Sea Harrier Sortie

What is it really like to fly a V/STOL Sea Harrier on an operational mission? The aircraft is small, with outstanding handling qualities and has an ultra-modern avionics package, writes Lt Cdr Nigel Ward. Here he describes how the adrenalin flows when accelerating up a ship’s ramp, the confidence when ‘stalking his prey’ and the calm of a controlled vertical landing without arrester wires to worry about.

Since the days of Baron von Richthofen, air supremacy has proved to be a vital factor in the outcome of all wars, major and minor. In today’s Royal Navy, this lesson is well remembered and a major step has now been taken to fulfil the needs of present fleet commanders at sea: operational Sea Harrier squadrons have formed and are available to provide an important extension to the offensive and defensive power of the modern navy.

The operational deployment of the Sea Harrier marks the rebirth of fixed-wing air power in the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. In the late 1960s, the decision was taken not to replace HMS Ark Royal and her sister ships with modern and expensive strike carriers. At this stage, the Phantom F-4K was just entering service. By the end of the 1970s the F-4, Buccaneer and Gannet had carried out their last flight deck operations and the Ark Royal was sadly being taken to the breaker’s yard.

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