Last Marine Harriers pilots...

[Chuckman]

... finished training last week at Cherry Point. They are the last two pilots to be trained in the AV-8B. The squadron they are going into will transition to the F-35 in 2026.

Final U.S. Marines Receive AV-8B Harrier Pilot Designations

All good things must come to an end—and it was last week that the final two United States Marine Corps pilots completed training on the AV-8B Harrier II, the vertical/short takeoff and landing (VSTOL) tactical attack aircraft that first entered service with the Marine Corps forty years ago

nationalinterest.org

 

[Car0linab0y]

Vmat-203 going to f-35s...

That will be the end of an Era.

 

[Inglis]

I am waiting for the next generation of vertical take off aircraft.

 

[Chuckman]

I am waiting for the next generation of vertical take off aircraft.

Marines going to the F-35B. It's VSTOL.

 

[tod0987]

They've been pretty active this week. They're currently out there right now

 

[Car0linab0y]

They've been pretty active this week. They're currently out there right now

View attachment 764126

Working bt-9 and bt-11. 9 is open marsh and 11 is on piney island.

 

[tod0987]

Working bt-9 and bt-11. 9 is open marsh and 11 is on piney island.

Yea not much left of 9 from the last time I pulled it up on google earth, a thin shoal east of the Bay River. Most of the shoal is now gone with just some old hulls remaining. The hurricanes took most of the sign markers down, so I don't venture out there. Don't want a fine etc.

 

[Stogies]

Still can't believe the Brits won the Falklands war just with Harriers.

 

[MacEntyre]

I recently read that the F-35 is the heaviest single engine airplane ever built...

 

[rufrdr]

Still can't believe the Brits won the Falklands war just with Harriers.

The Argentine planes were at the extreme edge of their operational range and had about 5 minutes of combat time, plus the Brits were superbly trained and knew how to get 100% from the Harrier.

 

[Chuckman]

Still can't believe the Brits won the Falklands war just with Harriers.

The Argentine planes were at the extreme edge of their operational range and had about 5 minutes of combat time, plus the Brits were superbly trained and knew how to get 100% from the Harrier.

The Brits' AC were outnumbered 6:1 with largely better air-to-air AC. The Brits did an incredible job. It was absolutely strategic planning to have engagements at the range of the Argentinian AC.

The Brit's 'downside' was it's anti-ship missile capability. The flew heavy ASW (fixed wing and rotary), did the best they could, but they just needed more ASW resources. I know people say "but the Brits lost 7 ships", but being at a HUGE numerical disadvantage, they did a remarkable job.

 

[AR10ShooterinNC]

Still can't believe the Brits won the Falklands war just with Harriers.

Neither side had good radar cover.

 

[Stogies]

I wonder how the Brits would fare today?