British Harriers

So apparently the Brits retired all their harriers on Mar 11, and now are kicking themselves for doing so as they would be needed in Libya. What are the chances they bring these back? I find in intresting they retired them and their AC carrier before they had a replacement. How can you be a world power with no aircraft carrier?

Apprently were using our Harriers for some of this libya stuff which is really giving their generals fuel to tell there people its still very much needed.

I want to say the HMS Illustrious is still in commission, but the HMS Ark Royal is laid up. The HMS Invincible is retired and no longer a reserve ship.

It's really sad that the Brits struck down their military so much, they had some really nice ships during the Cold War. The Previous HMS Ark Royal was first commissioned ship to incorporate the angled landing deck.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110328/lf_nm_life/us_britain_aircraftcarrier_sale Now you can buy it

The cynical view (realistic perhaps?) is that every - EVERY - post WWII defence review or White Paper has resulted in cuts. The sub title of each of these is always some political bumpf, to mask the intentions. Let's get real, though, the UK ceased being a 'world power' on VJ Day in 1945. Impoverished by WWI, and a generation destroyed; indebted and industrially wrecked by WWII; empire removed benignly but reluctantly post WWII; and enslaved by a massive cradle to grave welfare state. Defence barely gets a look in.

Its Permanent UKSC seat, and the French seat too, is a bit of an joke now, isn't it? I think it's all a bit sad. I'm an Anglophile and admire the British Armed Forces. Their demise at the hands of an uncaring, slovenly, handout-dependant electorate, and the spineless chickens elected by the same brainless chavs again and again is an insult to the great feats of arms of the decades (centuries) past.

It is very sad to see what's become of the British Military, they had some BEAUTIFUL airplanes back in the Cold War.

The TSR.2 is an airplane that would make you slap your mama:



and for me, I always thought the Handley Page Victor was a sharp looking aircraft:

I wonder when the history books will write that it happened to the US.

Some authors already have ink on paper...