Harrier Jet
Why exactly were Harrier jump-jets taken out of service in the RAF and Navy?
I understand the issue about costs, but I still fail to see why such a versatile jet was taken out of general services in the UK forces.
The RAF's website shows the squadrons of Harriers that are still active under their "offensive" aircraft section. Both GR7's and GR9's are in use.
Their homepage, if you want to find it yourself:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/
The page with links to each type of aircraft:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/offensive.cfm
As for the Royal Navy, they retired their old Sea Harriers long ago and replaced them with the 'new' version that is similar to the U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B. The forward fuselage, wing, rudder and horizontal stabilator (and a few other parts, were built by McDonnell Douglas, now owned by Boeing) British Aerospace built the mid and aft fuselage and did the final assembly in England. Both the Royal Navy and the RAF are currently using the Americanized version, if you will.
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/
Or:
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.2369
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