Harrier,Storm Shadow And Brimstone

There are many people who believe that the Harrier aircraft could not carry the Storm Shadow and Brimstone missiles.

Chief of the Air Staff,Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton (a former Tornado pilot) said the following to the Royal Aeronautical Society on the 13th of April 2011:

"The Tornados have delivered [MBDA] Storm Shadows to penetrate hardened buildings and the dual-mode Brimstone,neither of which could have been delivered by the Harrier."

Air Chief Marshal Dalton,the current head of the British Royal Air Force (R.A.F.),and a former Tornado pilot,may not have read our previous piece "What To Cut: Typhoon,Harrier And Nimrod Versus Tornado And F.S.T.A.". 

This is the official position from Nick Harvey,Minister of State for the Armed Forces in Parliament on the 18th of July 2011:

"The Harrier aircraft was withdrawn from service on 15 December 2010.

Prior to its withdrawal,it had an operational emergency clearance to operate Baseline Brimstone.

In order for the Harrier to use Dual Mode Seeker Brimstone,we would have had to extend the provision for the weapon and conduct a full trials programme on Harrier.

Although capable of carrying Storm Shadow,Harrier was not cleared to do so when it was withdrawn from service."

Nick Harvey also said in Parliament on Thursday 18 November 2010:

"The Ministry of Defence has assessed that it would in principle be technically feasible to launch the Storm Shadow missile,which is the UK's only air launched cruise-missile, from a number of in-service and future fixed-wing platforms other than the Tornado fast jet.

These include the Harrier GR9, Hercules C-130J, A400M, Typhoon and joint strike fighter."

Note how the opinions of senior Royal Air Force officers influence the opinions of government ministers who rely on their advice:

According to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever):

"The military advice is that the Tornado has a greater capability.

The primary capability advantages of the Tornado GR4 over the Harrier GR9 include greater payload and range and integration of capabilities,such as Storm Shadow,fully integrated dual-mode Brimstone,the Raptor reconnaissance pod and a cannon."

When Lord Astor says "the military advice is....",he probably means "Royal Air Force officers told us...".

Of course,what Royal Air Force officers say is not necessarily entirely correct.

On paper,theTornado has a range and payload advantage over the Harrier.

But wars are not fought on paper.

In the real World the Harrier would have had a significant range and payload advantage over the Tornado on recent operations in Libya.

The Harrier already had an "emergency clearance" to fire baseline Brimstone (dual mode Brimstone is almost identical).

Harrier could have carried Storm Shadow if it's integration had not been cancelled.

Harrier carried the Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod instead of Raptor pod.

Harrier had rocket pods instead of cannon.

Though the American Harriers do have cannon pods and they could probably have been carried by British Harriers also.

Note that this official Ministry of Defence aircraft hazards document lists both Brimstone and Storm Shadow as "weapon types capable of carriage" by the Harrier.

Note that this official Ministry of Defence document lists the Harrier as an aircraft which can carry Storm Shadow. 

Note that this official Ministry of Defence document lists the Harrier as an aircraft which can carry Brimstone.