No I wont worry! Ark Royal will no doubt be stripped of everything much like the Varyag before sale and it took the Chinese almost 20 years to get her operational (expected launch some time this year). Then its going to take several years before she is fit to be considered operational.

Ark Royal is a 30 year old VTOL carrier so not only is she really old, she is designed for a mission the PLAN doesn't have a requirement for*, and she is designed to operate jets the PLANAF doesn't have.

*No convoy lanes or GIUK gap to defend as an ASW carrier, as a Marine helicopter assault carrier she would have no ability to store or land heavy equipment and she would carry too many choppers to be useful in any operations in the SCS (Type 071s are better for that since they have a well balanced inventory of embarked craft). Supporting actions against Taiwan she becomes redundant in that role too, Taiwan is within range of helicopters flying from the mainland.

Surely we'd be selling them off too? No places left for gate guardian duties, a few aviation museums would take some if they've any space after the Sea Harrier's (FA2) first retired around 2006, I'm sure one or two T-10s (or did they ever make it to T-12?) will end up (I hope) at Thunder City, and the Aussies - crap as they are at cricket (at the moment!) - will no doubt have some too. That leaves many dozen still up for grabs :nope:

They'll just need some booster cushions :D

I imagine there would be a few other countries interested in surplus Harriers. Spain, Italy and Thailand all operate the Harrier in one form or another (so do we of course). Japan and South Korea also operate carrier type ships (Japan has a DDG, and Korea a LPH) that could use Harriers to hold them over until the F-35B is put in to production (assuming it is of course).

Unlike you but you missed India? :D

Ironic that some may want to use them whilst waiting for the F35, when we've given them up whilst waiting for the F35 :nope:

Ship em to the Falklands and use them for home/island defence should the need arise.

D'oh! You are right, although India is planing on retiring them as soon as their new carrier and its MiG-29K fighters come online.

That is a good idea, maybe dig some bunkers in the hills and store them there.

The current generation of RAF Harriers can carry AIM-132s which out range by a few kilometers the best Argentine AAMs in service except the old Matra R530 which is old as dirt. Even with the speed and range disadvantage the current RAF Harriers have an advantage on defense since in every other category they are superior to the older model Mirage.

(There I said something nice about the Harrier!) :O:

Good lad....you'll live longer that way :DL

:rotfl2: