On instrument calibration Arthur found calibration cards with only the one initial entry then a gap of several years. In the machine shop small, finished, machined items were just thrown into bins, and the electrical assembly shop had very few documented procedures. The results of this small sample of the way the company worked were so bad that it should have been shut down. However this was avoided by MoD-HSA managerial discussions where some sort of compromise was agreed.

Arthur arrived at the MoD(PE) Harrier project office during the Falklands war bedlam. DNAW wanted more fuel and more weapons on their Sea Harriers. The US had released the AIM-9L for export to the UK but this initially homed onto the Sea Harrier nose pitot. This was corrected by suitable modification of the software at Dunsfold. Due to the Royal Navy’s urgent need for additional CAP (Combat Air Patrol) time tests were undertaken at Yeovilton on the ski jump with the Sea Harrier carrying large external fuel tanks. Due to longitudinal trim settings the trials aircraft was lost when it rolled-in off the ski jump after launching following a fuel transfer failure when carrying 330 gal drop tanks. In the event 190 gal tanks were cleared for service. Of the 20 Sea Harriers deployed to the South Atlantic 6 were lost (but not in air combat) and the Sidewinder 9L was very successful with 17 kills out of the 18 fired. Argentine losses were 57 fixed wing and 11 rotary wing aircraft.

In July 1982 a contract was issued for the replacement of the lost Sea Harriers. The Treasury decreed that they were to be to the same standard as those lost but they were actually built to the latest modification standard and all wartime mods. were regularised. The Navy wanted more missiles so wing-tip and over-wing carriage was considered but eventually twin carriers were settled on.

Next came the Sea Harrier Mid-Life Update (MLU). Costs were initially unacceptably high but after several iterations an acceptable price was agreed. A contract was placed for the conversion of the existing FRSMk1 fleet to FRSMk2 standard and for new-build aircraft. The aircraft were redesignated F/A2 when the nuclear capability (the S for strike) was removed.

Arthur was later involved in the Indian FRSMk51 government-to-government deal based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), visiting India to meet the Navy and also being involved in the Indian pilot training at Yeovilton during which there were some exciting moments.

Finally Arthur mentioned the Sea Harrier Replacement study which was overtaken by events with the decision to buy the F-35 JSF. Some in the Navy wanted the F-18 instead. There could be problems ahead as the software in the F-35 is comprised of nine million lines of code! Also the release of software source codes has yet to be agreed with the US Government as has access to test rigs, issues that will also apply to other nations procuring the F-35.