Junior wrote:

Uk don't have any Aircraft carriers at the moment the last one (The Arkroyal) has just been 'scrapped'

We still have HMS Illustrious, but she is now carrying helicopters only  10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

dunkley201 wrote:

Junior wrote:

Uk don't have any Aircraft carriers at the moment the last one (The Arkroyal) has just been 'scrapped'

We still have HMS Illustrious, but she is now carrying helicopters only

An aircraft carrier normally refers to a carrier of fixed wing aircrafts, The illustrious was to be 'scrapped' but ended up being refitted to carry choppers and is now classed as a 'comando and helicopter carrier'.
We have to rely on the french to help us out if we need use of an true aircraft carrier for the next 9 years

AiiEEX wrote:

As they were all "scrap" anyway, then 34 million sounds okay.
At least it's to the yanks and not some dodgy uncontrolled Country.

Junior wrote:

An aircraft carrier normally refers to a carrier of fixed wing aircrafts, The illustrious was to be 'scrapped' but ended up being refitted to carry choppers and is now classed as a 'comando and helicopter carrier'.
We have to rely on the french to help us out if we need use of an true aircraft carrier for the next 9 years

Oh! Junior! We are being picky! To clarify, a Harrier is a fixed wing aircraft; a Helicopter is a rotary wing aircraft. As it 'appens, the Harrier (uniquely among FW a/c) could likely still fly from Illustrious, choppers or not! You are sadly right about the "French connection" so to speak. Wellington and Nelson must be wondering what all their efforts were for! Sadly we now have no aircraft that could use a semi-conventional carrier anyway.  10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

dunkley201 wrote:

As it 'appens, the Harrier (uniquely among FW a/c) could likely still fly from Illustrious

Not completely unique to FW a/c. Take a peek at the V-22 Osprey.

 1st time FL2 owner. 2007 SE i6 in Tambora Flame.

That's a good one - FW one way, RW the other - very hybrid! You decide!  10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

djwhyte wrote:

dunkley201 wrote:

As it 'appens, the Harrier (uniquely among FW a/c) could likely still fly from Illustrious

Not completely unique to FW a/c. Take a peek at the V-22 Osprey.

Now that is a strange beast to classify/pigeon hole, it's obviously a VTOL, its definately not a 'jump jet' like the harrier. but seems to be a 'fixed wing helicopter aircraft thingybob'

 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

The BBC has now posted its own report. "Britain is selling 72 retired Harrier jump jets to the US in a deal worth about $180m (£116m)" . "......We have agreed the sale of the final 72 Harrier aircraft frames and associated parts which will be used as a major source of spares for the US Marine Corps Harrier AV-8B fleet of aircraft."

So its a pre-used spares package - still a bargain!  10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)