rotten lousy government (it would involve a lot of swear words so I shall leave at that)

[Anthony W.]

I want to know why we need them in the first place...

[Osmium Steele]

I want to know why we need them in the first place...

Parts is parts...

[AVGWarhawk]

Dozens of British Harrier jump jets are to be sold to the United States Marine Corps for £34 million after more than £1 billion has been spent on them in the last decade.

Food for thought :hmmm:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8576541/Harrier-jump-jets-sold-for-peanuts.html


My thought is that keeping these birds flying is very expensive. Thus the billions spent on them to keep them flying. In the long run the UK will save money on better fighters. Liken this to the the F-14 Tomcat that required numerous hours and cash to keep them flying. This airframe was retired as a result. Many of the F-14 had years left to fly as well. These were scrapped.

[gimpy117]

and we spent 35 million?

wow...our pentagon is dumb. we're about to default and they do this?

[AVGWarhawk]

and we spent 35 million?

wow...our pentagon is dumb. we're about to default and they do this?

Default? News to me. :hmmm:

[STEED]

I just dont know what to say, apart from what I think of this current shambles of a rotten lousy government (it would involve a lot of swear words so I shall leave at that)

Don't Forget Gordon (Labour Party) Brown sold all our Gold, now look at the prices!

Sky High.

Don't trust any politicians from any party's there all a lode of s***s.

[Jimbuna]

I have just heard from a reliable 'private' source that the article is a load of bollocks!! http://imgcash6.imageshack.us/img87/339/dunnohq4.gif

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

I have just heard from a reliable 'private' source that the article is a load of bollocks!! http://imgcash6.imageshack.us/img87/339/dunnohq4.gif
Really? Could you explain what your 'private' source told? This article sounds very plausible based on UK gov track record with defence spending.

[Sailor Steve]

Why would Britain sell them? Because 34 million pounds from from the US is a lot more than they'd get scrapping them.

Why would the US buy them? As Osmium Steele said, $55 million is a cheap source of parts to keep ours flying.

[Jimbuna]

Really? Could you explain what your 'private' source told? This article sounds very plausible based on UK gov track record with defence spending.

I am being informed that Thailand are interested only in the twin seat trainers so that is a 'no no' and India are interested in taking the lot but it may be down to the US to lift any classified status on some of the equipment before they could be exported/sold.

Could all be speculation so I'm keeping an open mind.

[Tribesman]

http://www.defencemanagement.com/news_story.asp?id=16612

[Buddahaid]

Officially denied so we know it's true now. :up:

[Osmium Steele]

Rats. And I had two unopened jars of peanuts to pay for mine. :damn:

[nikimcbee]

So are you chaps totally disarming then? Becareful, New Zeland may annex you your lebensraum.

What about the Scots?

[TLAM Strike]

I am being informed that Thailand are interested only in the twin seat trainers so that is a 'no no' and India are interested in taking the lot but it may be down to the US to lift any classified status on some of the equipment before they could be exported/sold.

Could all be speculation so I'm keeping an open mind.
I wonder why India would bother? They are getting out of the Jump Jet business last I saw, they are moving over to the MiG-29K and a Navalized version of the multirole HAL Tejas. :hmmm:

[Randomizer]

I had always thought it a military requirement that before any weapons system gets sold, scrapped or removed from service the following must happen:

1. They need to be completely rebuilt, refitted, repaired and fully be operational before they can be disposed of;

2. They need new paint done by private contractors. This paint must have been specifically bought for the system and can be used on no other;

3. Their replacements are at least five years away if all goes as planned. The new system must be more limited in capability and more expensive since there will always be fewer of them bought;

4. They must have considerable service life left. Huge quantities of spare parts that were unavailable to your forces will be discovered in depots and sold by weight;

5. Doctrine for their employment must have been recently updated at great cost. All training manuals must have just been re-written or updated at great expense in money, training and logistics. In multilingual countries, brand new translations of all reference material must have been completed and issued within the previous six-months;

6. Supporting infrastructure must be retained in service at great cost but without function until replaced by the new system (see item 3 above); and

7. Any specialized munitions usable only by the system being superseded must remain in national stocks for at least five-years after it becomes useless.

Once all of the above are satisfied, the system may be discarded.

[Jimbuna]

I wonder why India would bother? They are getting out of the Jump Jet business last I saw, they are moving over to the MiG-29K and a Navalized version of the multirole HAL Tejas. :hmmm:

I've seen some photos of them in storage and they look like the've been carefully wrapped up, almost as if to be 'moved on'.

[Anthony W.]

and we spent 35 million?

wow...our pentagon is dumb. we're about to default and they do this?

Well, I imagine buying them would be much cheaper than having parts made or buying parts individually

Or we'll soon have Federal officials with harrier pads in their yards... :hmmm:

[Tinman764]

My thought is that keeping these birds flying is very expensive. Thus the billions spent on them to keep them flying. In the long run the UK will save money on better fighters. Liken this to the the F-14 Tomcat that required numerous hours and cash to keep them flying. This airframe was retired as a result. Many of the F-14 had years left to fly as well. These were scrapped.

The big difference between the F14 and the RN Harrier being the USN had aircraft to fill the hole. We don't and that simple fact is sickening.

[Jimbuna]

A couple of photos...don't ask for the source:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/347/54591586918c96c65341z.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/225/54591586918c96c65341z.jpg/)

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4484/5459344257f3f5434204o.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/5459344257f3f5434204o.jpg/)

[Osmium Steele]

A couple of photos...don't ask for the source:


The source is Imageshack, of course.

[Growler]

Dozens of British Harrier jump jets are to be sold to the United States Marine Corps for £34 million


If that's what you all are paying for "peanuts" - maybe being a peanut farmer isn't a bad idea after all.:D

[AVGWarhawk]

The big difference between the F14 and the RN Harrier being the USN had aircraft to fill the hole. We don't and that simple fact is sickening.


I think that hole has been on the table for quite sometime now? I recall a thread or news that the UK was dumping military equipment in droves. Am I incorrect with this?

[Jimbuna]

The source is Imageshack, of course.

http://jeffpicard.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/rim-shot-johnny-utah.thumbnail.jpg

[Osmium Steele]

I got a million of 'em.

I'll be here all week. Remember to tip your wait staff. Enjoy the veal!

[Jimbuna]

Steak...if you don't mind and curried at that :DL