The AV-8B is slightly lighter than the GR.9, so I’d be interested in seeing how it compares to the GR.9 in a dogfight and how it compares to the SHAR In a dogfight (as well as the GR.9 vs. SHAR).

How is it lighter?

Does anyone have any data regarding the Blue Vixen, like range etc? Its dish seems to be very small, when compared with APG-65, 63 etc

Its good and thats about the best I can tell you apart from an Admiral (American I think) describing the SHAR 2 as ‘that little puffer jet with the big ****’. He was refering to the radar. Apart from a more than merely respectable range and fidelity it is the kind of radar that you point in the general direction of the target and simply switch it on. The computer and the software automatically detects, prioritises, sorts etc giving the pilot all the info required at the flick of a switch. To put it into perspective, the CAPTOR system used by the Eurofighter Typhoon is based on the Blue Vixen.

I would say that the second pic is a GR.7 or GR.9 picture. The 7s and 9s are based on the AV-8B Harrier II, with a new wing and 3 hard points under each wing.

RAF GR5/7/9/T10 have four hardpoints under each wing, well maybe not the T10.

Mr Freely you may regret that post.

INCOMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is that the same French Mirage 2k shot down at Pale on 30Aug1995 by Serbs (I suppose IFF didn’t work)?. The only loss during “Deliberate Force”, despite them only flying only 8.1% of all combat sorties and resulting in record loss rate of 25% of all French Mirage 2k involved in that operation?

Yes. And the Royal Navy lost a Sea Harrier and the USAF lost an F16, not to mention an F117 (so stealth didn’t work either did it?)

This is not meant to argue whether French Forces can match US Forces or not, I only wanted you show how you were twisting the facts in a way that makes them look just as you want them to look like. Any discussion about your objectivity is irrelevant here..

Flex. Forgive him its his way and he knows not what he does. 😀

Hey, don’t blame me for the things my ex Sec. of Def. did. I didn’t like what he did, and now I don’t like what Hoon does. Has this anything to do with my nationality ?

Aurel sorry chap I mean no offence but look at the thread. The ‘British’ did this the ‘British’ did that or are demanding something, or playing brinkmanship or being unfair or some sort of negative thing. It feels like we are under attack for doing something that WILL benefit the entire Eurofighter project consortium and being portrayed in a dim light.

Personally I think that so much crap has been said by so many so called ‘experts’ who are obviously otherwise; who have their own agenda that seems shady at best; that nerves are getting frayed and tempers are flaring. Yours, mine, everybody’s. Its being going on ever since the project started and only the likes of you, me, Steve, Seahawk and many others actually seem to understand the significance and the potential of this jet. The last thing we need now is an argument in the ‘layman’ community. Let the idiots and the corrupt politicians argue, surely we can agree that people like the Sun and Sue Willets are full of sh1t and look forward to this thing going into service and winning export competitions, fully loaded, fully capable and showing its critics up for what they really are.

What do you think?

I knew it! I just knew it! Bloody typical aint it? 😀

A better question would be this: Can the SHAR carry two fuel tanks, two 30-mm cannon pods, two AIM-9’s, and two AIM-120’s all at once?

Theoretically yes. Operationally no. Usual loadout is 4 AMRAAM, 2 fuel tanks, no guns. Or 2 AMRAAM, 2 Sidewinder, 2 tanks, no guns. Or 2 guns, 2 Sidewinders 2 tanks for short range point defence work. I’m sorry this is still not definitive but I don’t think the fuel tank pylons were ever wired for AMRAAMs.

As for what they will do with them. Personally I don’t think they will retire ALL of them until the F35 comes online. Even the MoD is beginning to realise that those baby flat tops of ours need an organic air defence capability. If not I can see some being stripped of their Blue Vixen radars which would be fitted to a handful of Harrier GR9s which would be similar to the latest Italian (and I beleive Spanish) Harrier 2s that are now coming online with AMRAAM capability. The USMC did not take up this option so the Italians and Spanish did the integration work themselves.

Hope this helps a little. 🙂