HMS Illustrious Sea Harrier flight deck flying operations

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A nostalgic snapshot of the Sea Harrier during a flying operations exercise on HMS Illustrious off the coast of Scotland. The Harrier is no longer in service, and HMS Illustrious is now in the Philippines giving aid to the victims of cyclone Haiyan. 'Lusty' is featured in my book 'Blue Peter: Behind The Badge' Chapter 34. Now also available as an eBook on Amazon Kindle. Book is also available through my website 'Blue Peter: Behind The Badge.'

[@dalitsozulu9876]

Hearing those engines spool down never gets old.

[@stefanseniuk339]

In my opinion all three light carriers and the Harrier were shelved way before their time, such a shame their not still around to compliment the two new strike carriers...it really goes to show the shocking extent of cut backs...when the RN was still amongst the most powerful in the world, old and new ships were still in service together...a good example of this is Leander class frigates still in action at the time of the Falklands War and holding their own. We're an island nation and a large navy is fundamental to maintaining our sovereignty.

[@drianmortiz9375]

I agree with you sir.

[@AndyH2023.]

Could not agree more 🇬🇧

[@aaronb2779]

The RN is still one of the most powerful in the world. and the costs of maintaining 3 ships and an aging aircraft design, while operating the QE class and F35 would be huge. If the money was available it would be better spent on more F35s.

[@deeremeyer1749]

Not when it's a small island and you don't have but a handful of ports and none are "deepwater ports" and your "industry" doesn't amount to shit and you have to "trade" for 50% of your "food supply" and "energy supply". Does Japan have a "large navy"?

[@williampaz2092]

Truth.

[@mebsrea]

Scrapping the Harrier carriers before the QE and F-35 were ready was the height of stupidity.

[@kingofaesthetics9407]

@@justrandomstuff84 Absolute BS. You clearly know nothing about the F-35. There are no design flaws. And all known issues were fixed years ago during testing. An F-35B today would blow any Harrier out of the water in terms of capability.

[@NavyMax]

@@kingofaesthetics9407 I think he meant that they shouldn't have retired the Harrier until they got the F35 in place. Sort of how the USMC is doing it.

[@kickboxerforever00]

Agreed,it's 2022 and not only do they NOT have a full Complement of F-35s on Elizabeth (i.e 36) they Literally have NONE yet for HMS prince of wales,and the Americans are having to Fulfill England's shortfall of F-35s,and even our so called battlegroup has 1 or 2 American Destroyers (USS The Sullivan's) in it again due to shortcummings and they have 1 Carrier out at any given time.

[@chrissaunders75]

Cameron destroyed the notion of the Conservative Party being the Party of Strong defence! Carriers gone, Maritime Strike gone, Battlefield Close Air support virtually gone ( Harrier and Jaguar) Maritime Patrol and it's replacement gone, RFA ships sold. Army decimated. A huge capability gap for over 10 years. F35 procurement rate not increased. Root cause perhaps.........Labour Party " Good Luck. There is no money".

[@FallenPhoenix86]

​@@chrissaunders75 No, root cause: Tory ineptitude and incompetence, generally in regards to everything they look at.

[@vincecardona2451]

I have visited all the 3 carriers more than once while they visited our grand harbour in Malta ,they were superb ships for their size and its a pity they are not still around.

[@paddydamen8035]

Greatest jet of its generation in the world. Proven combat winner.

[@michaelamos4651]

One word. Brilliant 👏

[@topshamtv]

It was an exercise to simulate war conditions

[@jacksonlam2877]

Could have kept these for the new carrier

[@drianmortiz9375]

Yes indeed sir. The ship, along with her aircraft is worthy to keep.

[@pauljones8149]

What a good video .. much better than the modern day crap narrated by a computer !!

[@engineergaming9727]

Press F to pay respects for the harrier mates

[@allgood6760]

Cool vid👍🇳🇿

[@rogersgjuk2]

well done, you captured the flight deck quite acurately

[@topshamtv]

Gareth Rogers And those days have gone forever...

[@rogersgjuk2]

they WILL return. I'm ex RN and my son is currently working on the F35B out of Beaufort... cant wait to see them on a flight deck of our own

[@henryvagincourt]

+Gareth Rogers Ex to, great stuff your son working on the F-35's, be good to see them at sea.

[@rogersgjuk2]

We have five coming to the UK the year for RIAT and Farnborough... he's bringing his jet (a uk one)

[@henryvagincourt]

+Gareth Rogers I thought it was two, but be great to see the Lighting.

[@mahmoudmustaf8707]

Fantastic warplane

[@beagle7622]

What speed do they need to clear the deck. I know there are variables like wind velocities. Just on a still day what speed would they be doing on the ramp.. Still an incredible aircraft . I love that hi tech little green flag .

[@c.castro4630]

Royal Navy aircraft carriers had the better names

[@MiG-21bisFishbedL]

Here's a Q for British enthusiasts: What's up with the medical scrub-like kit for the operations crew?

