UK defence chiefs stand by Harrier retirement decision

An open letter was published in The Times on 12 November, signed by
officials including new chief of the defence staff Gen Sir David
Richards and chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen
Dalton. Their response was aimed specifically at concerns over a
decision to immediately retire the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Ark
Royal and to remove the UK's remaining BAE Systems Harrier GR9s from
use by 31 March 2011.

"The decision to withdraw Harrier from service and to retain a reduced
[Panavia] Tornado force had to balance our current needs in
Afghanistan with the intent to rationalise our fast jet fleets," the
chiefs say. "After very careful consideration our military advice was
to retain the more capable Tornado. Harrier's contribution has been
huge, but the decision to withdraw it is the right thing to do in the
circumstances and a decision that we collectively agreed."

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/11/15/349713/uk-defence-chiefs-stand-by-harrier-retirement-decision.html