MigBuster 2,884 Posted March 23, 2016 The Sea Harrier is an aircraft rapidly vanishing from armed service the world over. The Indian Navy purchased thirty of them back in the early 1980s, but only 11 remain. The decision to retire the type was based on India’s purchase of MiG-29Ks from Russia, which it will use to operate from the country’s aircraft carrier, the INS Viraat. That’s an interesting notion, as the Viraat itself is slated to be retired by the end of the year. https://fightersweep.com/4826/sea-harrier-retires-indian-navy/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SayethWhaaaa 245 Posted March 23, 2016 Counter to what the article says, the IN Harriers did get an upgrade (Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier - LUSH), though it was scaled back somewhat from initial upgrade plan, which itself was worked out after the Poms got pissy at India (think it might have been the nuclear tests in the late-90s) and refused to sell them the FA.2s.On a tangent, I didn't realise there were something like 5-10 RN SHar FA.2s still in service as a part of the deck training program for the new QE class carriers. Fairly certain they're not cleared for flight, just deck training. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Trotski 936 Posted March 23, 2016 The Harrier is , or at least was a superb aircraft, however it is outdated now unfortunately, and there is nothing that can really replace it, at least not in the same VSTOL capacity, the F22 isn't the same as, and well I don't suppose India will get their sticky mitts on 'em (I'm not a fan of the 22 by the way, sorry guys I think its a bit of a white elephant) unfortunately, McDonald and BAE will not re imagine the Harrier, and is going to pass into aviation history. Sad, but that's progress I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MigBuster 2,884 Posted March 23, 2016 The Harrier is , or at least was a superb aircraft, however it is outdated now unfortunately, and there is nothing that can really replace it, at least not in the same VSTOL capacity, the F22 isn't the same as, and well I don't suppose India will get their sticky mitts on 'em (I'm not a fan of the 22 by the way, sorry guys I think its a bit of a white elephant) unfortunately, McDonald and BAE will not re imagine the Harrier, and is going to pass into aviation history. Sad, but that's progress I guess. The Harrier is being replaced by the far superior F-35B in the FAA and Marine Corp. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Trotski 936 Posted March 23, 2016 Sorry I did mean the F-35, I'm not a fan I'm afraid. it's the US equivalent of our own Typhoon, lots of money thrown at it, and not finished on time, plus its got to be one of the ugliest pieces of kit in the air. The old pilots saying of if it looks right it is right , tends to be accurate, and I'm sorry, and I know I will ruffle some feathers here, but this thing looks like a flying packing crate. But that is just my opinion, not ever going to be one of the pilots actually flying it, so my opinion is just my personal one, so apologies to any F-35 aficionados out there. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Do335 382 Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) LOL. I call the f-35 the "frog" coz it looks like one:D Froggy McFrogFace. Tis nothing about aircraft performance etc... the euro canards are great aerodynamically or so I heard. The frog's cards are ofc stealth and great sensors but i (and probably most ppl) have no idea what those mean yet. Edited March 23, 2016 by Do335 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Trotski 936 Posted March 23, 2016 In fact, it doesn't look like a flying packing crate, it looks like a half built Ikea flatpack, bloody thing looks half built, stealthy sensors......hmmmmmm.........like passive sonar of the sky !!! or does it mean they sense when they are being stealthy.....or maybe when other canards are being stealthy.....need more input Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MigBuster 2,884 Posted March 23, 2016 Before this turns into the ugly British fighter thread..........of which the only exceptions are probably: Spitfire Typhoon (New) Hunter (if you are from the 50s) Sea Harrier (with bubble canopy) Folland Gnat (if you are from the 50s) Can you say Fugly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Trotski 936 Posted March 23, 2016 hehehehe ah lets be fair now, there is a difference between fugly ( and the US has done its fair share on the fugly front too ) and purposefully pugnacious looking, a lot of people call the A-10 ugly, nah, that is most definitely purposefully pugnacious, the F-16 isn't the prettiest bird in the aviary either, but, she has a kind of graceful ugliness that you just have to fall in love with, the BUFF, and the SLUF beautiful ?....nope, sexy ?...hell yeah, so there is a definite distinction on the fugly front, and I am afraid to say, the F-35 is definitely beyond fugly, in fact it falls into the , OMG !! what did I just look at there !! I need eye bleach now, category. the harrier was never a great beauty, far from it, but by Christ, you just know she was a naughty girl. F-35 is that girl ( we all knew one ) at school, the one with bad teeth, a bit smelly, and snot stains on her tie, it wouldn't be so bad if the horror of her demeanour was offset by blindingly brilliant intelligence, but she was so bad she made a wood louse look clever.......and I hate to say it, but the styling bureau that handled the boatrace on the F-35 was not very good, so come on America, please for goodness sake pretty the damn thing up a bit, the Royal Navy has to fly those for goodness sake !! