Does anyone have current numbers for operational harriers still in service?

Ah, too bad for the Armada. So the project to update the Night Attack jets to the B+ standard was eventually not funded? Any news from Spain about any involvement in an F-35B purchase? It would not be advisable to lose the capacity to sustain fixed wing carrier operations until the sun get brighter, and even an off-shelf acquisition takes some years.
Years of hard work are needed to gain the capability to operate from a carrier, but you could lose it in a very short time. I hope the Spanish parliament/goverment will show more love for their Navy.

Unfortunately, the line of modernization AV-8B + was closed before having the necessary funds. In fact, these four AV-8B Night Attack Harrier was originally Attack Day, but the chain was closed, it was decided to take it to the Night Attack standard.

As for the F-35,there have been numerous interviews in which the responsible for the Armada have stated their desire to acquire at least 12 F-35B, but the cost of the apparatus and especially maintenance costs make yet very difficult to purchase.

1Saludo

For Marina Militare Italiana the AV-8B+ fleet is being mantained, I think as part of the HISS support program, at NAVAIR Station, Cherry Point, N.C. (each jet undergoes a 200 days circa extensive mainteneance program, then the next jet arrives to Cherry Point while the previous one returns to Italy)
http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.NAVAIRNewsStory&id=5220
http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=72812

So our fleet (or at least a part of the fleet) of Harriers should be in good shape to sustain our navy until the F-35B enter service here in the early ’20s. I cann’t confirm if all of the Italian Harriers will undergo the above mainteneance program, but at the moment no further a/c from the 16 officially in service now has been written off nor retired.

Spanish Navy, Armada Española, 12 AV-8B Harrier II+, 1 TAV-8B. 4 AV-8B Night Attack would be written off to save costs.

Ah, too bad for the Armada. So the project to update the Night Attack jets to the B+ standard was eventually not funded? Any news from Spain about any involvement in an F-35B purchase? It would not be advisable to lose the capacity to sustain fixed wing carrier operations until the sun get brighter, and even an off-shelf acquisition takes some years.
Years of hard work are needed to gain the capability to operate from a carrier, but you could lose it in a very short time. I hope the Spanish parliament/goverment will show more love for their Navy.

As of 2006, the Indian Navy was in the process of upgrading up to 15 Sea Harriers in collaboration with Israel by installing the Elta EL/M-2032 radar and the Rafael ‘Derby’ medium range air to air missile.[82][83] This will enable the Sea Harrier to remain in Indian service until beyond 2012, and also see limited service off the new carriers it will acquire by that time frame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Aerospace_Sea_Harrier

The V/STOL(Vertical or Short Take-Off and Landing) Sea Harrier fighters were inducted in 1983, with 25 used for operational flying and the remaining 5 as trainers. The current fleet reportedly stands at 13 as of December 2007 external link, due to 17 crashes over the aircrafts’ service lifetime (a known hazard for Harriers). With only 13 aircraft on hand, cycling aircraft in for lengthy upgrades without disrupting already-low fleet numbers becomes a challenge.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Indias-Sea-Harrier-Shortage-04774/

I saw at least a dozen (a mix between SHAR’s and GR’s) at Culdrose during the summer being used for this very reason.

The FAA has several used for deck handling training

Have no real idea but as per public info there are 11 frames left. Don’t know type or status.

Spanish Navy, Armada Española, 12 AV-8B Harrier II+, 1 TAV-8B. 4 AV-8B Night Attack would be written off to save costs.

1Saludo