[@Autofleet4429]

It's flash Gear its fire and heat resistant to protect them from fire.

[@MiG-21bisFishbedL]

Cool, thanks for the answer!

[@sniffadoghq]

Purpose of the anti flash gear it give short term protection from fire and heat. There worn during exercises or at time when a higher state of readiness is needed. At action stations it’s generally a good idea for all the ships crew to wear them alongside there other fire retardant clothing such as the AWDS etc. They protect you from fireballs, fire “flash” for things such as explosions. Lots of the different crew wear them not just operations. Overall it helps to protect exposed parts of the body. Hope that helps you out a bit!

[@bicolouredprawn]

@@MiG-21bisFishbedL during the Falklands war they had similar gear except it was asbestos!😬

[@warwickbull5559]

So RAF Harriers and RN Sea Harriers both worked on the carriers at the same time at one point?

[@FallenPhoenix86]

Joint Force Harrier, it didn't last long. The Sea Harriers were retired early and 800 NAS transitioned to GR.7's, a few years after that all Harriers were retired... a few more years and the carriers were gone. RAF Harriers had operated off of the carriers a few times though, most notably GR.3's in the Falklands.

[@warwickbull5559]

@@FallenPhoenix86 I guess so, it seems unusual for Airforce pilots to operate off carriers, as that's not usually in their training, but if its the same aircraft type that the navy was using, that would make sense, your right about the Sea Harrier being retired early, as a lot of people say they did have lots hours still left on the air frames when they where withdrawn in early 2006, with the RAF harriers following a few years later, this of course was the consequence of having stupid governments not having their priorities right with what money is spent on, I miss the harries a lot, as being an RAF child during the 2000s, it was plane to look up to.

[@FallenPhoenix86]

@@warwickbull5559 It's a bit different for STOVL ops vs regular carriers I guess, a crash course for deck qualification can be done in a matter of a couple of days vs months for CTOL. If I recall correctly the last FA.2 came off the line in 1998, so by retirement in 2006 the youngest in the fleet were only 8 years old... it was an insane waste of resources.

[@warwickbull5559]

@@FallenPhoenix86 1998 was also the same year the last Panavia Tornado rolled off the production line aswell and that was retired by the RAF in early 2019, so yeah the FA2 Sea Harrier was a waste retiring it when they did.

[@stavrospapadopoulos5706]

nice.

[@bruceleroyhoffman]

SHARs still look kind of modern machines.

[@DemonLordGamingAC0]

Now I feel bad that they're not this loud on DCS

[@estellemelodimitchell8259]

The radio chatter is in English but I’ve no idea at all what they are talking about!

[@ustio834]

They have a wiper?

[@ronaldvankuyk908]

Youknow that these pilots had a special gb windscreen shampoo 10 inches over the ocean if not you see nothting ronadam

[@jiwsaiyok2594]

Classic flightier plane

[@martinbayliss3868]

We had it all worked out and threw it away for the inferior f35 joke!

[@johnstevenson1709]

The f35 is not inferior to the sea harrier its a huge technological leap forwards.

[@Then.72]

@@johnstevenson1709 why ? the UK invented jet powered VTOL & supersonic vtol with the P.1154 system that the government didn’t fund ! They went with the P.1127 system that was subsonic but the Russians copied the supersonic Pegasus system for their aircraft that is exactly what’s in the F35B & the Uk do play a part I building this aircraft

[@uknowngamer8852]

Did the f35 replace the harrier

[@topshamtv]

I would agree with that

[@ronaldvankuyk908]

You mean the belgrano or the dutch carriyer yhe karel doorman etccbye ronadam

[@archiebald4717]

This is the ship that the Argies claim they sank in 1982.

[@admiralmallard7500]

No that was Invincible, which also didn't sink

[@SamuelHarrison]

Now that Illustrious is decomissioned, will she be preserved or not.

[@henryvagincourt]

+Samuel Harrison I hope so Sam.

[@SamuelHarrison]

henryvagincourt it would be a shame if she wasnt. An iconic figure of the cold war

[@henryvagincourt]

My ex ship Plymouth went to the yard, lets hope this time the Navy back her being saved.

[@SamuelHarrison]

henryvagincourt yeah i know its sad. Hopefully a type 26 will be named plymouth or porstmouth

[@henryvagincourt]

I don't think they have announce name idea's as yet, but be a great idea my friend.

[@guillermoalvaradoflores8698]

In the 60s britain fail when didnt built a Supersonic Harrier for the RAF and R N. Would not need the F-35...could be an aircraft for generetions like the Mirage.

[@Then.72]

The Harrier battered the Mirage in the Falklands plus jet powered VTOL was a new type of aircraft

[@doucheybaggus4301]

I've seen it on U.S. and other nations' ships too but, erm, when simply monitoring computer councils... why do they have to wear full bio-hazard suits?