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MigBuster 2,884 Posted March 23, 2016 Considering the pint glass stuck on the Harrier nose mod to make it look even uglier I wouldn't hold out any hopes for too many improvements in that department. God only knows the horrors that await it when we get it. On the upside there is nothing better out there..................apart from the F-35C of course. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Trotski 936 Posted March 23, 2016 yeah the beer glass was actually embedded there after a disagreement in the Naafi with one of us RockApes, and they thought it looked so distinctive that they would paint it over and make it look like an indispensable part of the airframe hahahaha.......don't worry , the Navy will pretty it up, they did with the Sea Harrier after all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Atreides 144 Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) Counter to what the article says, the IN Harriers did get an upgrade (Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier - LUSH), though it was scaled back somewhat from initial upgrade plan, which itself was worked out after the Poms got pissy at India (think it might have been the nuclear tests in the late-90s) and refused to sell them the FA.2s. On a tangent, I didn't realise there were something like 5-10 RN SHar FA.2s still in service as a part of the deck training program for the new QE class carriers. Fairly certain they're not cleared for flight, just deck training. Good catch there regarding the LUSH upgrade. I get a chuckle whenever this upgrade is mentioned as LUSH is a slang in Toronto for someone who's a perpetual drunk. Edited March 23, 2016 by Atreides Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Trotski 936 Posted March 23, 2016 perpetually drunk because of the pint glass on its nose you see......errrm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+ghostrider883 526 Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) The Sea Harrier is an aircraft rapidly vanishing from armed service the world over. The Indian Navy purchased thirty of them back in the early 1980s, but only 11 remain. The decision to retire the type was based on India’s purchase of MiG-29Ks from Russia, which it will use to operate from the country’s aircraft carrier, the INS Viraat. That’s an interesting notion, as the Viraat itself is slated to be retired by the end of the year. https://fightersweep.com/4826/sea-harrier-retires-indian-navy/ No.300 Sqdn, the SHAR sqdn, will re-form on MiG-29K/KUBs, making it the second IN MiG-29 sqdn after 303 Sqdn (which already operates from INS VIkramaditya). The Navy will thus have two fighter squadrons for the first time in its history - "White Tigers"[300] & "Black Panthers"[303] The INS Viraat is not big enough to operate the MiG-29Ks nor is it capable of arrested recovery. The ship is on its farewell tour of major Indian ports(without its air wing) before decommissioning. The author probably meant the INS Vikramaditya and not Viraat. Counter to what the article says, the IN Harriers did get an upgrade (Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier - LUSH), though it was scaled back somewhat from initial upgrade plan, which itself was worked out after the Poms got pissy at India (think it might have been the nuclear tests in the late-90s) and refused to sell them the FA.2s. From what I recall, the negotiations were on back in 2005 or 2006 and the sales failure wasn't related to the nuclear tests. At the time, India was already planning to upgrade its existing FRS.51 SHARs with EL/M-2032 Radar, Derby BVR missiles and locally made EW gear. The UK made it clear, from the start, that under their contract with the US, they couldn't sell the AIM-120s, & Blue Vixen Radar was not for export. The aircraft were offered without radars, ready for refitting with EL/M-2032. I presume the British negotiators thought that India would be happy to have a fleet of SHARs all with the same radar & missiles. After months of negotiations, India decided not to buy them, citing as the reason that AIM-120 & Blue Vixen weren't included. Edited March 24, 2016 by ghostrider883 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
