And... 
Posted on 07/17/2007 11:49:43 AM PDT by Rikstir
Fourteen United States AV8B Harrier Jets have joined up with the UK aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious ahead of a major joint exercise in the United States.
The Harriers, from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Marine Aircraft Group (MAG)14, have embarked on HMS Illustrious, the UK's and NATO's High Readiness Maritime Strike Carrier, ahead of a US-led Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFX) which is set to take place off the eastern coast of the United States.
The Air Group was welcomed on board by Commodore Alan Richards, Commander UK Strike Group and Commander of one of the three Carrier Task Groups for the exercise. He was joined by Captain Tim Fraser, the Commanding Officer of HMS Illustrious.
"Today's embarkation of 14 AV8B Harriers from the USMC Marine Aircraft Group will allow the ship to train and test many aspects of the Maritime Strike capability in a demanding scenario alongside the US Navy," said Captain Fraser.
"It is an exciting time for the Ship's Company to operate with the US aircraft, demonstrating our versatility and flexibility whilst sharing best practice and integrating around 200 US personnel on board."
Colonel Eric 'Beans' Van Camp USMC, the Commander of the embarked Air Group added:
"This is the largest ever embarkation of AV8Bs on a foreign warship and it gives us a great and unique opportunity to train with one of our most important Coalition partners."
MAG 14 is a USMC aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina that is currently composed of four AV-8B Harrier squadrons, four EA-6B Prowler squadrons, one KC-130 squadron and a maintenance and logistics squadron. The AV8B Harriers embarked in Illustrious are second-generation vertical/takeoff and landing aircraft similar to the GR7/9 Harriers operated by the UK Joint Harrier Force.
Throughout the exercise, 'Lusty' as she is known to her Ship's Company, and the 200 US Marines onboard, will be used as a platform by US Marine Corps AV8B Harrier jets alongside Sea King helicopters from Royal Naval Air Squadrons 857 and 771. She is also the first non-US warship to operate with the MV22 Osprey. HMS Illustrious will return to Portsmouth in August following the end of the exercise.
Major Jim Dresner, a UK Royal Marine pilot on exchange with the United States Marine Corps, who piloted the second AV8B on board, said:
"My exchange with the USMC has been fantastic, but flying from Illustrious for the forthcoming exercise will be one of the highlights and demonstrates the true flexibility of the aircraft and the UK Strike Capability."
In another landmark event for the US Marine Corps Sergeant Major Courtney Kyle Curtis United States Marine Corps (USMC) became the first US Marine in history to re-enlist on a foreign warship during the preparations for the Joint Task Force Exercise.
Sergeant Major Curtis, a native of Panama City, Florida, raised his hand and re-affirmed his loyalty to the Constitution of the United States in a ceremony conducted in front of more than 200 Marines and the officers of the HMS Illustrious. He is currently serving as the Sergeant Major to the combined Marine Harrier force that embarked on ‘Lusty’ on 15 Jul 07.
He has served for 24 years and requested to re-enlist aboard HMS Illustrious as a sign of appreciation and recognition of the partnership between the two nations.
"My re-enlistment aboard this ship signifies a joint commitment to our way of life and the freedoms and values we both share in America and the UK. We fought together and we died together in Iraq and Afghanistan, and all in the name of freedom. I wanted to show my gratitude to the UK forces for their service."
MAG 14 BumP
FRom a MAG 36 alumni
This thread is useless without ordnance being dropped or decent aviation pictures.
He’s right, how you gonna post an article about Carriers and Harriers and don’t got no pics????? I need my daily dose of weapons systems porn....
Will some video sate your lust? :)
http://royalnavy.mod.uk/img/navy/ConMediaFile/videoSelect.php?id=31411
Nice to see the USMC flying British aircraft and I hear from a mate on Lusty that they are looking forward to using the ski-jumps! :)
And...
The harrier rocks!!!
LOL...took the words right outta my mouth....
Where's my Jane's Defense Weekly?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=381251&in_page_id=1770
Recall that the UK just retired the last of their Sea Harriers? I wonder if this is the reason the “Illustrious” is embarking a USMC air detachment?
Thanks for the link....that hit the spot.
My thanks kind sir....it had to be done for the chilrun’. :-)
Those Harriers are American aircraft which were built at McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis; quite a bit of difference between the A and the B. The Corps no longer operates any Hawker built Harriers.
Hey that works. American & British. Although in this case the B is the American version, and the A, the British.
No The Brits still operate RAF GR.9 Harriers (which are the same model as the US McD Harrier II) as part of Joint Force Harrier from the carriers.
The money to up-grade the RAF Harriers from GR.7 to GR.9 standard came from disbanding the RN F/A.2 Sea Harrier force.
...and they say the “Special Relationship” is dying.
“We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area...”
Love that tagline man. Wot a laf!
like any partnership and close ‘relationship’, they go through bad times and good. Bottom line, we are true allies.
Poor man.
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