Naval Air: July 1, 2002

Archives

British plans to retire the Royal Navy's Harrier FA2 fighters by 2006 will leave the three aircraft carries flying Royal Air Force Harrier GR7 bombers until the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter enters British service in 2012. Britain plans to upgrade 30 GR7s to use the more powerful Pegasus-107 engine under a $220 million program known as GR7A. After that, these planes will be fitted with new weapons and avionics and designated GR9s; that program will cost over $500 million. --Stephen V Cole