Will Britain use Harriers to silence Gaddafi forces?
April 18th, 2011 - 5:25 pm ICT by ANILondon, Apr 17 (ANI): Sixty Harrier jump jets that could be used to deal with Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s forces are kept in British hangers, waiting to be scrapped under defence spending cuts.
Amid situations wherein Britain is struggling to maintain its expensive mission supporting Libyan rebels, 60 iconic warplanes, in good condition, are stored in three hangars after getting the chop under defence cuts, The Sun reports.
Their engines are regularly turned over at RAF Cottesmore, and they could be ready to fly in two months.
Currently, Britain is spending 30million pounds a week to support the Libyan rebels’ cause.
The huge bill goes on basing RAF jets, their crews and ground staff in Italy, fuel and ammunition. But Harriers could do the job from an aircraft carrier for 40 million pounds a year, the paper said.
A senior military source said: “The UK HAS the aircraft - it just isn’t using them. The cheaper option now is to bring back the Harriers.”
Mike Critchley of magazine Warship World, said: “While the Harriers still exist, and before the experts to fly and maintain them are in the dole queue, it seems vital to have a change of heart.
“Inappropriate aircraft are based at huge expense in Italy. An aircraft carrier could strike at Libya from much shorter ranges. HMS Illustrious is being refitted as a helicopter carrier - but she could be ready to operate Harriers again by Christmas,” he added. (ANI)
- Italy assigns eight combat aircraft for Libya air strikes - Apr 28, 2011
- New British jets can't land on aircraft carriers - Jan 16, 2012
- 48 killed as coalition forces target Libyan air defence - Mar 20, 2011
- Missiles to be deployed at six London sites to protect Olympics - May 01, 2012
- Britain to sack nearly 100 air force trainee pilots - Feb 14, 2011
- Navy to operate Viraat aircraft carrier for another decade - Jan 19, 2011
- UK Tornado jets launch precision bomb raids on Libya - Mar 26, 2011
- Fighter plane shot down, rebels evicted from Benghazi (Lead) - Mar 19, 2011
- India given choice to pioneer naval Typhoon jet - Aug 01, 2011
- UK Government puts up aircraft carrier HMS Invincible for sale - Nov 28, 2010
- Coalition forces 'strike Gaddafi's home town' : Libyan state TV - Mar 27, 2011
- UK to spearhead emergency airlift of stranded refugees in Libya - Mar 03, 2011
- French aircraft carrier leaves for Libya - Mar 20, 2011
- Heavy explosions heard in Libyan capital - Apr 25, 2011
- British defence secretary admits Gaddafi is a 'legitimate target' - Mar 21, 2011
Tags: aircraft carrier, change of heart, colonel muammar gaddafi, defence cuts, defence spending cuts, dictator, dole, ground staff, hangars, hangers, harrier jump jets, helicopter carrier, hms, libyan, mike critchley, military source, muammar gaddafi, raf cottesmore, warplanes, warship world