As part of the UK Government's Strategic Defence Review of October 2010, it was announced that the BAe Harriers of the Joint Harrier Force would be withdrawn from service by the end of 2010.
Developed from the Hawker P1127 of 1960,9 Kestrel evaluation were flown from 1964. The RAF ordered the Harrier GR1 in 1966 and the prototype first flew December 28,1967.It became the world's first VTOL fighter to enter service in 1969.
A further development resulted in the Sea Harrier FRS1 which entered service with the Fleet Air Arm in 1980. They were all withdrawn in 2006.
Derived from the Boeing/BAe AV-8B Harrier II was the second generation Harrier to enter service with the RAF as the GR5,GR7 and GR9 and from 2006 the Royal Navy. The first of 41 GR5s entered service July 1987 and the GR7 first flew May 1990, its first deployment was over the former Yugosalvia August 1995.
The last GR7 was withdrawn from service 31 March 2010,and only the GR9s and GR9As remained after this date.
The GR9 was an avionics and weapons upgrade from the GR7. The T.10 was a 2 seat training variant and 13 of these were built. With upgrades to GR7/9 standard some became the T.12.
Most of the photographs in this gallery are mine, but some have been included from other sources.
This gallery is my tribute.