Joint Force Harrier

Joint Force Harrier is the British military formation which controls the STOVL Harrier aircraft of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm. It is sub-ordinate to RAF Air Command.

Joint Force Harrier was established on 1 April 2000 in response to the proposal brought by the British Government as part of Strategic Defence Review. Originally called Joint Force 2000, it combined the Royal Navy's Sea Harrier FA2 squadrons with the RAF's Harrier GR 7/7A squadrons under a single command structure within RAF Strike Command. This force was to be deployable from both Invincible class aircraft carriers, Royal Air Force stations and deployed air bases.

The Royal Navy's contribution to the force was the Sea Harrier previously part of Naval Air Command. With the retirement of the Harrier FA2 Sea Harrier by 2006 the force will migrate entirely to the Harrier GR7, and the upgraded GR9. This aircraft will continue in service until 2012 at which time it should be replaced with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. At the same time the first of the new CVF carriers should enter service, increasing the number of aircraft deployable at sea.

Criticisms of JFH

The retirement of the Sea Harrier considerably reduces the utility of the force at sea, as it is no longer capable of fleet protection or operating in an environment in which there are hostile aircraft, unless supported by fighter aircraft from elsewhere. JFH was intended to combine both air defence/offensive counter air and attack, but due to cut backs it was decided only the ground attack variant would be used.

Joint Force Harrier Units

There are currently four operational JFH squadrons, two Fleet Air Arm and two Royal Air Force. In 2006, No 3 Squadron converted to the Eurofighter Typhoon, surrendering its aircraft to the Fleet Air Arm, and allowing No 800 Naval Air Squadron to reform. At the same time, the size of operational squadrons will reduce from 12 aircraft to nine. Both No 1 and No 4 Squadrons, together with 800 NAS, will surrender three aircraft each. This will allow 801 Naval Air Squadron to convert from the Sea Harrier to the Harrier GR9. The Naval Air Squadrons will operate but not own the aircraft. On 9th March 2007, with the reformation of 801 NAS, the Naval Strike Wing was formed; due to the immediate lack of trained fast jet pilots in the Royal Navy, this sees elements of both Fleet Air Arm squadrons amalgamate into a single operational squadron for deployment either on operations or aboard the Royal Navy's single available aircraft carrier (currently HMS "Illustrious") [http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.5618] .

*No 1 Squadron
*No 4 Squadron
*No 20(R) Squadron
*Naval Strike Wing
**800 Naval Air Squadron
**801 Naval Air Squadron