Aircraft

The seventh and final Harrier GR9 replacement rear fuselage has been delivered by BAE Systems as part of a three-year, £20 million ($40.6 million) UK Ministry of Defence programme to keep the aircraft available through their out-of-service date in 2018-19.

The fuselages are being delivered to RAF stores to be immediately available when an in-service Harrier GR9 requires rear fuselage replacement

GR9s are being modernised and will be kept operational until they begin to be replaced by Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters around the middle of the next decade.

The fuselages are being delivered to Royal Air Force stores to be immediately available when an in-service Harrier GR9 requires rear fuselage replacement.

The contract was placed in 2004 to produce Harrier rear fuselages, as part of the through-life support to the aircraft. Harrier GR9As are in service with the RAF in Afghanistan, with capabilities enhanced by the Advanced Targeting Sniper Pod.

RAF Wg Cdr Des Cook says: "This programme increases the availability of the Harrier aircraft to the frontline squadrons right through to the planned out of service date."