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[Varche]

Instead of scrapping the Jump jets, why didn't we send them to the Falkland islands?

A small posting of guys could have kept them about serviceable, periodically they could have moved them around the airfield using a tractor. Don't laugh, the Russians use inflatable tanks in their operations. They only cost a half of the price of a new real tank and look convincing.

That would have kept the Argentinians away and saved £100billion on a new aircraft carrier to boot .

[millwall]

because that idea would be too logical

[Pitchfork]

My late uncle worked on the Harriers when they returned from the Falklands with totally wrecked engines because they were Naval aircraft & using them on land sucked in so much grass & other crap the the engines were close to failure

[Lizzie_Zoom]

My late uncle worked on the Harriers when they returned from the Falklands with totally wrecked engines because they were Naval aircraft & using them on land sucked in so much grass & other crap the the engines were close to failure

Ah, rather like the Chieftain II tanks in the First Gulf War sucking in the sand!

Strange how designers of military hardware assume the equipment is only to be used in a set theatre of war!

[2woody]

My late uncle worked on the Harriers when they returned from the Falklands with totally wrecked engines because they were Naval aircraft & using them on land sucked in so much grass & other crap the the engines were close to failure

Ah, rather like the Chieftain II tanks in the First Gulf War sucking in the sand!

Strange how designers of military hardware assume the equipment is only to be used in a set theatre of war!

 guess I'm qualified to answer this one.....

The designers simply do what's asked of them, very often against what would be the logical approach.

the sand issue is a great example - the vehicle was originally designed to sit on the East/West Greman border and wait for the Russians to come rolling across. No thought of sand was made because it simply wasn't on the Army's radar.

When, of course, it went into the desert, an improved air filter package was designed and offered to MoD - they declined to take up the offer.

and just for reference, it was Challenger 2 and it was on exercise "Saif Saria II" in Oman, long after Gulf War I. Challenger I went into Kuwait and performed excellently.

[Gaffers]

My late uncle worked on the Harriers when they returned from the Falklands with totally wrecked engines because they were Naval aircraft & using them on land sucked in so much grass & other crap the the engines were close to failure

Ah, rather like the Chieftain II tanks in the First Gulf War sucking in the sand!

Strange how designers of military hardware assume the equipment is only to be used in a set theatre of war!

 guess I'm qualified to answer this one.....

The designers simply do what's asked of them, very often against what would be the logical approach.

the sand issue is a great example - the vehicle was originally designed to sit on the East/West Greman border and wait for the Russians to come rolling across. No thought of sand was made because it simply wasn't on the Army's radar.

When, of course, it went into the desert, an improved air filter package was designed and offered to MoD - they declined to take up the offer.

and just for reference, it was Challenger 2 and it was on exercise "Saif Saria II" in Oman, long after Gulf War I. Challenger I went into Kuwait and performed excellently.

Nail on the head 

I think it takes a lot more than just a small bunch of guys to keep Harriers operational.  The maintenance is 70-90% of the cost of running one

[Kevin Wood]

Just need to get the Harriers to the Falklands.

Some sort of ship adapted to take aircraft would be handy... Oh, bollards! we've just scrapped it.

Now, how about an in-flight refuelling platform.. Oh, here we go again.

Kevin

[Lizzie_Zoom]

My late uncle worked on the Harriers when they returned from the Falklands with totally wrecked engines because they were Naval aircraft & using them on land sucked in so much grass & other crap the the engines were close to failure

Ah, rather like the Chieftain II tanks in the First Gulf War sucking in the sand!

Strange how designers of military hardware assume the equipment is only to be used in a set theatre of war!

 guess I'm qualified to answer this one.....

The designers simply do what's asked of them, very often against what would be the logical approach.

the sand issue is a great example - the vehicle was originally designed to sit on the East/West Greman border and wait for the Russians to come rolling across. No thought of sand was made because it simply wasn't on the Army's radar.

When, of course, it went into the desert, an improved air filter package was designed and offered to MoD - they declined to take up the offer.

and just for reference, it was Challenger 2 and it was on exercise "Saif Saria II" in Oman, long after Gulf War I. Challenger I went into Kuwait and performed excellently.

Oooooooops!

Thanks Woody for the correction.  It is amazing I didn't mention the Churchill, T34 and the Tiger!!

[tunnie]

If i remember correctly those Challenger I tanks were manuals, which helped them not to get stuck, unlike the Americans!

[geoffr70]

Because the argies have a very competent and substantial armed forces, unlike how it was before.

If they wanted to take the Falklands they could do quite easily and we couldn't take them back. All they'd have to do is invade at 4am on any Saturday or Sunday when everyone is tanked up in bed, with the RAF police dog handlers who are supposed to be guarding the airfield in bed aswell, and only 1 resident infantry company.

[2woody]

If i remember correctly those Challenger I tanks were manuals, which helped them not to get stuck, unlike the Americans!

sorry Tunnie, you don't.

Challenger 1 had the same David Brown TN65 transmission as CR 2. Mind you, we write our own software for transmission control, which has strategies for "un-bogging" and the like.

Most of the Abrams problems were caused by their illogical choice of a gas turbine power plant. Air filtration becomes very important when you shift that much air. They are very intolerant of dirt, dust and moisture, put out a huge amount of heat and use a lot of fuel.