BAE to maintain Harrier fleet for rest of it's life

BAE Systems has been awarded a £574 million contract to maintain the RAF/FAA fleet of Harriers for the remaining 9 years of their lives (when it is planned/hoped they will be replaced by JSF). The combined Harrier fleet is 76 aircraft and BAE must make sure 52 are available at any one time (which is quite a tough target for such a maitenance intensive aircraft like the Harrier). The fleet will be looked after at RAF Cottesmore in a joint team of RAF/RN and BAE staff. The contract will save the MOD £70 million, which in the current climate is very welcome.



It's replacement, the STOVL version of the JSF, meantime is doing well with it's hover tests with vertical thrust exceeding targets.