Retired Naval and Marine Senior Officers question Harrier cuts. (Rutland & Melton Liberal Democrats)

Rutland & Melton Liberal Democrats <info@rutlandlibdems.org.uk>

Retired Naval and Marine Senior Officers question Harrier cuts.

November 10, 2010 12:23 PM

Harrier Jump Jet In a letter in today's edition of the Times, five retired senior officers from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines have questioned the logic behind the Government's decision to scrap the Harrier force and retain the more expensive and less capable Tornado fleet. Two of the officers, Alan West and Julian Thompson were commanding officers in the 1982 Falklands Conflict and have highlighted the threat to the Falklands and other dependent territories posed by the withdrawal of the Harrier.

Local Rutland and Melton Liberal Democrat, Grahame Hudson, who served as an officer in the Royal Navy for ten years, recently took part in a BBC Radio Five Live discussion on the future of the Navy following the announcement of the proposed cuts and was critical of the decision to withdraw the Harriers and retire HMS Ark Royal early. Grahame commented, "This letter highlights the folly of this decision to cut the Harrier fleet and retain the Tornado aircraft, which is more expensive to maintain and less capable than the Harrier. Public and service pressure is mounting on the MoD and minsters to revisit this decision and carry out a proper comparison and analysis of the operational capabilities of both aircraft."