[@pilkingtonmonk1114]

It's a war exercise and they're not bio hazard suits they're anti flash suits, if the ship were to be hit they would protect the seamen from heat and reduce the threat of any serious burns. :)

[@patthonsirilim5739]

because a carrier is basically a ship full of jet fuel and munitions on the move with helicopters and jets that full of munition taking off and landing all the time even accidental crash cause massive havoc to the crew 1967 USS Forrestal accident a very hard lesson learn indeed 134 dead 174 injured the loss of a single carrier service for the whole year and uk back then only have 3 carrier invincible class carrier a single loss to the carrier could mean unimaginable hit to its operation capability

[@sniffadoghq]

Purpose of the anti flash gear it give short term protection from fire and heat. There worn during exercises or at time when a higher state of readiness is needed. At action stations it’s generally a good idea for all the ships crew to wear them alongside there other fire retardant clothing such as the AWDS etc. They protect you from fireballs, fire “flash” for things such as explosions. Lots of the different crew wear them not just operations. Overall it helps to protect exposed parts of the body. Hope that helps you out a bit!

[@paulhall2397]

Very unstable platform. It takes a special pilot to fly the Harrier.

[@MrMoorkey]

...and autostabs.

[@nigelturpin3533]

I simply cannot believe this astonishing little aircraft has somehow lost its role...my sums suggest one F35b equals 12 late period Harriers cost wise...what's so magical about supersonic anyway? Boys toys blah etc...ridiculous...highly skilled pilot...highly specialised machine...equals Harrier.

[@admiralmallard7500]

It's not the supersonic. Though that does matter when it comes to intercepting enemy aircraft. Its the fact you have to get within 20 miles of a F35 compared with over 100 miles to detect a harrier

[@ronaldvankuyk908]

Harries thus you hang in cloud and the sidewinder intotheir$$ xx s150mirages ##ronadam

[@garwhittaker3743]

Great little dogfighter ...uk

[@user-ol1qm9ey7g]

ถ้าจะเปิดสายการผลิตอีกก็คงยากคนก็คงไปซื้อ f-35b

[@user-ol1qm9ey7g]

ในอนาคตมีโอกาสที่กองทัพไทยจัดหาเข้าประจำการได้ คิดว่าครบรอบการฝึกถ้าจะขายต่อบางส่วนให้กองทัพไทย

[@user-ol1qm9ey7g]

ใช่มีอยู่ที่อังกฤษน่ะเยอะมากหลายร้อยเครื่อง

[@user-qr1rc9tu5b]

TOP...tem.keser.i teligente.esse.E..INGLES.

[@darrenhodgson2348]

Proper British Sea power.Why didn't we keep the sea harrier? And the carriers. All the new stuff is overpriced military industrial complex shit.

[@ffrederickskitty214]

I think the problem with the new carriers is that they will never carry a full air wing unless a couple of USMC squadrons embark

[@guillermoalvaradoflores8698]

because the F 35 are from U S...

[@guillermoalvaradoflores8698]

...since the 60s US rules many british decitions in aircraft build..ask to the TSR 2...ask the canadians too.

[@aaronb2779]

Because the new carrier and F35 are far more capable than the sea harrier and Illustrious-class (which would be around 40-30 years old now). I thought that would be kind of obvious.

[@Frserthegreenengine]

@@aaronb2779 but the UK should have kept the Harriers and Illustrious-class carriers as an interim measure until the F-35 and Queen Elizabeth were properly ready. Not as modern or capable as the F-35 but the Harriers and Illustrious still did the job very well indeed.

[@miyachan9333]

自衛隊もこのシーハリヤーを購入したら即、護衛艦「いずも」や「かが」で使用できる。F35Bはいつになったら使えることやら。

[@user-qr1rc9tu5b]

Podem.fazer.di.tudo.copia.cheroke.raio.x.nunca.vai.ser.igual.a.lenda.Harrier.top.mak.10.6.mk.

[@PopulismIsForBottomFeeders]

Whomever edited this definitely couldn't tell the differences between the two different Harriers. Lots of footage of GR.7/9s beginning their take off roll and hitting the ramp in the next cut as an FA.2, and vice versa.

[@guillermoperalta9576]

Harpoon, Exocet ....etc.etc. I'm sorry Illustrius.

[@admiralmallard7500]

Wrong carrier. Invincible, retired 2005, was the one at the falklands

[@tecnohuerta3451]

Sheffield sunken by exocet, Atlantic Conveyor sunken by exocet.... do not forget this

[@razorburn645]

Argentinian navy hid in port, Argentinian fighter loses were so high they were being landed at other bases to hide the numbers and couldn't replace all the fuel pods jettisoned ... do not forget that. Or would you rather go on about starving conscripts out on the island? How about the inability to sustain a conflict right on the doorstep while the opponent was 1000s km away? Argentinian junta starts war to distracted people from a falling government, then proceeds to lose and collapse..do not forget this.

[@tecnohuerta3451]

Yes that the true .. you have the reason...

[@guillermoalvaradoflores8698]

for me, britain fail when didnt built the supersonic Harrier for R N as a fighter, the Harrier originally there were not built for dogfith only ground atack like Gr.1 in the 60s.