Harrier jets will set off on their final flight today after 30 years of military service.The 16 decommissioned jets will leave RAF Cottesmore in Rutland and make their last appearance over seven military bases and local towns.
The aircrafts' future was decided as part of the coalition's Strategic Defence and Security Review.It was claimed more money could be saved by scrapping the Harriers and keeping the fleet of Tornados. Despite protests from the highest levels of the Army, the Royal Navy and the RAF, the move to scrap the jets in order to save £100m remained in place. The Government insisted it was a "military judgment" and not just about costs. The Harrier was first brought into action in the 1960s with its key feature being the ability to take off and land vertically.
The plane was designed as close air support with the take-off and landing abilities allowing it to fly in and out of areas close to battlefields - something conventional aircraft such as the Tornado cannot do.
A very sad day, I will never forget our Harriers and those brave pilots who outnumbered fought bravely to liberate the Falkland Islands in 1982, truly the Harriers hour of glory.
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