Hobby Master Archive

Joint Force 2000 was the decision to combine the Harriers of the RAF and the Sea Harriers of the Royal Navy and place them under one command structure within RAF Strike Command. Harrier ZD461’s first flight was as a GR.7A on October 10, 1989 and the military took delivery on November 16, 1989. It was eventually upgraded to a GR.9A and assigned to 1(F) Squadron that took part in Operation Herrick, the code name for British operations for the war in Afghanistan. The squadron’s mission was to provide close air support for ground troops. On June 29, 2009 1(F) Sqn. Left Kandahar Air Field for the last time after a five year stay. The squadron returned to the Naval Strike Wing (NSW), Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy), RAF Cottesmore, UK where the aircraft wears ZD461/51A. The Harrier supposedly will be replaced in 2012 by the F-35 JSF.